In the ever-evolving landscape of technology preferences among American teenagers, Apple’s iPhone continues to hold a dominant position. The latest Taking Stock with Teens survey by Piper Sandler, conducted in Spring 2025, reveals that 88% of U.S. teens own an iPhone, marking a notable increase from 85% in the previous year. Furthermore, 88% of respondents intend to make an iPhone their next smartphone purchase, underscoring the device’s enduring appeal within this demographic.
This consistent preference highlights the iPhone’s status as a coveted item among teenagers, reflecting its integration into their daily lives and social interactions. The survey also indicates that 25% of teens plan to upgrade to the upcoming iPhone 17 in the fall or winter, up from 22% in the prior year, suggesting anticipation for Apple’s latest innovations.
Apple Watch: A Steady Presence
The Apple Watch maintains a steady presence among teens, with 34% reporting ownership. This figure remains unchanged from the previous year, indicating a plateau in adoption rates. Despite this, the Apple Watch continues to be the preferred watch brand among upper-income teens, holding a 36% share, though this represents a decline from 42% in earlier surveys. Rolex follows closely behind with a 34% share, highlighting competitive dynamics in the luxury watch market.
Apple’s Services: Mixed Reception
Apple’s service offerings receive a mixed reception among teenagers. Apple Music is utilized by 34% of teens, maintaining its position as the second most popular music streaming service. However, Spotify leads the market with a 65% usage rate, indicating a significant preference for the platform among this age group.
In the realm of video streaming, Apple TV+ garners minimal engagement, with only 1% of teens reporting daily usage. In contrast, platforms like Netflix and YouTube dominate daily video consumption, each capturing approximately 27% of the teen audience. This disparity underscores the challenges Apple faces in capturing the attention of younger viewers in the competitive streaming landscape.
Virtual Reality: Limited Adoption
Virtual reality (VR) technology sees limited adoption among teens, with 31% owning a VR headset. Of these, 25% use Oculus devices, while only 1% report using Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Moreover, 60% of teens with VR devices admit to seldom using them, up from 50% in Fall 2022, suggesting waning interest or engagement with VR technology in this demographic.
Payment Services: Apple Pay Leads
Apple Pay emerges as the leading payment service among teens, with 57% having it installed on their smartphones and 44% using it in the past month. This positions Apple Pay ahead of competitors like Cash App, which has a 41% installation rate and 31% usage rate among teens. The data reflects a strong inclination towards Apple’s payment solutions within this age group.
Conclusion
The Spring 2025 Taking Stock with Teens survey by Piper Sandler highlights the enduring popularity of the iPhone among American teenagers, with ownership and purchase intent reaching record highs. While the Apple Watch maintains a steady presence, other Apple products and services, such as Apple TV+ and Apple Music, face challenges in capturing the teen market. Additionally, the limited adoption and usage of Apple’s VR offerings suggest that the company may need to explore new strategies to engage this demographic across its product and service lines.
