iPhone has more brand loyalty than Android according to study

iPhone has more brand loyalty than Android according to study
Apple has the highest customer retention rate of all handset manufacturers by a wide margin according to a new report.

Although down from last year's figure of 95 percent, Apple's retention rate of 89 percent is far better than second place HTC's 39 percent. Half of those who are considering a switch from the iPhone are actually undecided, meaning their retention rate could be as high as 93 percent.



The numbers, which come from a survey conducted by UBS Research, show an even more important trend from Apple's point of view. More than 30 percent of Android users indicated their next phone would likely be an iPhone.

According to the survey results, Samsung's retention rate is unchanged from last year. Not surprisingly, RIM and Nokia are the big losers.

At 33 percent, RIM's customer retention rate is just over half what it was last year. Although interestingly that still leaves them ahead of Samsung. Of course, many Blackberry sales are for use on corporate networks running Blackberry server software.

Nokia's retention rate fell from 42 percent a year ago to 24 percent this year. No doubt this is partly due to Nokia's decision to abandon their Symbian OS.

Nokia has had something of an identity crisis in the last several months, developing both Symbian and MeeGo phones, eventually ending up with a focus on the Windows Phone platform. Nokia Windows Phones are expected to hit Europe next month.

While not surprising, it certainly makes their plan to focus on Symbian customers to sell Windows Phones seem questionable. That strategy was outlined last month by Nokia CEO Stephen Elop.

The obvious question raised by this report is one many people have been asking for a while. Why, exactly does Apple fear Android so much that they're trying to push it out of the market?

The iPhone is already the single most successful smartphone on the market. There's every reason to believe that will continue with the next generation, expected to be announced early next month.



They also, apparently, are keeping almost all their customers and adding Android users.

If a large percentage of Android sales lead to a later iPhone purchase, doesn't that increase the market while also strengthening their position?

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 23 Sep 2011 12:48
Tags
Samsung Nokia Apple iPhone Android HTC
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  • 10 comments
  • KillerBug

    The android users that are moving to iOS will be back...these are people who think there is greener grass on the other side of the fence and don't even bother to look at it before trading lots. They will be back...unless something else comes along.

    As for the iOS crowd, they are in massive denial...they don't care that the iPhone4 runs at less than 1/2 the speed of android phones at the same price, they don't care that there is no 4G, they don't care about antenna problems, they don't care about censorship, they don't care that it can't play video on the web...they are convinced that it is the best phone, and no amount of evidence is going to change that.

    23.9.2011 13:04 #1

  • klassic

    Sure, I fit into this well. I am not Brand Loyal when it comes to the manufacturer of my cell phone. I own a Samsung Epic Galaxy S right now. I would say there are 50/50 odds that I get another samsung phone when I upgrade. However HTC, Motorola, etc are also in the mix. Depends on who has the phone I like at that point. But I will tell you there is about a 99.9% chance that my next phone will be Android.
    I think comparing OS loyalty will give you a better idea of what is going on. A lot of those that left HTC, Samsung or Motorola probably moved to Android phones from other manufacturers.

    I wanna devise a virus and bring dire straights to your environments. Crush your corporations with a mild touch, trash the whole computer systems and revert you to papyrus - Deltron 3030

    23.9.2011 13:41 #2

  • snardos

    Brand loyalty is stupid. Why should you be loyal to a company that is trying to make money off of you. Pick the phone that meets your needs the best. That is also why I have changed cell phone carriers 2 times in the last year. I paid full price for my phone and take it wherever I get the best deals. I have had unlimited data for the last year and my phone hasn't costed me more than $20 per month.

    23.9.2011 15:32 #3

  • LordRuss

    Okay, so how many other Apple OS phones are there to choose from? I don't mean like iPhud 1,2,3,4,& soon to be the lathery orgasmic #5 either... I mean like Droid, Droid X, X-2, HTC, Thunderbolt, Lunderputz, Thunderpuss & whatever else the dozen or so other companies are trying to vie for our money are beating out to produce?

    Apple makes one thing. Vanilla, (or Brickyard Chocolate Death, whatever, not trying to start a fanboy apocalypse here) wow. So long as everyone wants to wait in line for that, that's great & huge numbers will certainly be made to 'look' like they're cleaning everyone's clock because there's nothing else for sale. But when those folks have a falling out with their vanilla, who are they supposed to go to?

