Consumer Reports found 17 percent of those surveyed planned on giving an Apple iPad this year, and 10 percent intended to buy an iPhone 4S for someone on their shopping list. Another survey conducted by online opinion site SodaHead found 39 percent of respondents wanted to receive an iPhone 4S, while 31 percent were hoping to find an iPad 2 under the tree this year.

Apple’s mobile products were among lots of other electronic gadgets cited by shoppers in Consumer Reports’ poll of 1,013 adults, but only a few of those were mobile phones or tablets. Amazon’s Kindle Fire also received quite a few mentions, though it wasn’t nearly as popular as either the 4S or the iPad. Internet-ready and 3-D TVs were also popular among consumers.

Of SodaHead’s pool of over 3,000 respondents, the Kindle Fire came in at 17 percent, behind both the iPad and the iPhone 4S, but users seem to prefer smartphones over tablets in general, in contrast to what gift-givers appear to be planning as per the Consumer Reports poll, possibly because a phone is more generally useful than a tablet, but a tablet is both cheaper (entry-level price, unlocked) and less complicated (doesn’t come with contract requirements) to give.

Interestingly, SodaHead’s survey found the majority of respondents (59 percent) didn’t want to get apps as gifts this holiday season. Admittedly, gifts with no material presence tend to be a little disappointing, but at least 41 percent of those polled were fine with the idea, so you’re probably still safe offering them as stocking stuffers.

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The survey found that 56 percent of smartphone owners in key global markets were keeping their options open about which phone they would buy next, with only Apple commanding a significant degree of loyalty.

Who are these finicky smartphone users? Apple users are the most loyal (with 59 percent of current iPhone users planning to stick with the iPhone). The survey’s lead analyst explains:

“Loyalty with a handset is a lot more complicated these days in that people buy into experiences at the high-end level. 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.”

Satisfaction

Satisfaction is another nebulous survey category. About a week ago, the results of a survey conducted by ChangeWave confirmed what iPhone owners have known all along – the iPhone is by far the greatest thing since sliced bread.

In that survey, the iPhone 4 ranked highest in customer satisfaction among smartphone owners at 77 percent. In case you do care about the runner-ups, the other smartphone manufacturers included in the survey were Motorola (71 percent with the Droids X and 2), HTC (63 percent with the EVO 4G and Droid Incredible), Samsung (45 percent with the Galaxy S) and RIM (44 percent with the BlackBerry Curve, Bold and Torch).

In the words of ChangeWave’s CEO Paul Carton:

The iPhone 4’s exceptionally high Very Satisfied rating confirms our earlier survey findings that despite the controversy surrounding its initial launch, the iPhone 4 has been extraordinarily well received by its owners. These iPhone 4 scores are even better than the ratings for the earlier generation iPhone 3GS models which were recorded in our May 2010 new smart phone owners survey.

A Matter of Perspective

In the end, it’s nice to know –- but far from surprising –- that iPhone owners are satisfied enough with their phones that they would buy another. After all, the iPhone pretty much defined the modern smartphone, and besides, it’s about the most expensive smartphone one can buy. Isn’t it pretty safe to assume that someone buying an iPhone has given their purchase more deliberate consideration than if they were buying a much cheaper alternative?

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The report found that nearly 30 percent of Android users surveyed would rather have an iPhone. Many users indicated that price is the only barrier holding them back. “I think it’s telling that so many Android owners desire, yet don’t own an iPhone, which I believe points to price being the prohibitive factor,” a spokesperson for MyPhoneDeals told PC Pro. Another contributing factor is network choice, though that may change soon with the arrival of a Verizon iPhone.

On the flip side, only 7 percent of iPhone users would consider jumping to the Android side of the fence. “I think the biggest problem Android-based smartphones face is that they’re constantly playing catch-up to the iPhone. Every time Apple does something new the competition follows, which makes the iPhone always seem the most innovative product.” While in fact Apple was actually behind on several major OS features, such as multi-tasking, the unique innovations they do introduce, like the App Store and the Retina Display, have apparently kept them ahead of the game, at least in terms of user perception.

Only 16 percent of those not currently on any platform indicated that they’d seek out an Android phone. Yet 40 percent of smartphones sold during the past quarter were Android devices. Why? Mainly because Android OS runs on a variety of devices, while Apple OS is exclusively on the iPhone. “Android still faces a lack of recognition among consumers, especially women. For example, many consumers may want a HTC Desire HD, yet are unaware that it’s running Android software.”

The bottom line for Apple? Lower prices and freedom of choice when it comes to carrier would draw many Android users into the iOS fold. But Cupertino should act soon, since as users grow used to and invest in a platform (via app purchases), it will become more and more difficult to win them back.

