iPhone 15 and 15 Plus Proving Less Popular With Buyers This Year

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models were its most purchased smartphones in the U.S. in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) report.

iPhone 14 vs iPhone 15 Feature
The ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and Pro Max accounted for 22% and 23% of all iPhones sold in Q1 2024, for a 45% combined share. The ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus took a 9% share of all iPhones sold, while the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 were the third most popular, each taking 14% of the share.

The ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and Pro Max share hardly changed compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and Pro Max the same quarter a year ago. However, Apple saw sales of the base model ‌iPhone‌ 15 decline relative to a year ago. The overall mix of ‌iPhone‌ 15 models was lower, accounting for 68% of all ‌iPhone‌ sales.

By contrast, in Q1 2023 the ‌iPhone‌ 14 series had a 7% higher share of all iPhones sold, taking 75% combined. The percentages suggest that the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus were more popular than the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus over the equivalent quarter the previous year.

CIRP iphone 14 15 quarters compared
Noting the change, CIRP comments:

We see this as a continuation of a trend from the past couple of quarters, as the lower- priced current models give up some share to older models. The once flagship, now base iPhone 15, is no longer the leading-edge choice, as the Pro and Pro Max models take that role.

Last week, CIRP released a report indicating that new ‌iPhone‌ activations are down to a low not seen in the U.S. smartphone market for the last six years.

CIRP said that Apple's installed smartphone base was higher than recorded activations, but Apple's share of new ‌iPhone‌ activations fell from 40% to 33% over the past year, suggesting a shift away from the higher market shares Apple enjoyed in previous years.

Tag: CIRP

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...

Top Rated Comments

oofio2461 Avatar
21 months ago
60hz and last year's chipset, apple has made the base iPhone into a joke even more each year.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnRckr Avatar
21 months ago
Maybe because the only difference between them is dYnaMic iiSlanD

Truly breakthrough tech thank you Tim Apple
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vimy Avatar
21 months ago
I don't think this is iPhone specific. The economy is just crap. Older iPhones are cheaper.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
21 months ago
I hate to be that comment but….there’s only so many times you can basically repeat the same phone before you just lose interest and hang onto what you have. My 13PM is still a beast. My 14Pro is very meh, and my desire to even get the 16 is just not there yet.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Darth Tulhu Avatar
21 months ago
This is yet one of those things where the existing hardware exceeds the needs of the majority of folks using these devices.

I have an iPhone 12 Pro, and upgrading is pointless.

The better camera, processor, RAM, etc are relatively superfluous to me; I'm not a pro photographer, my emails and texts won't get to me any faster...

Why pay WAY more for a device that won't add any real-world value?
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gatorvet96 Avatar
21 months ago
Shows that Apple is very successful in making people go up the product ladder to more expensive SKUs. It is very intentional and no one does a better job of that marketing scheme.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)