Apple iPhone user loyalty twice that of Android

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
A new survey by German market research firm GfK Group indicates that most smartphone users feel little loyalty to their device outside of Apple's iPhone, which commands more than twice the fidelity of Android devices or smartphones in general.



According to a report by Reuters, only 25 percent of smartphone buyers as a whole planned to stick with the operating system of their current phone, compared to 59 percent of iPhone users.



Even among users of RIM's BlackBerry, once dubbed the "crackberry" in an allusion to its addictive experience as a messaging device, only 35 percent said they planned to stick with RIM in the future.



Android, which fuels a variety of heavily promoted iPhone-alternatives on America's Verizon and Sprint networks, only managed to retain a 28 percent loyalty figure from buyers, while the globally-leading Symbian OS used by Nokia slipped below the overall industry average, maintaining just 24 percent of its users base as loyal future buyers.



Microsoft brought up the rear in smartphone loyalty ratings, with only 21 percent saying they would buy another device running the same software in the future.



The survey was conducted across 2,653 users of mobile phones in China, Brazil, Britain Germany, Spain, and the United States. Sales of smartphones continue to rapidly outpace the growth of simpler mobile phones; 37 percent of those surveyed saying they planned to upgrade to a smartphone at their next purchase.



Users contemplating a smartphone purchase see little significant hardware differentiation, the report noted, saying "with features such as WiFi, GPS and high-resolution cameras now commonplace, owners of Internet-enabled phones are increasingly concerned with the ease of accessing attractive services to enhance their devices, often through app stores."



Ryan Garner, the lead analyst in the survey, added that "if a phone doesn't do what it says it will do or what the owner hopes it will do, the maker will lose loyalty."



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    enzosenzos Posts: 344member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ... According to a report by Reuters, only 25 percent of smartphone buyers as a whole planned to stick with the operating system of their current phone, compared to 59 percent of iPhone users. etc..





    Did we really need the woodgrain ;-)



    Cheers
  • Reply 2 of 41
    Clearly - it is not only telephone loyalty - it is brand loyalty in general.
  • Reply 3 of 41
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    1) It’s interesting that Android is so low when the OS allows users to choose a different vendor for their device.



    2) I’m surprised that Nokia and Microsoft are as high as they are. They are just above the industry standard and not far off from Android. Is Google setting up Android for longterm domination of the mobile OS market, or is their first attempt going to falter the way the open Symbian platform is?



    3) I wonder how many iPhone buyers get the new model each year? I know I have, as well as pretty much everyone I know. I’ve also given older models away, which also seems fairly commonplace, which has sparked iPhone users I know buying the newest model each year. In other words, how many repeat buyers is Apple getting and how will that affect the longterm growth of the platform?
  • Reply 4 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Doorman. View Post


    Clearly - it is not only telephone loyalty - it is brand loyalty in general.



    you're right, it's brand loyalty because (at least for me) when using apple products, things just work great, everything is well done. I can't think about using other phone than an iphone, it's just impossible to consider. And that's the main problem that other brands have, they don't have this loyalty that apple has. I always say that buying an apple product is just more than buying a a piece of hardware, you don't just buy a phone or a computer, it's a lot more, but well, i'm a fanboy :P



  • Reply 5 of 41
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    1) It’s interesting that Android is so low when the OS allows users to choose a different vendor for their device.



    2) I’m surprised that Nokia and Microsoft are as high as they are. They are just above the industry standard and not far off from Android. Is Google setting up Android for longterm domination of the mobile OS market, or is their first attempt going to falter the way the open Symbian platform is?



    3) I wonder how many iPhone buyers get the new model each year? I know I have, as well as pretty much everyone I know. I’ve also given older models away, which also seems fairly commonplace, which has sparked iPhone users I know buying the newest model each year. In other words, how many repeat buyers is Apple getting and how will that affect the longterm growth of the platform?



