The launch of the iPhone 6 has seen a record breaking run on iPhone accessories in Australia.
Some vendors are reporting increases in demand of over 40%,
big beneficiaries are brands such as Belkin, Griffin, Tech 21, INCIPO and STM
have all reported “excellent” sales via mass retailers and
carriers.
According to a new report from sales analyst NPD, mobile
phone accessories hit a new record in the two weeks immediately following the
release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Accessory sales were seen to be 43
percent higher than the two weeks before the launch, and far better than the 17
percent increase seen in the same period after the release of the iPhone 5c and
iPhone 5s last year.
Part of the reason for the big increase in sales is that
cases and screen protectors — two of the most popular accessories — designed
for the iPhone 5 family no longer fit the larger iPhone 6, which offers a
4.7-inch screen compared to the iPhone 5/c/s’ four-inch display, or that of the
new iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch screen.
Sales for screen protectors in the USA was up 120 percent
compared to just before the launch, and cases were up 78 percent in revenue (up
63 percent in units, reports AppleInsider).
Other categories saw smaller growth, but still saw
above-average sales: headphones and microphones went up 10 percent, while
Bluetooth speakers and mobile battery packs grew five percent. The study also
found that most buyers pick up their accessories at a different store than
where they buy their phones — 58 percent of buyers reported buying their
accessories elsewhere.
The most affluent group, iPhone buyers, were said by NPD to
spend almost as much in accessories as they did on the phone itself, which
presumably translates to about $200 (as most iPhone buyers buy on contract
where up-front costs are limited).
