iPhone Users Demonstrate Strong Loyalty with Planned Retention Rate of 89%

[*LTD*]

Why should he be any less entitled than you are?

Not that it matters - your memory of anything earlier than 2007 is non-existent. So I'm sure by 2015 you won't remember him or his post either

The entire game changed in 2007. And it was quite sudden. Then again in 2010.

Why is anything earlier than 2007 relevant at this time? What is going on NOW *is* relevant, and what is going to happen over the next 2-5 years. Forget pre-2007. The old rules that RIM, Nokia, HP and the others played by are DEAD. Gone. And the old guard is falling apart.

 

[AppleScruff1]

The entire game changed in 2007. And it was quite sudden. Then again in 2010.

Why is anything earlier than 2007 relevant at this time? What is going on NOW *is* relevant, and what is going to happen over the next 2-5 years. Forget pre-2007. The old rules that RIM, Nokia, HP and the others played by are DEAD. Gone. And the old guard is falling apart.

This is very similar to Windows XP changing the game back in 2001 and Windows 7 doing it again in 2009. It took XP 5 years to reach 400 million units and Windows 7 did it in less than two. Windows 7 has sold over 450 million copies in less than two years. Absolutely mind boggling.

 

[MacGeek1993]

Owned the iPhone 1 up to the 3GS. Switched to Android and Verizon this year and I really like it. Widgets are what I really like. I've seen some rumored iPhone 5 specs and it looks promising. I might just have to get it.

 

[Tiggs]

All signs pointing to increased iPhone market share going forward. Apple continues to be the only vendor focused on the entire experience so no surprise seeing these types of reports.

 

[paul4339]

This is very similar to Windows XP changing the game back in 2001 and Windows 7 doing it again in 2009. It took XP 5 years to reach 400 million units and Windows 7 did it in less than two. Windows 7 has sold over 450 million copies in less than two years. Absolutely mind boggling.

If you are referring to game-changers, it was Windows 95 that was the disruptor, with Windows 3.1 setting the stage. And as mentioned above the iPhone and probably the iPad are also disruptors. I would not consider Windows XP or 7 game-changers.

.

 

[MacinDoc]

Leave up to a Om Malik to point out the relevant info in these numbers. Apple's numbers are on the decline.

http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/ubsphonesurvey2.jpg?w=604&h=239

Irrelevant. Slightly more people were planning to switch from iOS compared with 18 months ago, but a larger number were planning to switch TO iOS.

 

[MacinDoc]

I have apps on my Android phone that I know there is no iOS equivalent of them and as such that would drive me nuts. iOS has some games but for the most part it is those specialty apps that seem to more lock people in.

As for myself, 95% of my apps are not games, and a number of them have no Android equivalent. I see no evidence that a larger percentage of Android apps are useful compared with iOS apps. In fact, almost all of my close colleagues have switched to the iPhone because of the apps, and most have iPads as well, now. Come to think of it, of all of the physicians in the two offices and the call group I work with, the only one who does not have an iPhone still uses a paper calendar and a basic phone.

Edit: what happened to the autojoin feature?

 

[PlipPlop]

That's a lie though...At least you said HTC to try and make it believable.

Sorry yes it was 11 people who replaced their iphones for new HTC Devices, mostly the Desire and someone got the Wildfire.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

As for myself, 95% of my apps are not games, and a number of them have no Android equivalent. I see no evidence that a larger percentage of Android apps are useful compared with iOS apps. In fact, almost all of my close colleagues have switched to the iPhone because of the apps, and most have iPads as well, now. Come to think of it, of all of the physicians in the two offices and the call group I work with, the only one who does not have an iPhone still uses a paper calendar and a basic phone.

Edit: what happened to the autojoin feature?

So because you see no evidences then that means they are not out there. You sited one field and in that area the iPhone got a huge head start and in a world were Apple lock in app system is going to hurt development long term because you all tend to want more refined Apps.
Also just because you have not seen them does not mean they are not coming. It just takes time for those apps to filter cross platform. I willing to bet neither you nor colleagues are even looking. People do not like change and you have no motivation to change. I am willing to bet they are coming in the future as it just takes time for things to move cross plateform.

