Survey reveals most popular smartphone price bracket of 2024

It’s that time of year when many of you would be looking at new phones to buy during the upcoming holiday sales. The big question is — how much are you willing to spend? Are you eyeing a $1,000 flagship or will a $500 mid-ranger do the trick? We recently put this question to our readers in a survey, and the results are in!

We received over 6,500 votes in our survey, and the outlook for premium phones is not good. The majority of the voters (43.58%) are eyeing phones that cost less than $499, which could include both mid-range and budget-friendly devices.

Meanwhile, 32.93% of the voters are in the camp that’s looking to pick up smartphones costing between $499 and $999. So it’s not like people aren’t planning to pick up flagship devices, they just don’t want to spend over $999 for a top-of-the-line model or a foldable phone.

Only 11.65% of voters want to spend more and buy phones that are priced upwards of $1,000. A similar-sized group, on the other hand, doesn’t want to buy a phone at all this year.

What’s influencing smartphone purchases?

It’s clear from our survey that when it comes to buying a new smartphone, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. From carrier deals to long-term software support, the results reveal a variety of factors that are shaping people’s decision-making process. Here’s what some of our readers had to say about the motivations behind their choices.

For one survey participant, timing and affordability were key. “I got my Pixel 8a in June when Google Fi offered it to me for $299. I couldn’t pass up the deal, especially since I was in the market for a new phone at the time. I’m really happy with it and plan to keep it for a long while,” they shared. This highlights how carrier discounts often serve as a tipping point for buyers who are already considering an upgrade.

“I bought the great S23 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for about U$500. Best thing I did,” shared another voter who also likely took advantage of a discount to snag Samsung’s flagship at a reasonable price.

Meanwhile, some readers emphasized how the importance of smartphones has changed for them. One pointed out that their priorities have shifted since getting a smartwatch. “I found that after getting a good smartwatch, the phone has basically become a back-end server for it. I hardly take it off the charging dock. With Google offering seven years of updates, that Pixel 8 Pro might just sit there for a full 8 or 9, while I upgrade the watch,” they noted.

Some voters also sought out under-the-radar smartphone brands to get a good phone on a budget. “I bought the Poco X6 Pro 12GB/512GB for $344 from Amazon to replace my Poco X3 GT, which I had for over two years. No problems with 5G or anything else,” said a reader based in Chicago. They added, “Almost nobody knows about Poco phones here in the USA. I just bought the Poco F6 online for $297. Great sale. Flagship killer for the money.”

Price sensitivity is also, obviously, a big factor that influences buying behavior, even for those who can afford premium devices. One voter said, “I’m not even close to broke, but $1,000 is stupid money for a phone when I can buy a very nice one for half the price.”