US iPhone owners hazy on 5G compatibility, iPhone features claims survey

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in iPhone
The iPhone 7 and iPhone XR are the hardest models to identify on the market, a survey examining the knowledge of smartphone owners in the United States suggests, with many also believing their iPhones are also compatible with just-launched 5G mobile networks.




When asked to identify their owned smartphone model by image, only 44% of iPhone XR and iPhone 7 owners could spot the correct photograph. The percentage of correct answers rises for the iPhone 8 with 45.9% and then 51% and 57.64% for the iPhone X and iPhone XS respectively, but this is far behind the Samsung Galaxy S9+, which achieved 71.32% and was the most correctly identified in the test.

In terms of features, only 14% of owners of the iPhone XR, XS, and X knew the models had NFC capabilities, the survey by Decluttr claims. For water resistance, just over half of those same owners knew there was some level of liquid protection built into their iPhones.

While the carriers are continuing to market their upcoming 5G mobile networks to consumers, as well as slowly rolling it out across the United States, there is some confusion as to whether they could use the technology. A third of survey respondents believed they owned a 5G device, despite the relative scarcity of models that support it.

Approximately 62% of people who claimed they owned a 5G-compatible device believed they also saw improvements to their mobile service while on a 5G network.

On a per-brand basis, Samsung owners were more likely to believe they had a 5G device than iPhone owners. Per carrier, AT&T had the most iPhone users who thought they were 5G-ready, with 47% of users believing so, followed by 35% on Sprint, 34% on T-Mobile, and 24% on Verizon.

Chart showing iPhone owner percentages who believe they are 5G-ready (via Decluttr)
Chart showing iPhone owner percentages who believe they are 5G-ready (via Decluttr)


In reality, there are no 5G-capable iPhones on the market at this moment in time. Analysts have suggested Apple may not even bring out a 5G iPhone in 2019, with 2020 likely to be the earliest such a model could hit the market.

The most common reason for a person to upgrade their mobile device is because their last one was broken, with 31% of the 2,000 US-based survey participants giving that answer. The need to get a faster mobile device is a close second, with 26%, seemingly suggesting that consumers are more willing to extend their device's lifespan than to pay out for better, newer models.

Approximately 43% of respondents also spent $500 or more on their upgrade, with 86% feeling the price was "worth it." On the question of refurbished devices, 60% thought they could save up to $399 by buying a refurbished model over a new version, but only 6% admitted to owning such a device, though 51% suggest they will consider such a purchase in the future.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    % of users who think 5G is ready.
  • Reply 2 of 26
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    Surveys like this are nothing but noise.

    % of how how many people asked? 12?

  • Reply 3 of 26
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    Surveys like this are nothing but noise.

    % of how how many people asked? 12?

    This is addressed in the article.
    gatorguycornchipCarnageGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 4 of 26
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    I can see carriers encouraging iPhone users to switch to Samsung over this spotty crap.

    Maybe this will cause Apple to adopt 5G pre-maturely.
  • Reply 5 of 26
    mobirdmobird Posts: 752member
    IPhone X on AT&T -
    In Memphis, TN... ;)
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah, - I Believe!!

    edited July 2019 cornchip
  • Reply 6 of 26
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,631member
    With AT&T literally lying about anything 5G (by adding that “e”), it’s no wonder people think their phones are 5G.  

    Truth is, it doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t exist in enough places yet for enough people.   It won’t for a while.  

    And then we will still complain about speeds and coverage and data limits, etc.  Apps and websites and downloads will embiggen and nothing will seem to change.  
    cornchip
  • Reply 7 of 26
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    I can see carriers encouraging iPhone users to switch to Samsung over this spotty crap.

    Maybe this will cause Apple to adopt 5G pre-maturely.
    Please provide evidence of Apple adopting a technology or feature pre-maturely because it was pressured by a competitor’s product. Where do you people get these dumb ideas anyway?
    edited July 2019 AppleExposed
  • Reply 8 of 26
    hexclockhexclock Posts: 1,243member
    eriamjh said:
    With AT&T literally lying about anything 5G (by adding that “e”), it’s no wonder people think their phones are 5G.  

