Anticipation in the consumer
electronics world is soaring for the launch of Apple's iPhone 5, which is
rumored to be hitting store shelves this fall. PriceGrabber, a part of
Experian, released the results of its iPhone 5 survey, revealing that 35
percent of consumers plan to purchase the latest iPhone upon its release.
Of these respondents, 51 percent
indicated that they would buy the smartphone within the first year of release,
30 percent would purchase it before the end of 2011, 14 percent would buy it
within the first month and 7 percent would buy it within the first week.
Conducted from July 1–11, 2011, the survey includes responses from 2,852 U.S.
online consumers.
When it comes to the new
features shoppers deem most important in their decision to purchase the iPhone
5, practicality seems to reign. When respondents were asked to select new
iPhone 5 features most important when considering a purchase, 59 percent
indicated a better battery life, and 55 percent are looking for cost reduction.
Forty-six percent said 4G network compatibility was important to them, 45
percent are hoping for a larger screen, and 42 percent would like an improved
camera.
"Our survey data
confirms the strong following Apple has built around its iPhone, with more than
one-third of consumers planning to upgrade to the latest model only a little
over a year following the release of the iPhone 4," said Graham Jones,
general manager of PriceGrabber. "Anticipation and brand loyalty are certainly
high, but in today's 24/7 work culture and uncertain economic environment,
consumers are cautious to look for a reasonably priced phone that will perform
optimally over an extended time period."
Even in our largely virtual
world, the thrill of shopping in a real brick-and-mortar store has not died.
PriceGrabber's survey data found that 36 percent of consumers said they use
their smartphone for shopping. When these respondents were asked to select all
the ways in which they use their smartphones for shopping, 48 percent said they
compare prices online when shopping in a store; 35 percent use it to scan
product bar codes to find the best price; 29 percent use localization features
to find nearby products; and 28 percent like to receive coupons, deals and
alerts while on the go.
When asked how often they
make shopping-related purchases on their phone, 22 percent of respondents said
a couple of times a month, 16 percent said a few times a year, and 12 percent
said one or more times per week.
"Mobile shopping has
truly emerged as a trend among savvy consumers, and what positions it for
long-term success is the fact that consumers can use their smartphones as an
enhancement to the shopping they already do in brick-and-mortar stores,"
said Jones. "Analysis of our survey data shows that shoppers are not just
sitting behind a computer doing their shopping from home; they are engaging
with and leveraging the technology of their smartphones to take advantage of
what their local retailers have to offer, which is certainly a promising
prospect for the Main Street economy."
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