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Netbook Demand

Survey respondents who said they planned on buying a netbook within the next 90 days dropped drastically over the course of the past year. It accounted for 20 percent of laptop-buying consumer’s intentions in Oct. 2009, and now represents only 14 percent. Netbook demand has been dropping steadily since its peak in June 2009.

The iPad fills the hole many were looking to fill with a netbook, specifically, that of a portable device for web browsing and media consumption. Pricing on the iPad is comparable to higher-priced netbooks, and Apple’s introduction of the MacBook Air should reel in consumers who want the portability of a netbook with a little more power, and have slightly larger budgets.

iPad Demand and Satisfaction

ChangeWave found iPad owner satisfaction among respondents to be very high; 72 percent replied that they were “Very Satisfied” with Apple’s tablet, while another 23 percent said they were “Somewhat Satisfied.” The next largest group, representing only 3 percent of those surveyed, answered that they either didn’t know either way.

Going forward, the prospects are good for the tablet market: 26 percent of all respondents say they’re planning a purchase in the future. Apple will reel in the majority of those customers, if current sentiment remains the same; 80 percent of those likely to buy a tablet are planning to get an iPad. RIM’s PlayBook is the next closest in terms of anticipated demand, with 8 percent of respondents choosing the BlackBerry solution.

Double Advantage

The iPad’s success in the survey shows it has two major advantages over its competitors. First, it’s far and away the first thing consumers are thinking about when considering a tablet computer purchase. Second, its very high customer satisfaction means that once customers do opt for an iPad, it will take a lot to convince them to switch device makers for future purchases.

Apple is sitting pretty atop a market that should show a lot of growth in the coming year. Whatever the future brings from the competition, it’s very unlikely Apple won’t emerge the winner once again in 2011.

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PC makers also had their highest-ever satisfaction ratings in the survey, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), mostly due to the introduction of Windows 7. If you’ve switched from Vista to 7, you’ll probably see why. It’s like washing dishes by hand your entire life, then switching to a dishwasher late in life: so much better, it feels like you’re getting away with something.

However, Apple’s still got quite a lead on its nearest competitors. Acer, Dell and HP are the next closest big brands, with approval ratings of 77 out of 100. That’s almost ten points less than Apple’s 86, which is two points up from 2009′s score of 84.

Apple’s score includes users’ experiences with the new iPad, which is great news for the Mac maker. It means iPad owners are satisfied with their devices, and aren’t experiencing much early adopter dissatisfaction or buyer’s remorse. It’s also good news for Mac users who fear Apple’s growing focus on iOS, since Cupertino isn’t likely to ignore a silo where they have such a strong advantage over the rest of the market in such a crucial area.

Here’s the real key to Apple’s success: I’ve never had an Apple hardware-related support issue go unresolved. If you asked me to measure my satisfaction with my PCs, I’d have a very different story to tell. Being told “Oh yeah, they’ll do that” when you complain that your computer overheats and just shuts down of its own accord after only a year of ownership is not conducive to high marks, and that’s what happened with the last Windows machine I owned.

Anyone feel like Apple’s customer service reputation isn’t quite as deserved as it seems? Sound off in the comments.

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The survey, which Crowd Science performs semi-annually, addresses smartphone brand loyalty. This time around, it found that iPhone and Android customers were well satisfied with their choice of smartphone, but that BlackBerry is hemorrhaging users badly to both of those primary competitors.

A little over 90 percent of both iPhone and Android smartphone owners plan to stay with that OS when they purchase their next device, while nearly 40 percent of BlackBerry owners said they would opt for an iPhone next time around, and 34 percent said they’d go with Android instead of a RIM device.

It’s bad news for the Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry maker, and this latest survey shows that Apple isn’t exclusively to blame for the company’s steady decline. According to Crowd Science CEO John Martin:

These results show that the restlessness of Blackberry users with their current brand hasn’t just been driven by the allure of iPhone. Rather, Blackberry as a brand just isn’t garnering the loyalty seen with other mobile operating systems.

For me, the real surprise is not that many are dissatisfied with RIM, which seems to have done very little but make incremental cosmetic upgrades with its devices over the last couple of years, but that Android is nearly matching the iPhone in terms of consumer awareness and desire.

Apple still has the advantage in terms of who its customers are and what kind of money they’re willing to spend — and on what — though. iPhone owners tend to be slightly older and more affluent, and are much more likely to buy paid applications compared to other smartphone users. Android owners skew younger and less affluent, and accordingly are much less likely to spend money on paid applications. And they do download more free apps than any other user group.

