Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,280
30,342



regent_street_iphone_4s_survey.jpg



UK insurance firm Protect Your Bubble today conducted a survey of the iPhone 4S line at Apple's Regent Street retail store in London, finding a record line of 778 people just as the store opened for sales.
Analysis of the data, comparing against previous Regent St exit polls on the iPhone 4, iPad and iPad 2 launches, shows that the crowd of 778 people for the iPhone 4S comfortably beats the previous record holder of 668 for the original iPhone 4; 662 for the iPad 2; and 451 for the original iPad.
The company has also put together an infographic highlighting a number of pieces of data collected in surveys of the crowd. Among the most interesting results:

- 53% of those in line were there because they missed the pre-order window, while an additional 7% thought the iPhone 4S was only available in-store. A substantial fraction of the crowd was also there primarily for the experience, with 18% saying that simply wanted "to be there" and 11% noting that they were there because they were "die hard Apple fans".

- Nearly half of the crowd was upgrading from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S, while 35% were lining up to purchase their first iPhone.

- The new 8-megapixel camera was cited most frequently (37%) as the "standout feature" of the iPhone 4S, with Siri (34%) registering in a strong second place. But 33% of the crowd viewed Siri as a gimmick rather than a truly useful feature.

Article Link: Survey of Regent Street iPhone 4S Line Reveals Record Crowd and Other Tidbits
 

bryanl

macrumors member
May 11, 2008
41
4
Before the concept of pre-order, I could totally understand the lines. Now I'm just baffled.
 

bassfingers

macrumors 6502
Nov 15, 2010
410
0
it's standing as a gimmick is strictly dependent on how useful it is. If it works, no longer a gimmick
 

TheStoof

macrumors member
Oct 7, 2011
73
0
There should be a "because [carrier] effed up my pre-order even though I reserved it in time" option.
 

wolfshades

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2007
485
625
Toronto, Ontario Canada
It would have been interesting to see the numbers of people who were upgrading from 3GS. Many of us decided not to get the iPhone 4 because of the 32 GB limit, and are upgrading now because of the 4S' 64 GB.
 

jowie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2004
571
8
London ish
Before the concept of pre-order, I could totally understand the lines. Now I'm just baffled.
O2 decided in their infinite wisdom there would be no pre-order.

I've never stood in these lines... What if you're upgrading on a network, can Apple set that up for you too, or do they only deal with new phones off contract?
 

LRichard

macrumors newbie
Oct 14, 2011
1
0
Late :(

Before the concept of pre-order, I could totally understand the lines. Now I'm just baffled.

too bad pre-orders for country's other than the USA are delayed 1-2 weeks... now i wish i stood in line so i could at least get it on time
 

TimDynamo

macrumors newbie
Oct 14, 2011
1
0

ChrisTX

macrumors 68030
Dec 30, 2009
2,690
54
Texas
too bad pre-orders for country's other than the USA are delayed 1-2 weeks... now i wish i stood in line so i could at least get it on time

The line was relatively small at the apple store here in the states you still might have a chance.
 

solinari6

macrumors regular
Aug 13, 2008
101
13
- Nearly half of the crowd was upgrading from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S, while 35% were lining up to purchase their first iPhone.
How is this even possible? Half the crowd is paying full price for iPhone 4S? $650??? Or are they somehow able to get upgrade pricing after only 1 year?
 

jowie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2004
571
8
London ish
How is this even possible? Half the crowd is paying full price for iPhone 4S? $650??? Or are they somehow able to get upgrade pricing after only 1 year?
The UK aren't limited to buying into a 24-month contract. 18- and 12-month have always also been available (for a price).

And of course there are some mentalers with more money than sense. :D :apple:
 

pohl

macrumors regular
Oct 18, 2005
176
53
Lincoln, Nebraska
How is this even possible? Half the crowd is paying full price for iPhone 4S? $650??? Or are they somehow able to get upgrade pricing after only 1 year?

Search ebay for "iPhone 4 32GB unlocked". See how much they're going for. That puts a lot of people with an iPhone 4 within spitting distance of being able to buy themselves into an upgrade without too much pain.
 

bassfingers

macrumors 6502
Nov 15, 2010
410
0
the 11% that can't admit why are ashamed to admit that they are part of the "die hard mac fans"
 

marksman

macrumors 603
Jun 4, 2007
5,764
5
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

bryanl said:
Before the concept of pre-order, I could totally understand the lines. Now I'm just baffled.

If they sell out you either wait weeks/months to get a phone or wait in line
 

azzarocks86

macrumors newbie
Oct 17, 2010
6
0
Please check statistics before re-publishing them

Thought the statistics for Mac owners, PC owners and "both" owners seemed a bit odd and after 5 seconds of thought and some kindergarten math I realized why...
39% I own a Mac
34% I own a PC
12% I own both

This leaves 15% of people lining up on launch day apparently not owning a computer? I know apple are pushing to make iOS devices a replacement for a desktop or laptop but I hardly think this change has happened in the year between the release of the iPhone 4 and the 4S, certainly not amongst the consumers who are willing to line up on launch day.
 

petergrunberg

macrumors newbie
Jan 6, 2003
1
0
the 15%

With OS 5, the iPhone no longer needs a computer with iTunes for backup, synchronization, or indeed any function at all. I'd suggest that's why the 15% of survey respondents who seem not to own a computer have bought the iPhone. It looks like Apple has enlarged its potential market once more.
 

ade2bee

macrumors regular
Dec 13, 2009
168
0
Has anybody told them that Siri (the most public) and only thing apart from the spec of this upgrade won't totally work ha ha...
 

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
Exactly. The mouse was a gimmick when it first appeared. Eventually, it became an indispensable part of working with technology. Siri will be the same.

Theres a slight difference here.

The mouse was brand new technology at the time, never before seen.

Concepts for Siri style devices were demoed by apple in 1987. There are thousands of voice controllable AI products out there...its not new....its just new to phones (even then not really since similar products have been on Android for a while).

Give it a year and Siri will be forgotten. Give it a month and you'll no longer be using it.
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Exactly. The mouse was a gimmick when it first appeared. Eventually, it became an indispensable part of working with technology. Siri will be the same.

Yep. Remember that it was Apple who took the mouse from gimmick to indispensable too, even though they didn't invent it.

Theres a slight difference here.

The mouse was brand new technology at the time, never before seen.

Concepts for Siri style devices were demoed by apple in 1987. There are thousands of voice controllable AI products out there...its not new....its just new to phones (even then not really since similar products have been on Android for a while).

Give it a year and Siri will be forgotten. Give it a month and you'll no longer be using it.

I'm not going to be that pessimistic. You could be right, but Siri is so much better than the Android and other voice solutions, and on a device with so many potential uses (especially if it becomes extensible so that other developers can add their own hooks to it), I suspect that we'll eventually wonder what we did with phone before voice control. Granted, there are many situations in which voice control is not beneficial, but for many situations, it will be very useful. Hands-free operation while driving a vehicle just got much safer, for instance.

jW
 

Laird Knox

macrumors 68000
Jun 18, 2010
1,956
1,343
Thought the statistics for Mac owners, PC owners and "both" owners seemed a bit odd and after 5 seconds of thought and some kindergarten math I realized why...
39% I own a Mac
34% I own a PC
12% I own both

This leaves 15% of people lining up on launch day apparently not owning a computer? I know apple are pushing to make iOS devices a replacement for a desktop or laptop but I hardly think this change has happened in the year between the release of the iPhone 4 and the 4S, certainly not amongst the consumers who are willing to line up on launch day.

There are other options besides a Mac or a PC. ;)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.