Is the iPhone losing its Hype to Android?

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

ChangeWave Research

Back in early December, prior to the release yesterday of Google’s newest Android phone the Nexus One, ChangeWave research surveyed 4,068 consumers about their smartphones and their buying preferences. They found that 21% of those planning to buy a smart phone in the next 90 days say they’d prefer to have the Android OS on their new phone – a monstrous 15-pt jump in just three months, and creeping up on those wanting an iPhone at 28%.

However further on in the survey ChangeWave then asked consumers about which handset they would buy, and some of the Google hype seemed to vanish, when only a total of 22% said they would buy a Motorola or HTC phone, presumably either the G1, the Droid or the Nexus One. A full 32% indicated they would stick with Apple.

ChangeWave Research

The hype surrounding Google’s phones has been huge, which comes as no surprise considering it is Google we are dealing with here, one of the most successful companies in history. Clearly consumers have been buying into the concept of the latest being the greatest. However, there are a blasphemous few who are saying that the Google phones are not living up to all the hype. Even at the Nexus One launch yesterday there was disappointment around the continued measly 512mb app storage space and the fact that you still have to go through a carrier to get a phone, there are no ad supported phones. Some Android users are complaining that the much ballyhooed multi-tasking capabilities do not work all that well. So only time and reviews will tell the complete story.

ChangeWave itself concludes that “in short, the current survey shows Apple is still excellently positioned to outperform in the consumer smart phone market going forward.” Google is playing catch up, and hype will only go so far. They will have to craft a superior product and delivery system if they hope to translate the hype into solid market share.

This is an article by The Apps Machine.