30 percent of iPhone 4S owners paid the iPhone 4 early termination fee

By Mike Flacy November 30, 2011

iphone-4-vs-4s — Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to a survey conducted by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, the research firm found that 30 percent of iPhone 4S owners upgraded from the iPhone 4. Since the iPhone 4 was released during June 2010, anyone upgrading to the iPhone 4S approximately 16 months later would be subject to the early termination fee issued by wireless service providers like Verizon and AT&T. For instance, the early termination fee on smartphones for AT&T is set at $325 per line minus $10 for each month of service. Anyone upgrading to the iPhone 4S that previously purchased an iPhone 4 at launch would have paid around $175 to get their hands on the new model. Verizon customers likely paid around $270 to upgrade since the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 was released during February 2011.

The survey also found that more than 40 percent of iPhone 4S purchases were made online through Apple, wireless carrier sites or retail establishments like Best Buy. Of those purchases, one fourth were made through Apple stores and the official Apple site while the remainder were made through the other channels. The 64GB version of the iPhone 4S accounts for approximately 23 percent of all sales. Seventy-one percent of all iPhone 4S purchases were upgrades from previous versions of the iPhone including the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G. In addition, 18 percent of new purchases were people switching from other smartphones.

Approximately 37 percent of the respondents switched carriers to purchase the iPhone 4S. Forty-nine percent of the respondents purchased an AT&T phone, 34 percent purchased a Verizon phone and 17 percent picked up the Sprint version. The research firm also found that females prefer the white version of the iPhone 4S over the black model and the purchase of an iPhone leads to interest in other Apple products like the Macbook, iPad and Apple TV.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Mobile

The best tablets in 2024: top 11 tablets you can buy now

Disney+ app on the iPad Air 5.

As much as we love having the best smartphones in our pockets, there are times when those small screens don't cut it and we just need a larger display. That's when you turn to a tablet, which is great for being productive on the go and can be a awesome way to unwind and relax too. While the tablet market really took off after the iPad, it has grown to be quite diverse with a huge variety of products — from great budget options to powerhouses for professionals.

We've tried out a lot of tablets here at Digital Trends, from the workhorses for pros to tablets that are made for kids and even seniors -- there's a tablet for every person and every budget. For most people, though, we think Apple's iPad Air is the best overall tablet — especially if you're already invested in the Apple ecosystem. But if you're not an Apple user, that's fine too; there are plenty of other great options that you'll find in this roundup.

Mobile

How to tell if someone has blocked you on Snapchat

Snapchat on iPhone.

Not everyone will like the content you post on Snapchat. In some cases, some users may even choose to block you, for whatever reason. Although Snapchat doesn’t offer an “official” way to determine whether someone has blocked you on the social network, it is possible.

Mobile

5 smartwatches you should buy instead of the Google Pixel Watch 2

The main workout screen on the Google Pixel Watch 2.

It's no secret that we weren't fans of the first Google Pixel Watch. However, Google heard all the criticism of its smartwatch debut and made amends, coming back with the Google Pixel Watch 2. Its second attempt was much better, adding strong performance, exceptional comfort, and a solid battery life to the fitness tracking of Fitbit. While it still has some issues, it's now a product we can recommend buying.

But just because it's now good doesn't mean there aren't alternatives to be had. There are a number of smartwatches that are better suited for those looking for a longer battery life, a focus on fitness, or a simpler experience. Some are just flat-out better. If you're considering buying a Google smartwatch, you need to know about these five smartwatches you should buy instead of the Google Pixel Watch 2.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6