Apple iPhones are synonymous with the smartphone industry, carving a far-reaching and seemingly never-ending path for itself in a market that already had seminal products like the Blackberry. But Apple ditched the buttons, enlarged the screen, and created an app store system that revolutionized the game. Now, almost two decades later, the Californian tech company still reigns supreme with a staggering amount of us choosing to go back again and again.
Apple has kept 89% of its consumer base in the United States, and although this number is technically a 5% decrease from 2023, that's still a massive amount of retention, and we expect it to hold steady with the upcoming iPhone 17 release. The type of loyalty that Apple holds with its consumers is completely unmatched in the industry, with direct competitor Samsung peaking at 76% retention between 2021 and 2025.
Apple also monopolizes over half of the smartphone market in the United States, according to the CIRP (Consumer Intelligence Research Partners), as reported by GSMArena, and although it just seems a given, it's worth questioning why. The fact Apple is born and bred American certainly doesn't hurt, and with so many popular apps running exclusively on the iOS system, such as Procreate for digital artists, as well as a ginormous gaming library thanks to Apple Arcade, the ease with which iPhones slot into our lives likely plays a huge part in why we keep going back.
While the likes of Samsung thrive on diversity and the excitement of change, Apple and its products have generally remained consistent throughout their lifespan. Sure, the iPhone 17 is going to feel plenty different in comparison to 2007's original iPhone, but the UI, layout, functions, and general day-to-day usage feel comfortingly familiar. Apple threads the needle of spearheading innovation and settling on its laurels to keep the boat from rocking, and the warm, fuzzy feeling we get when we can just immediately transfer everything from our old iPhone to the new one fresh out of the box means we barely even register the change.
Ease is most definitely the name of the game. You can respond to a text message on an iPad while you're doodling in Procreate without having to grab your phone, and you can take a call on your Apple Watch without it ruining the queue of your Apple Music workout playlist that instantly picks up again through your AirPods. You can sit on a long-haul flight and plug into a few hours of high-quality, graphically impressive gaming without having to yank your bag out of the overhead lockers to get to your Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch.
We just know where we stand with Apple, and sometimes, the easy choice is the right choice. If you're looking for something new to add to your iPhone library, check out our picks for the best Apple Arcade games, and make every purchase easier with our Apple Pay guide. We've got all the info you need on the best iPhone for games if you are, in fact, searching for an upgrade.