Go into the IT world and you will find some were Android is just well better. Mostly because lets just say the lack of Apple app store lock in plus longer cycle to get Apps uploaded is a huge issue as they can not adapt to the changing needs as quickly if they could do the job at all. Often times they are more custume written stuff because we can upload our own things to it. In this area both Windows Phone and Android are better and will work. Due to in both you can load non market apps to your phone for free. Windows Phone it takes connecting to your computer and changing some setting with Visual studio or the Windows Phone SDK but the tools are provided by MS and they allow it and since we are in the IT world here that is a non issue for this group. We also do not have to worry about an update from Google/MS ever breaking the side loading compared to Jail breaking.

 

[SandynJosh]

I never said it wasn't a good phone. I said this is an aspect of Android that you don't have with iOS. With iOS, I'm stuck with Apple. With Android, I can move freely from manufacturers.

...and that's a good thing????

That's like bragging you can have your way with ugly women instead of going steady with an oversexed cheerleader.

 

[marksman]

This is why there is not really an Android vs IOS battle. Android manufacturers are busy fighting over their commodity market share of the android base.

This actually impacts their ability to grow the Android base together because they are so busy working against each other trying to capture a percentage of the android user base.

----------

This. The stats are misleading because brands matter much less than the OS does. I wonder what the retention rate is for Android as a whole, not just Motorola/Samsung/HTC. I'm sure Apple wins that battle as well, but I bet its much closer.

Yeah, the survey is somewhat misleading and apples to oranges. Apple and iOS are the only combination possible, but you can go from any Android manufacturer to another Android manufacturer. And just because they are not retaining their customers, it doesn't mean they are going to Apple. They could just switch between the different manufacturers equally and never lose in total numbers among the Android phones.

They should have included a survey that showed retaining the same OS or switching, and Android would probably be pretty close to iOS for those numbers.

The story specifically mentions the overall android retention rate is 55%.

If you think the android handset manufacturers feel competing for this commodity market is an advantage, it would be news to them.

 

[marksman]

Not entirely true... going from one iOS version to another has broken many an app.
iPhone backups fail, upgrades fail. Half the time you end up doing a clean install after a new release because of version conflicts and viola, all your crap is gone and is some cases no longer compatible.
I can tell you for a fact that right now iOS 4 backups are not 100% compatible with iOS 5.
If your upgrade to iOS 5 gets hosed and you have to do a fresh install, your iOS 4 based backup will have issues.

You do know you are talking to people who have had multiple generations of iphones and know what you are saying is not true right?

IOS 5 is not even released yet. Seriously what are you talking about.

The ability for me to be able to buy a new iphone, come home and sync it up and have it be my phone 100% but just upgraded, is amazing and it has always worked from every generation.

I know you are trying to pretend it is the same with Android but we know it is not that easy, nor that seamless. To try and lie to people here who know the truth about the iPhone and claim this is not how it works and works well, well it is just silly on your part.

 

[gorgeousninja]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

That's a lie though...At least you said HTC to try and make it believable.

Sorry yes it was 11 people who replaced their iphones for new HTC Devices, mostly the Desire and someone got the Wildfire.

Yuck! Do tbey all carry matching handbags too?

 

[mrklaw]

Ultimately this is an apps game right? Regardless of how the general device is laid out with browser, email, notifications etc, most smartphone platforms are fairly interchangable. I expect a lot of that loyalty is down to inertia and investment in apps keeping people on the iphone (plus a lot is liking what they have)

If google really wants to eat into that, is there some way they could offer free 'sidegrades' of apps people have on iOS, giving them the Android equivalent for free? That'd make switching easier and could be a big marketing thing. Especially now that Android has a good coverage of the major apps.

 

[japasneezemonk]

I, unfortunately, think Android is here to stay. At best, MSFT can marginalize them... which, however, would also mean that we end up with a MSFT dominated market.

I think it's still to early to know for sure who wins. I'm trying to remember the exact numbers, but apparently MSFT makes about $15 per android device sold b/c of patent licensing agreements. Meanwhile Google is said to make about $6 per android device through ad impressions, etc... so even if Android where to become the behemoth that overshadows every other OS, MSFT would still be making more money than Google.

