Users should upgrade their iPhone to have the best mobile network experience

Key points

• Even current 5G iPhone users will see an experience boost from switching to a new 5G iPhone: average 5G download speeds are 47% faster with the 2022 iPhone 14 range compared with 2020’s iPhone 12 in the U.S. , similarly they’re 48% faster in France, and are also faster in the UK (29%), Germany (26%) and Taiwan (21%).
• Users with the oldest iPhone models — that are also prime iPhone 15 upgrade candidates — will see the greatest jump in speeds. Newer iPhone models see average 4G speeds that are up to 83% faster compared to the iPhone 11 range, and for even higher speeds users can connect to 5G, which pre-2020 iPhones do not support.
• Operators should communicate these network experience improvements to encourage upgraders, or persuade iPhone buyers to switch networks, and not just advertize updated iPhone cameras and design.
• iPhone 14 Plus has been more popular than the iPhone Mini in 80% of global markets analyzed, justifying Apple’s decision to alter its portfolio strategy. The Plus is helping Apple to defend iPhone shipment volumes in tough economic times.
• Global markets vary in their preference for Pro and large screen iPhones. Large displays are most popular in Saudi Arabia (52% of iPhone installed base) and least in Japan (20%).

New iPhone models include updated 5G modems and improved radio front end components. In Opensignal’s data the iPhone 14 range — the third generation of 5G iPhones — enjoys faster average 5G download speeds than 2020’s iPhone 12 range. The greatest increases are in France and the US, with speeds 48% and 47% faster, respectively. The increase is lower in European markets where typical 5G speeds are lower such as the UK (29%), Germany (26%) and Italy (4%).

Users that upgrade from an early 5G iPhone from 2020 can see faster 5G speeds if they upgrade. There are other reasons too — recent 5G iPhone models support newer 5G standards.

The three most recent iPhone ranges see small increases in 4G average download speeds. However, there is a much larger increase in 4G speeds comparing the 4G-only iPhone 11 range from 2019 with the iPhone 14 range in all six markets Opensignal analyzed. Notably, from the iPhone 12 Apple switched to using Qualcomm modems while the iPhone 11 range used Intel modems.

For example, in Taiwan, there is a 24% increase in average 4G download speeds between the iPhone 12 range and the iPhone 14 range, but there is a 80% increase when comparing the iPhone 14 range  to the iPhone 11 range. Similarly, the difference is 11% versus 80% in France and 6% versus 37% in the U.S.

Users with old iPhone models such as the iPhone 11 range are ready to upgrade to a new iPhone as their contract will have expired. Those that do, will see a tremendous boost in speeds. Both from higher 4G download speeds but also because a new iPhone is able to tap into the much faster 5G networks as well. Users with iPhone models launched before autumn 2020 are limited to 4G speeds. Operators and handset makers should communicate network experience improvements in their marketing, alongside the design, camera and display changes in the latest smartphones.

Apple altered its portfolio strategy in 2022. Previously, all the iPhone models launched in the autumn used the same A series chipset. However, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus contain the A15 — used in 2021 iPhone models — and only the two Pro models used the latest A16 chipset. This difference helps explain why in the U.S. users had faster overall download speeds with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Newer chipsets and modems support more recent 5G standards and are better able to combine different types of 5G band together to improve the experience.

Users with lower cost iPhone SE models see slower speeds than other iPhone models of a similar age. In the U.S. users with the third generation SE had overall download speeds of 29Mbps compared with 42.3-60.4Mbps with the iPhone 14 range and 39.3-45Mbps with 2021’s iPhone 13 range.

Every autumn, Apple releases a new version of the iOS operating system with many new features. In 2023, the new iOS 17 drops support for the 2017 iPhone range including the then groundbreaking iPhone X and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Users with these models that want new software features must upgrade to newer hardware. In the U.S. users with these old iPhones see among the slowest speeds of any iPhone that is currently supported by iOS with average download speeds ranging from 17.7Mbps to 20.7Mbps and so they will enjoy the biggest speed boost when they switch to one of the latest iPhones.

Apple made another significant portfolio change in 2022 by dropping the small iPhone Mini and replacing it with a larger Plus model. While both Mini and Plus have seen negative sentiment, Opensignal analytics demonstrates that the iPhone 14 Plus is more successful than the Mini in 80% of markets analyzed (12 out of 15) within the respective iPhone generations. Only in Germany, Japan and South Korea is the Mini more popular than the Plus.

Opensignal analyzed the share of the Plus and Mini models compared to the non-Pro iPhone models of their generation to see their relative popularity. Both the regular non-Pro iPhone and Plus and Mini are identical apart from their display size. In Saudi Arabia, the iPhone 14 Plus comprises 60% of the combined installed base with the iPhone 14 securing 40%. In the other markets Opensignal analyzed, the 14 Plus was more popular than the Mini within their respective generations – for example 34% vs 19% in the U.S. or 27% vs 21% in the UK.

Apple normally keeps a consistent iPhone portfolio strategy across two to three iPhone generations. So, the success of the iPhone 14 Plus now, should help Apple market 2023’s iPhone 15 range and likely also into the 2024 range too.  

Like other smartphone makers, Apple maintains a portfolio segmented by screen size and price tier. While Apple is perceived as a premium brand, in reality it is now a mass market player in many markets around the world. However, through its portfolio strategy, Apple is able to address wide differences in users’ preferences globally.

In Japan, users have historically preferred small devices. Out of 15 global markets, Japan has the lowest share of large iPhone models (just 20% of the installed base). Europeans also tend to adopt fewer large models with the UK highest (34%, 8th), followed by Italy (29%, 10th), France and Germany (28%, joint 11th).

Both large screen and more expensive Pro iPhone models are popular in Saudi Arabia (76% of installed base Pro), Malaysia (68% Pro), Australia (62% Pro) and the U.S. (58% Pro). However, Pro models are also common in Taiwan (60%) and South Korea (62%) — in both markets strong Android adoption means that the users keen for large display smartphones have many heavily marketed choices, from Samsung (especially in South Korea) and Chinese smartphone makers.

Improved mobile network experience should help drive new iPhone sales

Users normally focus on visible smartphone hardware characteristics when choosing a new smartphone, such as the design, display size or the camera. While operators’ core business is operating a mobile network, carriers rarely communicate the network experience benefits of switching to a newer smartphone model.

Opensignal analytics highlights that users can enjoy faster download speeds with a recent iPhone. The improvement in experience is the greatest for users holding on to pre-2020 iPhone models that lack 5G support — not only will they see faster 4G speeds but they will also be able to connect to 5G which offers a step-change boost in average speeds.

However, even current 5G iPhone users will see an experience boost from switching to a new 5G iPhone, because newer models have updated modems, antennas and radio components that support newer 5G standards. With 2022 iPhone 14 models average 5G download speeds are 47% faster in the U.S. compared with the iPhone 12, 48% faster in France, and are also much faster in the UK (29%), Germany (26%) and Taiwan (21%).