Apple's efforts to convince Android users to switch to its platform are apparently paying off in Europe, according to newly-released data.
It's no big secret that Android and iOS are archrivals and there are two large camps that prefer one of the platforms over the other. Throughout the years, Apple has heavily relied on consumer loyalty and has proved on several occasions that its fans are more loyal.
Newly-released data from Kantar WorldPanel now reveals that nearly 33 percent of new iPhone sales in the first quarter of this year were to former Android users who decided to switch over to iOS. Just last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook touted that more Android switchers are flocking to its platform, and the latest data reflects this switch.
"We continue to see a higher rate of switchers than we have seen in previous cycles," Cook said at the time. "The current iPhone lineup experienced the highest Android switcher rate in any of the last three launches in the three previous years.
If the new data from Kantar Research is any indication, Apple has indeed managed to appeal to Android users and convince many of them to switch over to its platform.
"In the first quarter of 2015, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus continued to attract consumers across Europe, including users who previously owned an Android smartphone," reported Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. "On average, across Europe's big five countries during the first quarter, 32.4% of Apple's new customers switched to iOS from Android."
Apple has made significant efforts to attract more consumers to its platform, and it seems that plenty of Android users took the bait and switched boats. The iPhone maker has not only provided step-by-step guides for easily migrating data from another platform to iOS, but it also extended its trade-in program to cover all smartphones, including handsets running on Windows Phone, BlackBerry OS or Android. The move marked a first for the company, and it seems that the strategy was quite successful.
It remains unclear whether this move had a significant impact on Kantar's data, considering that Apple implemented it at the end of March, but it's nonetheless expected to play a big role in convincing more smartphone users to switch over to iOS.
For those unfamiliar with this program, Apple allows smartphone users in the U.S. and Europe to trade in an Android, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry device and get credit toward the purchase of a new iPhone.