Leave up to a Om Malik to point out the relevant info in these numbers. Apple's numbers are on the decline.

http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/ubsphonesurvey2.jpg?w=604&h=239

Total iPhones Sold Worldwide
March 2011: 108 million
January 2011: 90 million
April 2010: 50 million
January 2010: 42.4 million
January 2009: 17.3 million
January 2008: 3.7 million

Even with the implied loss of 6% in retention, wouldn't Apple still be on its way to selling close to 200 million iPhones by the end of the year? Considering the larger market share gained I would expect a decline in retention rates.

I can tell you for a fact that right now iOS 4 backups are not 100% compatible with iOS 5.

Wouldn't this be expected since ios5 is still in beta?

 

[SactoGuy18]

I think a LOT is riding on what Apple announces with the new iPhone model.

If the new iPhone is essentially an iPhone 4 with a metal-back case and A5 GPU/CPU, then Apple could face very serious competition from the Samsung Galaxy S II (now available on the US market) and the upcoming Verizon cellphone that will be the first to use Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich"). And that could slow down the acceptance rate for the iPhone until a really advanced model with features like slightly larger display and support for LTE and NFC comes out next year.

As such, that could really test the loyalty of iPhone users, to say the least.

 

[samcraig]

The entire game changed in 2007. And it was quite sudden. Then again in 2010.

Why is anything earlier than 2007 relevant at this time? What is going on NOW *is* relevant, and what is going to happen over the next 2-5 years. Forget pre-2007. The old rules that RIM, Nokia, HP and the others played by are DEAD. Gone. And the old guard is falling apart.

First off - my comment and question was rhetorical - as your responses are completely predictable and one-note.

But I'll indulge your ridiculous statements. Why is anything earlier than 2007 relevant at this time? Pathetic. Just write off everything before 2007? Ok. You do that. Have fun living in your bubble.

Newsflash - there have always been game changers and there will always be game changers. You are just cherry picking your moments which is especially easy when you completely ignore history.

It's really a shame you're of the attitude that everyone that worked tirelessly throughout history to even make the iPhone possible (and I am NOT talking about Apple) isn't relevant.

Even worse is your revisionist versions of what you think are history. Truly frightening.

 

[RWinOR]

I have an HTC EVO (pronounced Evil). I have had 3 of them now due to warranty repairs. I have never been able to back up data from one to another. It will to sync with my Apple based eco system at home. If I had a windows box then I could sync all day long.

However after I received my second phone I figured out how to seamlessly move my configuration and apps from phone to phone. I do not buy apps, I do not use the e-mail, I do not use any of the features of the smart phone. It is such a pain in the A$$ to redo it every time it has a problem.

I for one cannot wait until the I-phone is on Sprint then I will jump to it with open arms, even though I will not have any upgrade credits for another year It will be totally worth the cost to get off the half baked android/HTC platform to the iOS ecosystem.

For me the EVO has been the worst phone I have ever owned. Not totally sure if the issues are more HTC hardware or Android Software. but as the consumer I see the user experience as both. I do not want to try a new Android phone, or other hardware. Why would I want to invest more money into a system which has given me nothing but problems.

I totally believe the Survey. It 100% backs up my personal experience, and the issues of my closest friends.

 

[D.T.]

In fact, almost all of my close colleagues have switched to the iPhone because of the apps, and most have iPads as well, now. Come to think of it, of all of the physicians in the two offices and the call group I work with, the only one who does not have an iPhone still uses a paper calendar and a basic phone.

Nice. We're working on an app to extend a solution (currently web based) into the mobile space, specifically iOS/iPad. Traumatic injury response and post-care analytics, contributes upstream to a central repository, collaboration tools, etc., pretty neat stuff.

Mostly because lets just say the lack of Apple app store lock in plus longer cycle to get Apps uploaded is a huge issue as they can not adapt to the changing needs as quickly if they could do the job at all.

You don't use the App Store for enterprise app distribution, you provision them using Apple's enterprise tools (sign, push out the resource ... also maintain profiles, etc.). You can develop and deploy as quickly as the code is available, and "internal" apps don't require any validation from Apple (only the initial registration for your Cert).

 

[jackwm2]

See Apple, this is what happens when you don't adopt Flash. Wait, the numbers are good? Really good? Carry on then.



I don't see that as particularly harmful. Android handsets are constantly changing features, sizes, models getting dropped or rev'ed, etc. The only android handset I can think of that has seen 3 iterations while staying mostly the same phone has been the original motorola droid. Often times a "killer" feature will arise that will cause someone to move to another android handset. That doesn't mean they don't value the ecosystem. Handset manufacturers are still trying to find out what consumers want, just as consumer wants/needs are evolving and they are discovering what they want.