    Yeah, those numbers didn't seem to make it in the bundle.

    http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

    23.9.2011 16:39 #4

  • plutonash

    Originally posted by LordRuss: Okay, so how many other Apple OS phones are there to choose from? I don't mean like iPhud 1,2,3,4,& soon to be the lathery orgasmic #5 either... I mean like Droid, Droid X, X-2, HTC, Thunderbolt, Lunderputz, Thunderpuss & whatever else the dozen or so other companies are trying to vie for our money are beating out to produce?

    Apple makes one thing. Vanilla, (or Brickyard Chocolate Death, whatever, not trying to start a fanboy apocalypse here) wow. So long as everyone wants to wait in line for that, that's great & huge numbers will certainly be made to 'look' like they're cleaning everyone's clock because there's nothing else for sale. But when those folks have a falling out with their vanilla, who are they supposed to go to?

    Yeah, those numbers didn't seem to make it in the bundle.
    Isn't Droid, Droid X, Droid X2, Droid 3, and the drooled over Droid HD the same as iPhone 1, 2,3, 4 all made by just one company ?

    "Cable thief is a victimless crime."

    23.9.2011 17:58 #5

  • LordRuss

    Originally posted by plutonash: Isn't Droid, Droid X, Droid X2, Droid 3, and the drooled over Droid HD the same as iPhone 1, 2,3, 4 all made by just one company ? Uuum...? I dunno? I never looked at it that way. At first glance my answer would be no, I don't think so. Otherwise, Verizon would have bent me over the counter for the most expensive feature rich phone, while my wife held their coat.

    As for the iPhud, I can only assume the phone can only come with different GB memory arrangements & that's it. The functionality is completely the same.

    I do know the Android based phones have different stuff on them (cameras, projectors, butt scratchers, you know)...

    http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

    23.9.2011 18:37 #6

  • KillerBug

    Originally posted by plutonash: Originally posted by LordRuss: Okay, so how many other Apple OS phones are there to choose from? I don't mean like iPhud 1,2,3,4,& soon to be the lathery orgasmic #5 either... I mean like Droid, Droid X, X-2, HTC, Thunderbolt, Lunderputz, Thunderpuss & whatever else the dozen or so other companies are trying to vie for our money are beating out to produce?

    Apple makes one thing. Vanilla, (or Brickyard Chocolate Death, whatever, not trying to start a fanboy apocalypse here) wow. So long as everyone wants to wait in line for that, that's great & huge numbers will certainly be made to 'look' like they're cleaning everyone's clock because there's nothing else for sale. But when those folks have a falling out with their vanilla, who are they supposed to go to?

    Yeah, those numbers didn't seem to make it in the bundle.
    Isn't Droid, Droid X, Droid X2, Droid 3, and the drooled over Droid HD the same as iPhone 1, 2,3, 4 all made by just one company ?
    The "Droid" series is all motorola (who are now owned by Google, the creator of Android), but "Android" phones are made by lots of companies. I just went to HTC myself...motorola blew it when they released the droid 3 without 4G...DUMB!!!


    23.9.2011 23:08 #7

  • IguanaC64

    "Although down from last year's figure of 95 percent, Apple's retention rate of 89 percent is far better than second place HTC's 39 percent"

    Wait...they compared manufacturers vs manufactures and spun it like it was iOS vs Android? Shame on you UBS. It's also funny that Motorola isn't mentioned anywhere in this since they seem to be the most well known/established manufacturer of Android phones.

    I'd also like to know how many of those Android users indicating a switch to iPhone ever owned an iPhone...or how many of them will switch when they see the price of the iPhone5 vs an equivalent Android device.

    Either this survey is junk or this article is leaving out/misrepresenting a lot of data.

    25.9.2011 17:45 #8

  • KillerBug

    Originally posted by IguanaC64: Either this survey is junk or this article is leaving out/misrepresenting a lot of data.
    It was done by UBS...this is the same company that gave the data that led to the worldwide financial crash. The only accurate data they did have they kept to themselves and used for insider trading...and then they got caught doing it.


    31.12.2011 05:32 #9

  • dakii

    iphone has more brand loyalty because most apple users love the free kool-aid that comes with their products

    31.12.2011 07:52 #10

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