CIRP’s latest analysis of Apple’s US iPhone sales by model and storage capacity for the fourth fiscal quarter ending in September 2022 reveals that consumers paid a premium for iPhone 14 models for larger storage capacity.
In addition to a larger display and bigger battery, the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro lineup exclusively offers an advanced A16 Bionic chip, pill-shaped notch, Always-On display, Dynamic Island, and 48MP camera which have impressed consumers worldwide to open up their wallets during tough macroeconomic conditions. The same is true for consumers in the U.S.
iPhone 14 models saw higher sales than 2021 iPhone 13 models in the September quarter
Based on the iPhone purchase data by model from the late September and early October period, the report documents that iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max accounted for 21% of total U.S. sales collectively which is over 16% higher than iPhone 13 series sales.
However, the 2021 older iPhone 13 Pro Max captured the largest share of any single model, at 21% because the iPhone 13 Pro models were available for the entire quarter, until the release of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
The iPhone sales by the model in September quarter 2022 show that iPhone 14 Pro models with 128GB and 256GB storage most popular among U.S. consumers.
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
-
- 256GB – 24%
- 128GB – 31%
- 512 GB – 26%
- 1TB – 13%
- iPhone 13 Pro
- 256GB – 34%
- 128GB – 40%
- 512 GB – 10%
- 1TB – 6%
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- 256GB – 27%
- 128GB – 30%
- 512 GB – 23%
- 1TB – 3%
- iPhone 14 Pro
- 256GB – 50%
- 128GB – 33%
- 512 GB – 8%
- 1TB – 6%
The report explains that consumers chose iPhone models with larger storage capacity because of the following factors:
- Increased speed in the cellular networks which made streaming more prevalent and reduced the need for on-device audio and video storage
- More robust cameras which made photo libraries more compelling and more storage-intensive.
- Changes in pricing, payment plans, and the length of time that customers anticipate keeping their phone.
In conclusion, consumers in the United States continued the long-standing tendency to upgrade from base storage and the majority of them paid the premium price for the new iPhone 14 models and the more expensive iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max in September quarter, 2022.