    Three each here so far i.e. each model up to 3Gs and we'd have bought two 4s recently but as FiOS users I am hanging back to see if there maybe a Verizon version in early 2011. I don't want to start a new 2 year AT&T contract if we are that close.
  • Reply 6 of 41
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SkywalkerMac View Post


    you're right, it's brand loyalty because (at least for me) when using apple products, things just work great, everything is well done. I can't think about using other phone than an iphone, it's just impossible to consider. And that's the main problem that other brands have, they don't have this loyalty that apple has. I always say that buying an apple product is just more than buying a a piece of hardware, you don't just buy a phone or a computer, it's a lot more, but well, i'm a fanboy :P







    I suspect that for most who are new to Apple products they rapidly come to the same conclusion too. Every switcher I know is just as fanatical about Apple now as I am. That is true in my experience for MBP, iMac and iPhone noobs.
  • Reply 7 of 41
    Appl must be doing sompthing right just wish all these other companies would do sompthing right for a change especially google
  • Reply 8 of 41
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    For one I'm not pleased at all with Apples 4.x release as it is as buggy as all get out. 4.2 has improved that significantly but Apple has soured my opinion of the iPhone devision. That is a problem too as my MBP has been sweet, the best computer investment in some time. Of course the MBP is an early 2008 model and could use an update but it has been solid.



    In any event this is an phone thread and frankly what has kept me on the iPhone is the integration and app store. The release of 4.0 though has my iPhone loyalty in question. The only thing in Apples favor here is that nothing even remotely compares software wise. That sounds like a contradiction but on a whole iPhone isn't that bad. So the right machine could draw me away, if such ever ends up on the market. Right now there are no options.



    I guess what I'm saying is that another screw up on Apples part might have me parting company. Then again my 3G is working pretty good again so I'm hoping it holds out to iPhone 5. That is if I go the smart phone route, sometimes I think my money would be better spent on a tablet. There are a lot of things conspiring to pull me off the smart phone bandwagon that have nothing to do with Apple.
  • Reply 9 of 41
    successsuccess Posts: 1,040member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Even among users of RIM's BlackBerry, once dubbed the "crackberry" in an allusion to its addictive experience as a messaging device...SNIIP



    That's not why my friends and I called it a crackberry. We were making fun of it whenever we used that name. For us it was definitely on the derogatory side.
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    1) It’s interesting that Android is so low when the OS allows users to choose a different vendor for their device.



    Most long term prisoners actually prefer to stay in jail. That's what they know and are used to. They can't function on the outside. Sometimes the appearance of brand loyalty doesn't always means it is that............I guess jail breaking would sometimes be an appropriate term for some then







    .
  • Reply 10 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    According to a report by Reuters, only 25 percent of smartphone buyers as a whole planned to stick with the operating system of their current phone, compared to 59 percent of iPhone users.








    So 41% of iPhone users plan to ditch it next time around? Why?



    Reception? Broken glass?
  • Reply 11 of 41
    wonderwonder Posts: 229member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 蘋果蘋果蘋果 View Post


    So 41% of iPhone users plan to ditch it next time around? Why?



    Fickle?
  • Reply 12 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    1) It?s interesting that Android is so low when the OS allows users to choose a different vendor for their device.



    2) I?m surprised that Nokia and Microsoft are as high as they are. They are just above the industry standard and not far off from Android. Is Google setting up Android for longterm domination of the mobile OS market, or is their first attempt going to falter the way the open Symbian platform is?



    3) I wonder how many iPhone buyers get the new model each year? I know I have, as well as pretty much everyone I know. I?ve also given older models away, which also seems fairly commonplace, which has sparked iPhone users I know buying the newest model each year. In other words, how many repeat buyers is Apple getting and how will that affect the longterm growth of the platform?



    I missed out on the 1G, got stuck in an 18 month deal on my 3G, so missed the 3G S, but now have the iP4 free of contract. So, i'll be updating when the 5G comes out, provided it's a good one of course.



    Actually that's not true. I'll buy the 5G regardless of whether it's pants or not.
  • Reply 13 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr Underhill View Post




    Actually that's not true. I'll buy the 5G regardless of whether it's pants or not.







    On behalf of my fellow stockholders, thank you. How can we win over the other 41%?
  • Reply 14 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    For one I'm not pleased at all with Apples 4.x release as it is as buggy as all get out. 4.2 has improved that significantly but Apple has soured my opinion of the iPhone devision. That is a problem too as my MBP has been sweet, the best computer investment in some time. Of course the MBP is an early 2008 model and could use an update but it has been solid.



    In any event this is an phone thread and frankly what has kept me on the iPhone is the integration and app store. The release of 4.0 though has my iPhone loyalty in question. The only thing in Apples favor here is that nothing even remotely compares software wise. That sounds like a contradiction but on a whole iPhone isn't that bad. So the right machine could draw me away, if such ever ends up on the market. Right now there are no options.



