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Who are the teens suddenly choosing Android over iPhone?

It appeared as if Apple was completely taking over teen hearts and minds. Now, a small change.
Written by Chris Matyszczyk, Contributing Writer
android-phone.jpg

The times are a-changing. Perhaps. A little.

Pe3k -- Shutterstock

Some things appear inevitable.

Technology will take over your life. One day, you'll be an actual robot. And teens just don't want Android phones.

At least that's the impression given every six months by the Taking Stock With Teens survey performed by investment bank Piper Sandler.

Why, a mere year ago, I wondered whether we should venerate the last teen to buy an Android phone.

Then, 88% of the 7,000 teens surveyed said they owned an iPhone. An overwhelming 90% said their next phone would be an iPhone.

The numbers had been progressively mounting like the squirrels on my garden trees.

Yet here is this April's survey, and a revolution has occurred. A very minor revolution, to be sure. But Androiders biannually pained by this survey may take hope. A little hope.

You see, 87% of teens now say they own an iPhone. And an almost piffling 87% say their next phone will be an iPhone.

No, it's not much. Yes, it's a tiny amount. But for years, the iPhone numbers kept going up, and the Android numbers kept going the other way.

Dreamers will, then, wonder whether there's an underground cabal of Android teens organizing a rebellion.

Could it be they're sick and tired of being sneered at? Could it be that they're standing up to condescension? Could it be that they simply don't want to be seen with the same phone as everyone else?

This leaves one wondering which Android phones these few rebellious teens might be choosing.

I have my own dream.

These teens have all fallen in love with Samsung's folding phones. On a recent visit to a Verizon store, I was enchanted by how my wife became entranced by the Galaxy Z Flip.

I want to believe, then, that there's now a Teen Flipper Society dedicated to Samsung's new take on the old.

They may always be a severe minority, but one day, someone will make a movie about them.

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