According to a new report from sales analyst NPD, mobile phone accessories in the US 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. The new total for accessories in the fortnight was $249 million, topping last year's $195 million.
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 was up 120 percent compared to just before the launch, and cases were up 78 percent in revenue (up 63 percent in units).
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).
