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I doubt that the result would be the same if we would consider the whole planet.

In many countries a iPhone costs more than what the average citizen earns per month, even with subsidised contracts.

Umm, sorry to spoil folk's unsupported and hypothetical claim that this would look different internationally (it very well might but not for the reasons mentioned), but this has absolutely nothing to do with whether Android is outselling iPhone or not. It's a demographic survey -- not market share data! In other words, the age breakdowns for each platform adds up to 100%, the wealth breakdowns for each platform adds up to 100%, the sex breakdowns for each platform adds up to 100%... Are we getting this yet?

So even if you conducted the survey in a country where Android had 90% marketshare and iOS had 1% share, the age demographics could easily look exactly the same.

iPhone is more desirable by younger people with a bigger fashion orientation with a strong brand appeal.
After some age, wise thinking and careful reasoning becomes more important.

One of the most important things about android with younger people is price.

Justin Bieber is also popular among younger people.

I know there is some hate for Apple here but don't hate it's customers. It just so happens that without young people alot of overpriced cr** wouldn't be on the market. That includes high end graphics cards, PC-like game consoles, and anything with HD in the product description. In other words most high end geek stuff wouldn't be viable.

I myself just wish more diverse brands were available to the general public like they are with things like cars and clothing.

My general point is: demographic gathering, analysis, forecasting, and targeting are very difficult and mysterious. Some products, brands, or companies get pegged into a certain demographic without even trying; they can't alter their demographics with millions of dollars and hours spent on branding, marketing, packaging, targeting, etc. Other products, brands, and/or companies can re-jigger their demos, hone in on the most desirable segments like gifted surgeons and flourish. Some products, brands, or companies simply flame out with a demographic they once owned. Some demographics won't change with increased/decreased sales (or still stay favorable/unfavorable relative to competition); some will... for better or worse. Likewise for price or other factors.

It is very easy to make assumptions about demographics. It is easy to claim these assumptions are logical. And it's just as easy that you'll be wrong.

One could argue that the more mainstream/majority/average a product is, the more its demographics regress towards the mean. The demographics come to reflect the most average consumer rather than the most desirable consumer. (In some cases, its actually the older segment that is still more desirable to target.) But this could also be wrong. (Although probably the most "logical" assumption put forth thus far.)

One could argue that wealthier people buy more smartphones (just as younger people may buy more smartphones), and wealthier people have a preference for the iPhone (also reported in the data being discussed). So even in poorer markets where Apple has significantly less market share, their demos could skew even younger and wealthier. (And this assumption could also be wrong.)

I simply think it's completely illogical to say that a company that has historically done very well at targeting the most desirable demographic segment (age/wealth/education/etc leading to greatest profits) in the market place would have significantly different demographics by region because of differences in market share -- or more importantly, because of the market share of a different platform entirely -- particularly when Apple has generally performed similarly, demographically-speaking and relative to its competition, across various products, across countries, across decades without regard for market share (whether that be 2%, 5%, 8%, 15%, 20%, 35%, 70%, or 95% of the market).

I'm sure there are some regional demographic differences affected by any number of factors, but most of the assumptions that have been made (particularly those in relation to market share) are completely unfounded in data or logic.

I'm guessing that many of the older people do not want to buy a lifestyle device but rather a basic communication device so they don't want to spend a lot of money on it.
And most of the lower end phones are androids, so it would make sense that they end up being android users.

In India, one of the largest telecom markets clocking one of the fastest growth rates, 87% users of smartphones (young & old) proudly own an Android phone. Apple is virtually a non entity (despite its perceived snob value). People should stop flashing headlines about the US market. The bulk of the global market share is here in India and China.

I live in Shenzhen where I work which is at the border of Hong Kong and China.

Last weekend I went to HK to buy a new phone, every store and vendor had long lines at the Samsung displays and sold out very quickly, the Apple stores were empty of customers along with the displays of Apple products in other stores. Going to the local malls in China, I see exactly the same thing, the age of the buyers is of no consequence here.

My sisters are aged 58 and 65. Both have Windows PCs (for serious work), iPads (for couch surfing) and Samsung Android phones (strictly for making calls). Go figure.

Although I have the feeling that Apple is more popular with young people anecdotal evidence would suggest otherwise.

I was sitting on a bus at 4PM yesterday and I noticed an extraordinary amount of high-end Android devices in these school kids hands and almost no iPhones. Also interestingly it seemed that the Galaxy S2 was by far the most common phone.

The iPhone is only popular where massive carrier subsidies are available eg USA and Australia. Where the subsidies don't exist iPhones have very limited marketshare.

Here in Australia the phone carriers have declared war on handset subsidies. This means that the overall cost of iPhones is considerably more expensive than similar Android phones.

So many words lost for, well, nothing. But do let me add some more:

I advise caution with any statistics published in a sense "is Coca cola really better than Papsi". First, as said, the survey was done in USA and as much as some doubt it the rest of the world is less obsessed with Apple products compared to Americans. Second, surveys such as this are usually financed with some clear intention in mind. Usually by this or that brand owner. Thirdly, iPhone is fading as a "must have" product and is fading even faster as a cutting edge technology brand (which it never really was anyway). Put 1 and 1 together and you get useless, paid for data.

And lastly, statistically you can always prove the Earth is turning in the opposite direction on at least one of the seven days of the week. So much for the surveys and numbers published by this or that company.

So basically, this research indicates that people who take their decisions regarding their purchase of a new phone with more reasonable and calculated considerations, and probably are less influenced by peer pressure and impulse behavior, these people often go for an Android phone. Well, duh!

That's not that shocking. Especially, when no margin of error is given. What would people expect, exactly?

Without any more information, its not clear what the survey says at all.

Tell me a joke Siri.

...by the end of each thread you will have heard every reason why this is the reason android is better than xxx.

Each of the reasons will contradict each other, as well the previous thread that came to the same multiple conclusions.

My observation of Android phones the last few years? Everyone loves the new one they just got, and then gets another new one every 6 months that "works better" since the last one didn't. They reenter everything, reload it, rinse, and repeat.

I see lots of buyer remorse on android, and when someone figures out the tech and what they expect it to do in their life they migrate towards iOS. People with iPhones use them for everything practically all day for 2+ years then upgrade when their contract allows.

But that's just here in the states. We 'get' Apple because we are Apple, they represenet the best US company going right now. We have apple stores everywhere and 'subsidies' as you call them (we call them contracts and they aren't well liked).