Obviously, looking at the numbers, people like what Apple has to offer. People know what they want and Apple has already figured out how to meet that desire.

 

[divinox]

Ouch look at that ratio for Nokia. Microsoft won't be happy about that.

the average customer probably doesnt know Nokias future plan, so i wouldnt put to much weight in to this. As i read it, its more a matter of people opting out of Symbian than Nokia. I havent used a Nokia device for years, but i feel confident stating that they're probably just as great today (build wise) that they were back then... their main problem have been sticking too long with a legacy platform that was seriously lacking compared to the options around...

For example, given the option of buying an iOS Nokia and an iOS Apple i - and many others - would probably choose Nokia in a heartbeat. Simply put, their background in mobiling is just as big of an advantage when it comes to building phones, as Apples background in software was in that respect.

 

[divinox]

...and that's a good thing????

That's like bragging you can have your way with ugly women instead of going steady with an oversexed cheerleader.

Being less locked-in is per definition beneficial. So yes, thats a good thing. It may not be good enough to outweigh everything else, but in itself - absolutely!

----------

Ultimately this is an apps game right? Regardless of how the general device is laid out with browser, email, notifications etc, most smartphone platforms are fairly interchangable. I expect a lot of that loyalty is down to inertia and investment in apps keeping people on the iphone (plus a lot is liking what they have)

If google really wants to eat into that, is there some way they could offer free 'sidegrades' of apps people have on iOS, giving them the Android equivalent for free? That'd make switching easier and could be a big marketing thing. Especially now that Android has a good coverage of the major apps.

Easiest way, business-wise, would probably be to pay developers up-front, and then retain the investment per app purchases (i.e. virtually guaranteeing x sales of the app, and paying up-front).

(obviously then (i would say), the next step in this game - the whole platform game that is - lies in strategic alliances, and exclusive - hard to replicate - deals. Sustainable competitive advantage can never - ever - be built on things that are easy to replicate. Business 101)

 

[KingCrimson]

Why should MSFT/Nokia even bother...

 

[divinox]

Why should MSFT/Nokia even bother...

Because the phone, and tablet will play a major part in maintaining their dominance as (one of) the worlds largest software provider(s). What else?

W8 pc, "W8" Xbox/MC, W8 tablet, W8 phone... i'd buy that. (not the xbox, but i was talking more about buying the idea than the products anyway).

MSFT has what, 1 billion users? +90% of the business segment? More? How many developers? Way more than anyone else? Now again, why shouldNT they?

----------

I think it's still to early to know for sure who wins. I'm trying to remember the exact numbers, but apparently MSFT makes about $15 per android device sold b/c of patent licensing agreements. Meanwhile Google is said to make about $6 per android device through ad impressions, etc... so even if Android where to become the behemoth that overshadows every other OS, MSFT would still be making more money than Google.

Damn straight its still to early to know for sure who will win. And even when we do know who won, change might be just around the corner. :- )

Second, i think the 15 usd is related to HTC, but yeah.. they get nice cash out of their license agreements (Apple could too, but for some reason they rather (try to) block competition...)

Now, as in every thread where people discuss Googles value capturing from Android devices i feel obliged to say the following... data, data, data... The only reason why Google bothers to license their services to their own platform is that they can. In reality though, theyre after data just like everywhere else. In fact, id be surprised if there was one single Google service out there that did not share this fundamental property.

Of course, part of Googles Android effort is related to steering people towards their other services as well -- but then again, those too are all about data, so yeah.

O'Reilly really said it best (like so many times before):

Data is the next Intel Inside...

 

[KingCrimson]

Because the phone, and tablet will play a major part in maintaining their dominance as (one of) the worlds largest software provider(s). What else?

W8 pc, "W8" Xbox/MC, W8 tablet, W8 phone... i'd buy that. (not the xbox, but i was talking more about buying the idea than the products anyway).

MSFT has what, 1 billion users? +90% of the business segment? More? How many developers? Way more than anyone else? Now again, why shouldNT they?

Because Apple already is providing a high quality solution there? Why should MSFT enter a market that is already being so well addressed? That's certainly not the Apple-way.