Smartphone Loyalty Runs Deep, Especially Among the Apple Fai
Source: Chloe Albanesius
If you've used one smartphone, you've used them all, right? Wrong, according to a new study, which finds that people would rather go through the hassle of changing banks than changing their smartphones.
Among those who own an iPhone and iPad, one in five would rather switch banks than smartphones, according to U.K.-based analyst firm Gfk. The company surveyed users in nine countries―Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Spain, U.K., and the U.S.―to examine barriers that prevent users from switching smartphone OSes.
Not surprisingly, as people become comfortable with their mobile OS and customize it with more and more apps, they are less likely to make the switch. The more services and apps you use, the more brand loyalty that develops, turning you into that Apple fanboy or Android devotee. The tipping point comes after someone uses seven or more services on their mobile devices, and those in the U.S. tended to have the most apps or services.
When asked why they stick with their current smartphone OS, 72 percent cited ease of use and the ability to quickly navigate their phone's menu. I can attest to that. As a tech reporter, you'd think I could easily navigate any of the phones on the market, but I've grown quite accustomed to my iPhone. When my sister handed me her HTC Thunderbolt a few weeks ago, I had quite the time trying to figure out a) how to respond to a text message and b) shut off the talking driving directions. In the process, I think I accidentally installed a gaming app (sorry!). No Android for me in the near future, I'm afraid. I haven't had too much trouble with my cheapo HP TouchPad, however; (RIP webOS).
Specifically, Gfk found that 33 percent of users didn't want to disrupt their current smartphone setup, 29 percent didn't want to learn another OS, and 28 percent didn't want to move their content from one smartphone to the next.
About 72 percent of smartphone owners, meanwhile, felt that it was important that they could access all their content on different devices, like tablets and PCs. That jumps to 80 percent among those who own a tablet, PC, and smartphone.
"The barriers to switching smartphones show the importance of the age-old mindset, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it,'" Gfk's Ryan Garner said in a statement. "Those who are satisfied with their current set-up will be difficult to tempt to a new platform and the more services they use, the greater a consumer's loyalty to a brand."
"The smartphone providers that create harmonious user experiences will be able to increase consumer loyalty, as consumers find it more trouble than it's worth to switch their digital life on their smartphone―as well as increasingly on tablets too," Garner continued.
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