A new survey shows that a quarter of teens plan to upgrade to iPhone 17 in 2025.

Teens love their iPhones. Credit: Getty Images

If you have a teen in your life, this might not come as a shock. A new survey from the investment bank Piper Sandler Companies shows that teens really do prefer iPhones — at least, that’s the device they’re using.

The majority of teens — a whopping 88 percent — own an iPhone. This is backed by data from MIT’s App Inventor, which showed that while Android systems are the most popular choice of smartphone globally, young people — particularly members of Gen Z and millennials — are more likely to be iPhone users.

What’s more, a quarter of the teens surveyed by Piper Sandler Companies say they’re planning to upgrade to an iPhone 17 when Apple launches its new lineup of mobile devices this fall. There are good reasons a teenager might want a new iPhone, beyond the perpetual drive to own the newest, hottest gadget. Rumors have it that the iPhone 17 will have a nicer camera, be thinner, have a 120Hz display, and come with Dynamic Island support.

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According to analyst Jeff Pu, the new phone will also have a 24-megapixel front camera — a significant increase from the iPhone 16’s 12-megapixel front camera.

Keep in mind, these are all rumors, but a good camera might be a pretty big deciding factor for the 87 percent and 79 percent of teens who, respectfully, use Instagram and TikTok at least monthly, according to the survey. Snapchat is the third most-used social media app among teens at 72 percent, and Netflix is the number one choice for daily video consumption.

Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.

Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.

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