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iPhone owners are sticking with the platform at a higher rate than a year ago, with new research firm CIRP putting iPhone loyalty at 87% for the first quarter of 2026. CIRP's latest quarterly survey found that just 12% of new iPhone buyers in the March quarter had come over from an Android phone, with the remaining 1% arriving from a feature phone, a different smartphone platform, or buying a smartphone for the first time. That puts loyalty three percentage points above the same quarter a year earlier, when 14% of buyers switched from Android and the overall loyalty figure sat at 84%. The firm has been tracking this movement for years by asking iPhone buyers what device they owned right before their purchase, among other questions about how they shop. Across the periods it measured recently, the share of buyers coming from Android has held in a fairly narrow 11% to 15% band, a much smaller pool of switchers than in the iPhone's early years, when Apple was still expanding beyond AT&T to other U.S. carriers and picking up large numbers of new users in the process. The trend held steady in early 2024 too, when 13% of buyers arrived from Android and loyalty came in at 85%. CIRP's numbers suggest the bulk of smartphone owners settled on a platform long ago, and only a small slice change sides each year. This is a pattern other recent surveys have pointed to as well, even if their methodology and figures differ from CIRP's. Apple will roll out Siri AI, its overhauled AI assistant, in iOS 27 later this year, which could help retain existing iPhone owners. Attracting Android converts is a separate challenge, though Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will introduce a new form factor that may appeal to some existing Android foldable owners. Tags: Android , CIRP This article, " iPhone Loyalty Rate Climbs to 87% as Switching to Android Slows " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Since iOS 26, a malfunctioning iPhone has been able to boot itself into Recovery Assistant , with no Mac or PC required. However, you could only get there if your device failed to start up and dropped into recovery on its own. In iOS 27, currently in beta, Apple has removed that limitation, and you can now manually boot into a Mac-style recovery screen whenever you like. The new recovery mode lets you troubleshoot, update, or erase your device without necessarily plugging it into anything. It can connect automatically to a known Wi-Fi network, and it shows your battery percentage in the corner of the screen. Here's how to access it. How to Boot Into Recovery Mode Accessing the recovery mode is similar to the equivalent mode on Apple silicon Macs , and it works the same way on iPads running iPadOS 27. Turn off your iPhone, then wait about a minute to ensure it has fully shut down. Press and hold the Side button . The Apple logo will appear as it normally does during startup – continue holding the button and you'll see "Continue holding for recovery...". Release the button when "Loading recovery options..." appears. Your iPhone will then boot into the new recovery screen instead of loading iOS. What the Recovery Options Do The recovery screen offers five options: Recovery Assistant : Automatically scans for software issues and attempts to fix them without requiring further input. Software Update : Installs the latest version of iOS available for your device, which can help if a failed update has left your iPhone stuck in a boot loop. Diagnostics Mode : Runs diagnostics to check for hardware and software issues, and can recommend repairs if needed. Erase All Content and Settings : Completely wipes your iPhone, just like the equivalent option in the Settings app. Recovery Mode : Puts your iPhone into the traditional recovery mode for restoring it with a Mac or PC, without requiring the usual button-press sequence. On newer iPhone models, there's also a sixth hidden option. While on the recovery screen, if you press and hold the Side button again, a popup menu will appear showing the option Nearby Device Recovery . This lets you restore your iPhone using another Apple device close by, similar to an existing recovery feature that debuted on iPhone 16 models. Exiting the Recovery Screen To leave recovery mode, tap the power button in the top-right corner of the screen and confirm that you want to restart. Alternatively, press and hold the physical Side button and choose Restart or Shut Down . You shouldn't need the new recovery screen often, but it's worth knowing the button sequence now in case a beta goes wrong or a failed update bricks your iPhone. iOS 27 is currently in public beta, so you can download and try it out now before it's released in the fall. Related Roundups: iOS 27 , iPadOS 27 This article, " iOS 27: Access the New iPhone Recovery Screen " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Apple's Car Keys feature appears to be coming to TANK vehicles made by Chinese maker Great Wall Motor (GWM), based on code changes discovered by MacRumors in Apple's Wallet app backend. GWM Tank is a dedicated off-road luxury SUV brand produced by the Chinese automaker. Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch with NFC capabilities to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done simply by holding an Apple Watch or iPhone near a compatible vehicle's NFC reader. What can be done with Car Keys may vary by car manufacturer, but at a minimum, Car Keys can be used to unlock your car, lock your car, and start your car, which are the features available with a physical key. Apple introduced Car Keys in 2022, and car manufacturers like BMW, Rivian, Kia, and Hyundai have all implemented support for Car Keys. Apple maintains a full list of vehicles that support Car Keys on its CarPlay model availability webpage . Tag: iPhone Car Keys This article, " Apple Car Key Support Coming to Future GWM Tank SUVs " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Apple's Journal app doesn't promise to improve mental health, but its approach to reflective writing closely aligns with what decades of psychological research actually supports. Here's why that matters, and how Apple's approach differs from most wellness apps. Journaling with mindfulness Journal focuses on people's thoughts and experiences instead of their bodies, unlike the data-driven health tracking with Apple Watch . The app encourages users to reflect on their emotions and pay closer attention to the everyday moments that shape their lives. Instead of evaluating users or assigning psychological scores, Apple designed Journal as a private place for writing and memory. People can use it to revisit meaningful moments and build a habit of reflection over time. Apple's decision to prioritize writing over interpretation aligns with decades of research showing that expressive writing can produce measurable psychological benefits (Frattaroli, 2006; Reinhold et al., 2018). Journal encourages reflection without trying to explain what users think or how they should feel. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
