Apple has always launched new iPhone models in the fall, giving consumers plenty of time to scoop up the new devices in time for the holidays. YouGov intelligence shows how Buzz around the iPhone brand has lagged this year compared to past launches.
Using 44 days prior to launch date as a baseline, we see Buzz around the phone rose by just over 4% in the days following launch (which was Sept. 24 this year), but stagnated in the following weeks. This marked one of the least impactful launches of the last eight years. This may be attributed to the fact that that iPhone 13 was an incremental update that didn’t include substantial feature additions or physical design changes.
To quantify Buzz, YouGov asks thousands of Americans every day if they have heard something positive about the brand in the last two weeks.
This year’s iPhone iteration stands in stark contrast to 2020, when iPhone saw the highest uplift in Buzz in recent memory (measured from the T-44 day marker). The iPhone 12 introduced a new form factor and marked the first 5G-enabed iPhone, which likely led to the positive chatter around the device. In the days following launch, the brand saw a 10-point increase in positive Buzz compared to 44 days prior to its launch.
This year’s quieter rollout isn’t likely to affect Apple sales too much, however. As we enter the holiday shopping season, 5G-enabed smartphones are atop many wish lists, according to recent YouGov consumer data, as are wireless earphones, like the AirPods which have proven to be an enormously successful product for Apple.
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Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. iPhone's Buzz score is based on the question: “Over the past two weeks, which of the following brands have you heard some positive about?” and delivered as a percentage. Scores are based on an average daily sample size of 2,090 US adults between Jan. 1, 2014 and Nov. 7, 2021. Figures are based on a four-week moving average. Learn more about BrandIndex.