    Truth is, it doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t exist in enough places yet for enough people.   It won’t for a while.  

    And then we will still complain about speeds and coverage and data limits, etc.  Apps and websites and downloads will embiggen and nothing will seem to change.  
    People will know they have 5G when their phone bill becomes 70% higher for no apparent reason. 
    StrangeDayschasm
  • Reply 9 of 26
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    Damn it, I hate it when false advertising works!

    Stupid AT&T users...

    Now we’ll have to put up with more of that crap in the future...


    applesnoranges
  • Reply 10 of 26
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    lkrupp said:
    I can see carriers encouraging iPhone users to switch to Samsung over this spotty crap.

    Maybe this will cause Apple to adopt 5G pre-maturely.
    Please provide evidence of Apple adopting a technology or feature pre-maturely because it was pressured by a competitor’s product. Where do you people get these dumb ideas anyway?

    I agree it's a dumb idea and never said Apple would do this.

    But if you've been to carriers their employees are only there to push sales. According to this chart many iPhone users think their iPhone is 5G compatible. If an iPhone user asks for 5G at their carrier, the employee may recommend a Sammy for compatibility. If this causes enough switchers than I can see Apple including 5G in the next iPhone to clear confusion and keep people from switching.

    It's a dumb idea but keeping customers is more important.
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 11 of 26
    uraharaurahara Posts: 733member
    lkrupp said:
    I can see carriers encouraging iPhone users to switch to Samsung over this spotty crap.

    Maybe this will cause Apple to adopt 5G pre-maturely.
    Please provide evidence of Apple adopting a technology or feature pre-maturely because it was pressured by a competitor’s product. Where do you people get these dumb ideas anyway?

    I agree it's a dumb idea and never said Apple would do this.

    But if you've been to carriers their employees are only there to push sales. According to this chart many iPhone users think their iPhone is 5G compatible. If an iPhone user asks for 5G at their carrier, the employee may recommend a Sammy for compatibility. If this causes enough switchers than I can see Apple including 5G in the next iPhone to clear confusion and keep people from switching.

    It's a dumb idea but keeping customers is more important.
    It seems that it’s more important to write dumb comments. 
  • Reply 12 of 26
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    This report just reeks as something being funded by Samsung to make it sound like 5G is in use right now in the U.S. with the sole reason to generate clickbait.
  • Reply 13 of 26
    mobirdmobird Posts: 752member
    Damn it, I hate it when false advertising works!

    Stupid AT&T users...

    Now we’ll have to put up with more of that crap in the future...


    Last time I checked, I wasn't "stupid", nor did I ask AT&T to display the 5G E network indicator to make me feel good. 

  • Reply 14 of 26
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,275member
    Reminder: almost all Android phones aren't compatible with 5G either. That fact will get out over time, so I'm not worried about this hurting sales. People will know when they have 5G because they will burn through their data cap in under two hours. And pay double for data.

    5G is actually not something most people will want until those factors change.
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 15 of 26
    M68000M68000 Posts: 719member
    There continues to be questions around safety of 5G - I encourage everyone to check out these articles and reach your own conclusions or do more research - I myself have no interest in 5G since there is so much free and fast wireless already and want to get 3 or 4 years out of the 8 plus I just bought recently.   I dare you to read these articles- 
    https://www.gaia.com/article/5g-health-risks-the-war-between-technology-and-human-beings   and   http://themillenniumreport.com/2018/01/5g-the-most-dangerous-technological-development-of-the-millennium/

    edited July 2019
  • Reply 16 of 26
    macseekermacseeker Posts: 544member
    Well, until I have a real need for 5G, I'll be sticking with LTE (even with it's problems).

