That’s a significant improvement from the 166 million iPhone US installed base estimated for the end of 2017, as well as slightly larger than the 185 million unit count from 2018’s third calendar quarter.
While actual sales have started to decline, this number has been steadily growing over the past couple of years, mainly thanks to first-time iPhone buyers rather than folks switching from the Android side.
That said, the installed base progress appears to be slowing down as well, from 19 percent between Q4 2017 and Q4 2018 to 14 percent now compared to a year earlier. 2018’s holiday season raised the tally by a measly 2 percentage points versus the September quarter, while Q4 2017 figures rose a cool 5 percent from the year’s third quarter.
Bottom line, although Apple doesn’t exactly have a problem in the US just yet, this market isn’t thriving as it used to either. Overall, CIRP analysts believe only around 62 million iPhone units were sold globally between October and December 2018, compared to the International Data Corporation’s 68 million estimate and Counterpoint’s 66 million figure.
Whichever of the three might be closer to reality, it represents a massive drop from Q4 2017, when Apple itself confirmed worldwide iPhone shipments of 77.3 million units.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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