Finally, the Nexus One is making a big splash, even if it isn’t selling in droves. Android awareness in general jumped six percentage points to 66 percent since the last survey period, and 32 percent of BlackBerry owners would swap their current devices for a Nexus One right away, given the chance. That number jumps to 60 percent for users of smartphones not made by Apple or BlackBerry.

While RIM is the company that should really be scared by the results of this survey, Apple shouldn’t exactly be patting itself on the back, either. Android is making steady gains, especially among current smartphone users, and they seem to have scored a special place in the hearts of young consumers, which, when combined with the 90 percent-plus brand loyalty result, could pay off huge going forward.

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They’re probably still on a high from the sale of their billionth app, but Apple now has more cause to celebrate thanks to consumer research firm J.D. Power and Associates.

A recent survey by the firm found that the iPhone ranked highest in customer satisfaction among cellphone owners so far in 2009. It topped the whole survey, beating out all others in both the smartphone and regular ol’ dumphone category, too. Nothing to sneeze at for a phone that once incurred such vocal complaints. Maybe the soothing balm of the upcoming OS 3.0 features has mitigated some of the iPhone’s early perceived failings.

The iPhone’s total score was 791 out of a possible 1,000. Next closest were LG and Samsung smartphones, which scored 772 and 759, respectively. Compare that to the smartphone category average of 751, and it looks like the iPhone has a handy lead. Users surveyed attribute their satisfaction with the phone to ease of use and OS and hardware features and quality. Of the smartphones rated, those that ran Windows Mobile were, unsurprisingly, ranked on average lower than others. Even BlackBerry didn’t do very well, earning a 739. Traditional phones ranked much lower, with an average of 707 points.

This survey is very good news for Apple going into June’s WWDC. If even half the rumors are true, the phone they plan on releasing at the annual conference will beat the iPhone’s current feature set considerably. Of course, the Pre will also likely be released around the same time, so that’s a whole new variable with which to contend. All I know is that my own satisfaction has risen quite a bit since installing the OS 3.0 beta, so I don’t see Apple running into the same kind of software trouble they had with the launch of 2.0, which should keep ratings high.

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Of the students surveyed, 92 percent reported that they did in fact own a portable media player, and of those, 86 percent own some variety of iPod. Contrast that with Zune owners, who represent a whopping 4 percent of those who took part in the survey. Or at least, 4 percent admitted to owning Zunes. I’m willing to bet some of that 86 percent have had Zunes foisted upon them by misguided parents, so they just say they have an iPod to avoid the social stigma.

This is good news because it means that the iPod is by far the most popular brand among teens, which is a crucial demographic for electronics manufacturers. It’s bad news because it means Apple may be close to reaching the saturation point with the market, which could negatively affect sales. The key to taking advantage of their overwhelming lead among teens is to translate iPod sales now into iPhone sales later, and the iPod touch is the cornerstone of their ability to do so. Introducing enticing new features like a camera and Bluetooth might be enough incentive to convince teens it’s time for an upgrade.

iTunes users also rose, with 97 percent of teens surveyed using Apple’s digital music download service and 82 percent of those who buy music online through legit channels. Of course, that number is pre-variable pricing structure, so it’ll be interesting to see if the recent price hikes change things in the next installment of the bi-annual survey.

The worst news in the survey came in the area of iPhones, where teen owners remained at 8 percent, the same as last time the survey was conducted. Intent to buy actually dropped from 22 to only 16 percent, with Piper Jaffray speculating that the lack of interest has to do primarily with AT&T’s pricing for cellular plans. It probably will remain a market where Apple has trouble until they can offer a device not tied to a data plan or strong-arm AT&T into introducing far more reasonable data subscription prices. It’s hard to imagine they won’t try to capitalize on the growth potential represented by their iPhone numbers among teens, especially with their selling opportunities with iPods dwindling, at least for the short term.

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According to comScore, the market research firm behind the recent survey and an accompanying report, Tap Tap Revenge has been installed by 32 percent of iPhone and iPod touch users as of February 2009. That means one-third of the millions who use the App Store have downloaded Tap Tap Revenge at one point or another. I know one company who won’t have any trouble selling advertising space.

The purpose of the survey was in fact to give marketers a bird’s eye view of the App Store landscape. It also revealed some interesting facts about what kind of apps users are most likely to download and use. The top three categories that app users gravitated towards were retail, social networking and entertainment, respectively. Although I’m a little confused by the retail category (I can think of Amazon, and maybe Stanza and the Amazon Kindle app that might fit this description and be widely used), the other two make sense, especially if entertainment is broad enough to include games.

In a report accompanying the survey, comScore also pointed out that people who downloaded apps were likely to occupy mid- to high-range income brackets, who as a consequence probably have a lot more disposable income to spend on things like fart simulators and sexy pen apps. It notes that 35 percent of app store customers were likely to belong to households with an income of more than $100,000, while over 50 percent earned at least $75,000.