    I guess what I'm saying is that another screw up on Apples part might have me parting company. Then again my 3G is working pretty good again so I'm hoping it holds out to iPhone 5. That is if I go the smart phone route, sometimes I think my money would be better spent on a tablet. There are a lot of things conspiring to pull me off the smart phone bandwagon that have nothing to do with Apple.



    I agree the first iOS 4 was poor on the 3G but it's fine now, although naturally not a patch on the new iP4, which IMO is the best phone Apple have built to date.



    I would imagine when the 5G comes out along with new versions of iOS, older iPhones will suffer similar glitches trying to run the latest versions, although to what extent we'll have to wait and see.



    Having said that, isn't this the norm?



    My iMac 2.0 GHz (2007 running 10.6.5) doesn't seem to like iTunes 10.1 as much as my 3.06 GHz iMac (2010 with the same software).
  • Reply 15 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 蘋果蘋果蘋果 View Post


    On behalf of my fellow stockholders, thank you. How can we win over the other 41%?



    Keep on sharing the love

  • Reply 16 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SkywalkerMac View Post


    you're right, it's brand loyalty because (at least for me) when using apple products, things just work great, everything is well done. I can't think about using other phone than an iphone, it's just impossible to consider. And that's the main problem that other brands have, they don't have this loyalty that apple has. I always say that buying an apple product is just more than buying a a piece of hardware, you don't just buy a phone or a computer, it's a lot more, but well, i'm a fanboy :P







    I 2nd that, thought
  • Reply 17 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 蘋果蘋果蘋果 View Post


    On behalf of my fellow stockholders, thank you. How can we win over the other 41%?



    I think Apple's strategy is more about getting new consumers and not retaining old (just look at monitor segment - professionals, those who were loyal to apple during its downfall, do not have now any choice of good NON GLOSSY screens (except 30") and iMacs).

    Forget about those 41%. Many of them stay with iPhone anyways.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 蘋果蘋果蘋果 View Post


    So 41% of iPhone users plan to ditch it next time around? Why?



    Reception? Broken glass?



    So 75% of Android users plan to ditch it next time because it is ..... not iPhone?

    Dude, you don't know what other questions were (e.g. plan to stick, more likely to stick, not sure, more likely to ditch, plan to ditch) and how they were aggregated etc.

    You should know that there are 3 types of lies: lie, big lie, and statistics
  • Reply 18 of 41
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by enzos View Post


    Did we really need the woodgrain ;-)



    Cheers



    It is clear from the chart that Apple owner's wood is taller than Android users', and seem to lead in the firmness of their support.
  • Reply 19 of 41
    wonderwonder Posts: 229member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Doorman. View Post


    I think Apple's strategy is more about getting new consumers and not retaining old (just look at monitor segment - professionals, those who were loyal to apple during its downfall, do not have now any choice of good NON GLOSSY screens (except 30") and iMacs).

    Forget about those 41%. Many of them stay with iPhone anyways.





    So 75% of Android users plan to ditch it next time because it is ..... not iPhone?

    Dude, you don't know what other questions were (e.g. plan to stick, more likely to stick, not sure, more likely to ditch, plan to ditch) and how they were aggregated etc.

    You should know that there are 3 types of lies: lie, big lie, and statistics



    iMacs also have glossy screens.
  • Reply 20 of 41
    I haven't posted on this site yet but when I saw this I knew I had too.



    I've never had an iPhone but I've had an iPod touch since they came out and I've always loved them.



    As a user stuck on Verizon I had no choice to get the iPhone so I got the original Droid, it sucked, to make anything halfway decent on it you had to get separate apps, new browser, new sms app, new home screen, pretty much new everything. At first I thought it was awesome and sweet but then, how do you sync your iTunes, well there's a five dollar app, something so simple as to sync with music, it doesn't even sync with Amazon Music and that's the default place on Android that you buy music. Not to even mention the terrible hardware the Droid 1 has the slider didn't have a spring making it impossible to slide, the slider was really wiggly, and the keyboard was absolutely terrible.



    I almost forgot to mention, when it came out there was no multitouch in the browser the keyboard, anywhere. I was used to typing on my 2 year old iTouch where the multi touch I could just fly through it, I get the droid and I am poking at every letter single handed with my index finger. Luckily for me there was another $5 keyboard app.



    For the amount in apps that I've spent trying to have a reasonable experience I probably should've just swithed to the iPhone and that's what I'm going to do this year right when the new iPhone comes out and the new iPad. I've had it with Android!
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