    The comment above is my usage, others may vary.
  • Reply 17 of 26
    nadrielnadriel Posts: 92member
    M68000 said:
    There continues to be questions around safety of 5G - I encourage everyone to check out these articles and reach your own conclusions or do more research - I myself have no interest in 5G since there is so much free and fast wireless already and want to get 3 or 4 years out of the 8 plus I just bought recently.   I dare you to read these articles- 
    https://www.gaia.com/article/5g-health-risks-the-war-between-technology-and-human-beings   and   http://themillenniumreport.com/2018/01/5g-the-most-dangerous-technological-development-of-the-millennium/

    Yeah, the questioning is mostly part of internet and forums. People tried to cancel LHC because they heard it makes micro black holes. 5G radiation is less obtrusive than the lightbulb you use to illuminate your home at evenings. And if you say it’s because you can see it. No you can only see light that hits your eyes, only feel the infrared that hits your skin, 5G is not even far infrared. 

    Only real harm that 5G will provide is the effect it might have on weather radars. And if those don’t bother you why should 5G?

    when the wavelength of radiation in longer than bonds between molecules or electron from nucleus it is not thought to be harmful. Yes you can cook a sausage with IR light and blind yourself with a laser. But staring at a lightbulb can blind you too...
  • Reply 18 of 26
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,275member
     Helpful reminder:

    There are two kinds of “5G.“ Obviously, I’m not counting AT&T’s fake “5Ge” here.  The vast, vast majority of “5G“ is actually a somewhat more efficient and somewhat faster ”5G” that runs on the existing 4G spectrum. This is generally referred to as “sub 6GHz“ “5G“.

    In a very few select spots in every big city where there is plenty of clear line of sight, you will get “microwave“ 5G. This is the one that you always hear about, even though it will always be the rarest form of ”5G.” Speeds up the 10 times faster than LTE’s maximum are possible with this form of “5G,“ but again it has severe limitations in terms of coverage, and the carriers are planning on using consumer confusion about the two different types of “5G“ to raise prices.

    Bottom line: if you don’t live near the select and small “hotspots“ in a major city, all you were going to get out of “5G“ is a higher bill and perhaps a barely-noticeable increase in your average speed, along with a very-noticeable increase in your bill.
    edited July 2019 GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 19 of 26
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member
    chasm said:
     Helpful reminder:

    There are two kinds of “5G.“ Obviously, I’m not counting AT&T’s fake “5Ge” here.  The vast, vast majority of “5G“ is actually a somewhat more efficient and somewhat faster ”5G” that runs on the existing 4G spectrum. This is generally referred to as “sub 6GHz“ “5G“.

    In a very few select spots in every big city where there is plenty of clear line of sight, you will get “microwave“ 5G. This is the one that you always hear about, even though it will always be the rarest form of ”5G.” Speeds up the 10 times faster than LTE’s maximum are possible with this form of “5G,“ but again it has severe limitations in terms of coverage, and the carriers are planning on using consumer confusion about the two different types of “5G“ to raise prices.

    Bottom line: if you don’t live near the select and small “hotspots“ in a major city, all you were going to get out of “5G“ is a higher bill and perhaps a barely-noticeable increase in your average speed, along with a very-noticeable increase in your bill.
    Except for the last sentence I agree with you.  The bearable noticeable speed increase for the sub 6GHz 5G is not correct.  Mobile networks are a shared medium, meaning that only in rare cases users can reach the theoretical maximum speed of the technology.  Speed is much more dependent of the capacity if a cell.  And for sub 6GHz 5G the capacity is increased significantly compared to a 4G LTE cell.   

    A good real world experience is  https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/17/18681704/5g-speed-phones-devices-tests-uk-london-ee-oneplus-report which tests the EE sub6Ghz network in London and which shows indeed a very big increase in speed if the user has a good connection (but that is not always the case). 

  • Reply 20 of 26
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    I can see carriers encouraging iPhone users to switch to Samsung over this spotty crap.

    Maybe this will cause Apple to adopt 5G pre-maturely.
    They're already behind.  
    First they broke with Qualcomm
    Then Intel failed them
    Huawei modems were effectively blocked
    Now they surrendered and went back to Qualcomm and are in catch-up mode.
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