Basically, the final takeaway of the report is that advertisers would do well to look at the App Store as a potentially game-changing outlet from which to sell their shiny baubles. With the ad industry facing a crisis and pulling out of print and online sales, the App Store could present an attractive alternative. Since it has proven reach in a much sought-after demographic, and because of the unique content delivery method offered by apps, it avoids some of the usual failings of Internet advertising. There are no ad-blockers for individual apps, and there’s less competition for the viewer’s attention.

Personally, I’m conflicted. I like free stuff, but I hate ads, and therefore ad-supported software. My solution? Offer an ad-supported lite or trial version of all software, and I’ll buy whatever I actually use just to get rid of the marketing material. Any better ideas?

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As a mobile device, the iPhone crosses several different user groups. From business users to media junkies, a wide range of people use the iPhone in a variety of different ways. The App Store is fueling this variation even further on account of the huge array of different applications available.

A few pieces of research have been conducted that give an interesting glimpse into the profile of iPhone users, and the main activities they choose to perform with their device. This post will summarize a few different results and draw some interesting comparisons between the uses of an iPhone compared to other mobile phones.

Compete.com Survey

Compete.com has recently gathered a collection of data surrounding the use of the iPhone. They found that:

• iPhone owners are twice as likely as other Smartphone owners to be comfortable with advertising within the applications on their device.
• 33 percent of iPhone owners use maps and GPS more than ten times a month, compared to 13 percent of Smartphone owners.
• Almost twice as many iPhone owners than Smartphone users complete at least one financial transaction on their mobile device each month.
• 93 percent of iPhone owners have added an application versus only 66 percent of Smartphone owners.

The statistics relating to increased map usage are most likely due to the implementation of Google Maps software — it’s slick, easy to use and very intuitive. The other statistics are more interesting, and worth considering a little further.

The fact that 93 percent of owners have added an application is a very impressive figure. Considering the App Store has been open for only a few months, such a high awareness and take-up rate is excellent. It comes down to a combination of a very successful marketing campaign from Apple, coupled with a system that is incredibly easy to use. Applications are easy to find, often inexpensive, and as evidenced by the number of users downloading them, add real value to the iPhone.

The statistic relating to financial transactions comes as an initial surprise — why would users feel safer conducting online banking on their iPhone? I think this is one advantage that comes from a mobile browser based on a desktop counterpart. Apple users who surf with Safari on their Mac are likely to instinctively trust the security and reliability of the mobile version — feeling comfortable accessing their finances online.

Finally, the issue of advertising is an interesting one. This could be down either to the type of user (corporate Blackberry users may recoil quicker at the idea of advertising compared to media-savvy, younger consumers), or the fact that Mac users are more familiar with the concept from ad-supported desktop software (e.g. Twitteriffic). I suspect the former is likely to be the case, with iPhone users preferring to accept a free, ad-supported application rather than paying for it directly.

Rubicon Consulting Research

A recent survey entitled ‘The Apple iPhone: Successes and Challenges for the Mobile Industry’ looked at the profile of iPhone users. They found that:

• The iPhone user base consists mainly of young early adopters about three quarters of whom are previous Apple customers.
• 50 percent of iPhone users are under thirty, and 15 percent are students.
• Half of the iPhone users replaced conventional mobile phones (commonly the Motorola Razr) while 40 percent replaced other smartphones (such as Blackberrys and Windows Mobile devices).
• Email is the most commonly used feature — 70 percent of users check email on the iPhone at least once a day
• 60 percent of users browse the internet at least once per day
• Three quarters of users do more web surfing on the iPhone than on their previous device.

It should be noted that this survey was conducted just prior to the introduction of the iPhone 3G — so some figures may have changed since then. However, the general trends and conclusions are still likely to be valid.

The fact that iPhone users are young and ‘tech savvy’ does not come as a particular surprise. Nor does the concept that previous Apple customers are more likely to buy an iPhone (especially as an Apple customer is anyone who has bought an iPod — over 163 million have been sold).

The split of switchers from both conventional and smart phone users is interesting. It shows clearly that the iPhone has succeeded in targeting both types of user well, catering equally to business users requiring email and web capabilities as well as those more interested in photos, videos and music. This is no mean feat, showing that the latest Exchange features are beginning to bring the iPhone into an enterprise setting.

The Typical iPhone User

Essentially, none of these statistics are particularly startling, though they do go a long way towards providing definite proof for ideas we have taken for granted (i.e. that the well implemented Mobile Safari browser will stimulate greater use of mobile internet).

Would you say that your iPhone usage echoes the findings of the above surveys, or do some of the statistics come as a surprise?

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