One-Third of U.S. High School Students Now Own an iPhone

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster today issued a report on his firm's latest semi-annual survey of U.S. teenagers, the 23rd such survey in the firm's history. The results of the extensive survey of 5,600 U.S. high school students show that 34% of surveyed students now own an iPhone, an all-time high in the survey and double the percentage seen just a year ago. Furthermore, 40% of surveyed students indicated that they intend to purchase an iPhone within the next six months.

Piper Jaffray ascribes the boom in iPhone use among students to new low-cost options from Apple. Apple and AT&T lowered the price of the iPhone 3GS to $49 back in January 2011, dropping it to free on-contract with the introduction of the iPhone 4S late last year. These low handset prices are attractive to high school students who may not have significant upfront cash to spend on the latest iPhone models.

In our most recent survey the percentage of teens that own an iPhone came in at 34%, up from 23% in the Fall and 17% last Spring. We believe the meaningful uptick in iPhone ownership among teens may be driven by the cheaper $49 iPhone 3GS (in some cases free). Interest in purchasing an iPhone in the next 6 months rose to 40% (another all-time high vs. our previous surveys). Purchase intent was at 38% in our last survey in the Fall.

The 40% purchase intent rate for the next six months is the same among current iPhone owners and those who do not yet own an iPhone.

iphone education apps
On the tablet front, an identical 34% of students report owning some sort of tablet device, with 70% of those indicating that they have an iPad. 53% of those iPad owners also own an iPhone. Notably, the iPad's momentum may even be increasing, with 19% of students indicating that they plan to purchase a tablet within the next six months and 80% of them planning to purchase an iPad.

In our Spring 2012 survey, 34% of students owned a tablet computer (same percentage as iPhones), up from 29% in Fall 2011 and 22% last Spring. Of those tablet owners, 70% owned iPads, 19% owned Android tablets, and 11% owned Kindle Fires. 53% of iPad owners also owned an iPhone, demonstrating the halo effect of entry devices like the iPhone.

As with the lower iPhone pricing, Piper Jaffray believes that the new $399 entry price for the iPad 2 is a significant draw for the student market, with a rumored smaller iPad device at an even lower price point leaving open the possibility of even greater attraction.

Top Rated Comments

Brad9893 Avatar
144 months ago
That number really is disgusting. I'm all for success, but not a monopoly.
How is that a monopoly? I am confused. The iPhone only counts for three out of hundreds of smartphones on the market. You can easily choose to get an Android phone, WP7, BlackBerry, etc. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's a monopoly.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spiderman0616 Avatar
144 months ago
That number really is disgusting. I'm all for success, but not a monopoly.

A. When did 34% become a monopoly?
B. If people love a product they're going to buy it. Nobody is holding a gun to anybody's head in this case.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RawBert Avatar
144 months ago
No more pagers?
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ppc_michael Avatar
144 months ago
Wow. In 11th grade I got my first cell phone, a StarTAC only to be used for emergencies, and I thought I was some pretty hot stuff.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xavier Avatar
144 months ago
These kids are lucky. I didn't get a cell phone until the latter part of my senior year of high school. The cool part about it was it did have the game 'snake' on it! Classic nokia.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Taz Mangus Avatar
144 months ago
That number really is disgusting. I'm all for success, but not a monopoly.

Do you even read what you write before you post it? Looked up the meaning of the word monopoly lately?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Now Available for Your iPhone With These 8 New Features

Friday March 31, 2023 8:55 am PDT by
Following six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 was released to the public this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and changes added with iOS 16.4,...
CarPlay Phone Call

General Motors to Phase Out Apple CarPlay Starting This Year in EV Transition

Friday March 31, 2023 8:43 am PDT by
General Motors (GM) will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles starting this year, shifting to a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google (via Reuters). GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC in the United States. It will stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, which goes on sale this summer. The company plans ...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Three New iOS Features Coming to Your iPhone Following Apple Music Classical

Thursday March 30, 2023 7:13 am PDT by
With the Apple Music Classical app and an Apple Pay Later early access program now available, the list of previously-announced iOS features that have yet to launch is beginning to shrink. However, there are still a few features we are waiting for. Below, we have recapped three more iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, including an Apple Card savings account for Daily Cash,...
wwdc 2023

Three Products We Might See at WWDC 2023

Friday March 31, 2023 3:37 pm PDT by
Apple this week announced the official dates for the 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference, with the annual WWDC keynote event set to take place on Monday, June 5. The keynote is where Apple unveils new versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, and sometimes, we get hardware announcements. Rumors this year suggest there are at least three new devices that are set to be unveiled in the ...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Solid-State Button Sensitivity Can Be Customized to Cater for Cases and Gloves

Thursday March 30, 2023 11:36 pm PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users will be able to customize the sensitivity of the solid-state buttons on their device, thanks to a new sensitivity toggle in Settings. That's according to details provided by a hitherto reliable source that shared additional details on the MacRumors forums. Earlier this week, the same anonymous tipster revealed that the iPhone 15 Pro models will use...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Kuo: Apple Mixed-Reality Headset May Not Appear at WWDC as Mass Production Pushed Back Yet Again

Thursday March 30, 2023 4:50 am PDT by
Apple has again pushed back mass production of its mixed-reality headset and the device may not appear at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane In a tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "isn't very optimistic" about whether the headset will be able to create an "iPhone moment." As a result,...
iPhone 15 Pro Periscope Mock Feature

Periscope Camera Lens Exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro Max Will Be Supplied by Largan

Thursday March 30, 2023 1:18 am PDT by
The periscope camera lens that will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be solely supplied by Largan, according to the 相機鏡頭中獲利-apple-camera-lens-suppliers-face-two-risks-high-53db8da990b2">latest no by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Rumors about the iPhone getting a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020, when Kuo first mentioned the possibility. The analyst...