Interesting Facts and Statistics About iPhones and iPhone Owners

You only need to have eyes to know that Apple's iPhone has been a popular and highly coveted device since its original launch. However, there are some pretty interesting and surprising facts that show just what a powerful force this smart phone has been in the tech market.

Here are some interesting facts and statistics about iPhones, their sales and the people who use them:

Facts About iPhone Sales:

iPhone sales tend to rise year on year, with spikes in quarters when a new model is released as you might expect. The popularity of iPhones varies quite dramatically around the world, and not just between first world and developing countries. Here are some recent statistics relating to iPhone sales:

• Despite the fact that when they were first launched you couldn't even get them on prepaid contracts, and the fact that they are the most expensive handsets to buy with most prepaid deals, iPhones now account for 8% of all pay as you go phones sold.
• iPhones accounted for 29% of all the smartphones sold in the UK in the first quarter of this year.
• In the US, this was 44%, showing just how much more popular Apple devices are in America than in Britain.
• Worldwide, 17% of all smartphone sales in the same period were iPhones. Rivals Samsung were actually the leaders in Q1 of 2013 with 33%.
• In total, Apple sold 37.4 million new iPhone handsets in the first three months of 2013. During the same period in 2012, they sold 35.1 million.

Statistical Projections:

Based on sales trends and market research, industry statisticians believe the following are likely projections regarding the future of the iPhone:

• 40% of teenagers plan to buy iPhones within the next six months.
• 27% of the population of America will own an iPhone at the start of 2014 (it is currently 20%).
• By 2017, this will have risen to a massive 42%.
• 91% of current iPhone users will buy an Apple phone as their next device (compared with 76% of android phone owners).

Apps and iTunes Transactions:

iPhone owners are able to spend money on all kinds of apps and media with their iPhones. Here are some interesting statistics:

• Worldwide, around one American dollar per day is spent on apps, in app purchases (such as extra content in games) and music or video from iTunes for every Apple device in use.
• 49.9 billion apps were downloaded in the first quarter of 2013 alone.
• 86% of iPhone users play games on their phones, compared with 76% of android owners.

Protecting the iPhone:

There are plenty of options for insuring an iPhone in the UK, including things like Protect Your Bubble Gadget Insurance, coverage on home insurance and policies bought from your mobile phone service provider. Around 13% of UK smart phone owners have a policy taken out specifically on their smart phone (rather than coverage included with home insurance or other policies). By comparison, only 12% have income protection. This could mean that on the whole, we value our phones more than our jobs!

This was a guest post by Laura Ginn. She is a technology blogger, who despite having plenty of opportunities to play with and review its rivals, can't live without her iPhone! As a fan of Apple products, she keeps a close eye on how they affect the UK tech industry.