• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

Most People Have No Interest in Buying iPhone 7

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 12, 2016, 8:09 AM ET

Apple might have some trouble getting customers interested in buying its new smartphone, new data from research firm Morning Consult shows.

Just 10% of current smartphone owners say that they are “very likely” to buy the iPhone 7 once it hits store shelves, while 15% of respondents said that they are “somewhat likely” to pick up Apple’s latest handset. A whopping 50% of those surveyed and had at least seen, read, or heard about the new iPhone, say that are “very unlikely” to buy the iPhone 7.

Nearly 2,000 people were surveyed in the poll, which was conducted between Sept. 6 and Sept. 8. Seventy-eight percent of respondents owned a smartphone. Out of that group, 60% of respondents owned Android phones and about 37% were existing iPhone owners.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

purchase_iphone7-1

Apple (AAPL) unveiled the iPhone 7 at a press event last week. The smartphone comes with a slightly enhanced design and brand-new internal components that Apple says, will deliver better performance than any iPhone that came before it. The iPhone 7 Plus, which has a 5.5-inch screen, also comes with a dual-lens camera for better picture taking. Following earlier rumors, the iPhone 7 line features two speaker grills, replacing the headphone jack that had been available to iPhone owners since the first Apple smartphone launched in 2007.

The loss of a headphone jack has been criticized for being a major reason Apple might have trouble selling its handset. However, the Morning Consult data shows that most people don’t care that the iPhone 7 doesn’t come with a headphone jack. In fact, 28% of the survey’s respondents indicated that they might be more likely to purchase the iPhone 7 because it doesn’t have a headphone port. More than four in 10 respondents said it made no difference to them whether the iPhone 7 has a headphone jack or not.

In addition to the headphone jack, customers said they’d be more likely to buy the iPhone 7 if it’s thinner than its predecessor, was waterproof, and had a longer battery life. Apple was quick to note at its press event last week that the iPhone 7 has the longest battery life of any smartphone it’s ever launched.

headphones

Still, despite seemingly hitting the right notes, the iPhone 7 doesn’t have the kind of momentum that even last year’s iPhone 6s had. A Morning Consult spokeswoman told Fortune in a statement that last September, 33% of respondents to the survey said they would likely buy the iPhone 6s, easily topping the 25% of those who said they were likely to buy an iPhone 7.

What’s unclear, though, is why consumers are so far not as impressed by the iPhone 7. It’s possible that they had expected bigger and better things from Apple this year and didn’t get it. The results could also illustrate ongoing softness in the smartphone market in developed countries and somewhat waning interest in Apple’s iPhone. Indeed, 2016 is the first year that Apple has been forced to announce that iPhone sales slid year over year—and it’s done so in its last two reported fiscal quarters.

But alas, not all is lost for Apple. The company’s preorder day on Friday went off without a hitch and its early supply of all iPhone 7 models quickly sold out, pushing shipment dates back as far as mid-November just an hour or so after preorders began.

Perhaps most important, the Morning Consult data shows interest in the iPhone at first blush. As time goes on, people start seeing the iPhone 7 in action, and realize that the features they want, like a longer battery life, and (some) waterproofing features are present, they might be more likely to buy an iPhone 7.

Along the way, they seemingly won’t mind Apple has decided to eliminate the headphone jack in favor of an adapter and wireless technology.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Jensen Huang says some CEOs have a ‘God complex’ when it comes to AI apocalypse warnings, which can create shortages of critical workers
AIchief executive officer (CEO)
Jensen Huang says some CEOs have a ‘God complex’ when it comes to AI apocalypse warnings, which can create shortages of critical workers
By Jason MaMay 2, 2026
4 hours ago
Photo of several people working on a presentation together
AICareers
Big Tech is shelling out up to $1 million for new hires who will never have to write a line of code
By Sydney LakeMay 2, 2026
6 hours ago
dario
CommentaryAnthropic
Anthropic’s most powerful AI model just exposed a crisis in corporate governance. Here’s the framework every CEO needs.
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Stephen Henriques, Dan Kent and Holden LeeMay 2, 2026
9 hours ago
Photo of vegan cheese products
AITech
A Mark Cuban–backed vegan cheese company trained AI to scrutinize cardboard boxes. It’s saved $400,000
By Jake AngeloMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
Young trade worker learning on job
SuccessHiring
Forget Big Tech: Small businesses will hire nearly 1 million grads in 2026—and some of the hottest roles are gloriously AI-proof
By Emma BurleighMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
Andrew McAfee
SuccessCareers
MIT AI expert warns automating Gen Z entry-level jobs could backfire—and cost companies their future workforce
By Preston ForeMay 1, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
Law
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
By Catherina GioinoMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 1, 2026
1 day ago
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
2 days ago
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
5 days ago
Current price of gold as of May 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of May 1, 2026
By Danny BakstMay 1, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.