70% of iPhone users plan to upgrade to iPhone 17

A new survey shows that seven in ten iPhone owners in the U.S. plan to switch to the iPhone 17, with Pro models leading demand.

Apple is preparing for its annual “Awe Dropping” event on September 9 in Cupertino. Ahead of the launch, SellCell published the results of a survey of more than 2,000 iPhone owners in the U.S., revealing that 68.3% intend to purchase an iPhone 17 at launch. That’s a noticeable increase from last year, when 61.9% expressed interest before the release of the iPhone 16.

Which models are most in demand

The Pro versions are set to dominate, with 38.1% of respondents choosing the iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max. The standard iPhone 17 drew interest from 16.7%, while 13.5% are eyeing the new iPhone 17 Air with its ultra-thin design. Only 3.3% said they are holding out for a foldable iPhone, which Apple has yet to introduce.

Why users want to upgrade

The number one driver is battery life, cited by 53% of respondents as their primary reason. New designs and features ranked second (36.2%), followed by display improvements (34.3%) and camera upgrades (28.1%). Just 7.1% pointed to AI and software as their main motivation.

Why some users won’t upgrade

The biggest barrier remains price: 68.9% said cost is the main reason holding them back. In addition, 71.7% are satisfied with their current devices and don’t feel an urgent need to upgrade. Less common reasons included interest in foldables (7.5%), discomfort with eSIM (6.6%), and a preference to switch to Android (5.3%).

Brand loyalty

Despite growing competition, 69.6% of respondents said they plan to stay with Apple regardless of what rivals offer. However, 20.1% said they would consider switching to Samsung if Apple doesn’t release a foldable iPhone by 2026, while 10.2% would consider Google.

Almost half of users (49%) said nothing about Android appeals to them. Still, a majority admitted Android is becoming more attractive, citing AI (13%), pricing (11%), cameras (11%), and foldables (9%) as key draws.

How users view Apple Intelligence

AI remains a divisive topic among Apple fans. 44% of respondents described Apple Intelligence as a “very important” feature, while 33% said AI doesn’t matter to them. When asked which company is currently leading in AI, 44% named Apple, 6.6% pointed to Samsung and Google, and 10% said no brand leads in the space today.