The Galaxy S5 remains the most popular Samsung device in the US, and 76 percent of S5 owners would prefer to purchase Samsung again, according to a report from consumer insight firm Kantar Worldpanel.

This may be good news for Samsung’s new flagship smartphone Galaxy S8, considering the two- or three-year smartphone upgrade cycle. 

According to a latest report released by Kantar Worldpanel, the Galaxy S5 that was unveiled in February 2014 remained the most popular Samsung device in the US, with 15.6 percent of Samsung’s established base.

This was followed by the Galaxy S7 at 11.5 percent and Galaxy S6 at 11.4 percent. The Galaxy S7 Edge accounted for 5.8 percent.

Among Galaxy S5 users, 76 percent said they would prefer to purchase Samsung again, with 64 percent of current Galaxy S6 owners intending to do so -- good timing as the Galaxy S8 launch is slated for Friday.

The life cycle of premium phone users is 2.5 years in mature markets, according to American research firm Gartner.

As for whether the Galaxy S8 will be an “iPhone killer,” Kantar Worldpanel’s report said not if the numbers tell us anything.

The report said in the past year, just 5 percent of Samsung’s new customers switched from an iPhone. Sixty-six percent were repeat Samsung customers, with the remainder coming from other Android brands. Loyalty to Apple currently hovers at around 93 percent. Samsung stands more to gain from their own established base and other Android brands than they do from Apple.

“Samsung’s biggest challenge isn’t the Note 7 or Apple. It’s finding growth in an ever-changing technological landscape that is focusing more and more on interoperability, the smart home and how to get consumers to buy into the next big thing,” said Lauren Guenveur, director at Kantar Worldpanel’s global consumer insight unit.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)