CROWD

SCIENCE

Crowd Science
Smartphone Usage and Brand Study

June 16, 2009

research@crowdscience.com
Objectives and methodology
To understand the behavior and attitudes of smartphone users, and to compare
and contrast iPhone users with those using other types of smartphones.
To measure brand image for Apple, Inc.
Respondents over the age of 14 years were recruited from May 19 to June 8,
2009, across the Crowd Science open research network.
Summary of results
iPhone users account for one-in-three who possess any type of smartphone, and
exhibit the highest satisfaction ratings, among those smartphone users measured:
➟ iPhone users show greater top-two-box satisfaction scores* (73%) over either Blackberry (52%) or other
smartphone users (41%).
➟ iPhone users are extremely brand loyal. Virtually all iPhone (97%) users would probably/definitely
recommend iPhone to someone else, and 82% would probably/definitely buy another iPhone.
Furthermore, almost six-in-ten iPhone users agree they would buy Apple products over other brands if
given the choice (top-2-box agreement*).
➟ A greater proportion of smartphone users would consider switching to iPhone than to Blackberry for their
next cell phone purchase. Among smartphone users who donʼt have an iPhone approximately four-in-ten
(38%) would probably/definitely buy an iPhone as their next phone. Meanwhile only 14% of smartphone
users who donʼt own a Blackberry would probably/definitely make their next purchase a Blackberry .

iPhone users are the most heavily ʻinvestedʼ in their phones, with greatest usage
scores across most top-used functions (Internet, e-mail, music, WiFi, GPS).
iPhone top-2-box satisfaction* out-performs that for other smartphones in:
➟ screen size (iPhone 73% vs. Other smartphones 45%)
➟ navigation within the phone (iPhone 75% vs. Other smartphones 40%)
➟ availability of add-ons (iPhone 79% vs. Other smartphones 35%)
➟ video playback (iPhone 77% vs. Other smartphones 31%)

* Using a 7-point scale

 Smartphones being used
• Of the total sample, four-in-ten use
100
some type of smartphone; one-third of
these use an iPhone. 61
49
• iPhone penetration is significantly 50

higher among males than females, and 15

7
those aged 25 to 44 years versus their 0
younger counterparts. Male Female
iPhone Cell phone

Type of mobile phone used

iPhone 13
100
Blackberry 9
57 54 51
50
26 26 28
Other Smartphone 18
0
Blackberry iPhone Regular Cell Phone
Regular Cell Phone 60
13 to 24 25 to 44

0 50 100

%
 What smartphones are used for
• Among those possessing a smartphone, most use it for both business
Business
and personal purposes (71%), with only 3% who use it for business only. 3%

•
Personal
Internet surfing, camera, and e-mail tops the list of smartphone functions 26%
used, followed by music, WiFi and GPS.
•
Business &
iPhone users tend to exhibit greater proportions using most of these Personal
primary functions, compared with other smartphone users. 71%

Most common uses of smartphone

Most common uses of smartphone
Internet 80 100
90
Camera 74 86
82
78 78
Email 73 74
66 67
mp3 player 50
WiFi 46 52
%

50 42
GPS 40
35
Bluetooth 37 29
USB connectivity 37 20 18
12
Picture Messaging 32
Games (pre-existing) 31 0
Video recording 11 Email Internet Usage mp3 Player WiFi GPS

0 50 100 Blackberry iPhone Other Smartphone

%
 Satisfaction with smartphone
• iPhone users exhibit higher overall satisfaction levels with their phone than do Blackberry and other
smartphone users. Top 2 Box satisfaction scores were significantly higher among iPhone users
(73%) versus either Blackberry (52%) or other smartphone users (41%).
• A significantly larger proportion of iPhone users are satisfied with the following features, when
compared with all other smartphone users (including Blackberry): Size of screen, navigation within
phone, availability of interesting add-on features, and video playback quality.

Satisfaction with features: Top 2 Box*

Overall Satisfaction* Total smartphone users 53
Size of
Screen iPhone 73
Other Smartphone 45
Total smartphone users 3 44 54

Blackberry 2 46 52 Navigation Total smartphone users 51

within iPhone 75
Phone Other Smartphone 40
iPhone 3 24 73

Other Smartphone 3 56 41 Avail. of Total smartphone users 51

add-on iPhone 79
0 50 %100 features Other Smartphone 35
Bottom 2 Box Middle 3 Top 2 Box
Video Total smartphone users 47
playback iPhone 77
quality
Other Smartphone 31

0 50 100
%

* 7-point scale: 1= Very Dissatisfied, 7=Very Satisfied

Likelihood to buy/recommend smartphone
• iPhone users exhibit a strong loyalty to the brand. An overwhelming majority of iPhone users (82%)
would purchase an iPhone again.
• Among non-iPhone users, almost four-in-ten (38%) would switch to iPhone for their next purchase.
On the other hand, only 14% of non-Blackberry users would switch to Blackberry for their next
mobile phone purchase.

Likelihood to buy iPhone* Likelihood to buy Blackberry**

100 100
% %
82

50 50
38 39

14

0 0

iPhone users Other smartphone users (excl. iPhone) BB users*** Other smartphone users (excl. BB)

* Probably/definitely would make iPhone next cell phone purchase ** Probably/definitely would make Blackberry next cell phone purchase
*** Caution: low base size