For the past few years, the start of September means a new announcement from tech giant Apple, and this year is no different. Today, we anticipate Apple will announce its newest iPhone model, the iPhone 7, as well as a new version of the popular Apple Watch.

Apple remains the dominant smartphone manufacturer in the U.S According to Parks Associates’ 360 View: Mobility & the App Economy, Apple’s iPhone accounted for 47% of the U.S. smartphone market in 2015, an 11% increasefrom 36% in 2013. This, in large part, is due to the success of the iPhone 6 and 6s models.

Additional Parks Associates mobile research shows:

• 10% of iPhone users are enrolled in Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program, which gives Apple a strong upgrade base.
• 46% of Apple tablet users are still using an iPad model that Apple launched in 2012. The latest iPad Pro models account for only 5% of the iPad’s installed base.
• The Apple Watch captured 38% of the smart watch user base as of 2Q16.

Mobile analyst Harry Wang, Sr. Research Director, provided the following comments early this morning:

• “The iPhone upgrade cycle is a closely watched metric. Barring any major surprises in new features, the iPhone 7 would have a lower impact on Apple's sales than the previous cycle. But Apple has built a nice user base in its Upgrade Program, and major U.S. carriers also offer various early upgrade incentives. These efforts are likely to keep iPhone demand in a healthy range in the U.S. The key is the overseas market. Lack of revolutionary features on the iPhone 7 could hurt overseas demand, as demand there is more elastic to price and perceived "coolness" of new features.
• “The new Apple Watch is also galvanizing consumer interest. An overall lack of new smart watch models in 1H16 has kept demand at bay. Apple's new smartwatch could be the spark to consumer demand and help the category grow sales in the second half of the year.”

It remains to be seen how the announcement will shake up the market, but Parks Associates will be watching the announcement closely. For additional research on Apple’s market share or the mobile industry as a whole, visit our mobile research page.

Harry is available to comment after today’s event. Please contact Holly Sprague, PR Director, at [email protected] to schedule a phone interview or comments via email. 

Further Reading:

• 24% of millennials use mobile apps for services such as Uber and Lyft
• 5G & Wi-Fi: Provider Strategies for the Next-Generation Network
• Wi-Fi Based Mobile Service: the Hidden Potential of Hotspots and OTTs