Posted on 02/03/2011 9:01:38 PM PST by Swordmaker
As the end draws near for AT&T’s exclusive hold on the coveted iPhone from Apple, uSamp today released a nationwide survey of AT&T and Verizon customers to gauge their plans for the February 10 launch of Verizon’s iPhone.
uSamp’s iPhone survey was conducted online among 727 U.S. residents between Jan. 28 and Jan. 31, 2011 using the uSamp/DMS River Sample methodology and resulting in a 3.6 percent margin of error.
Drawing from its highly profiled online panel from Jan. 28 to Jan. 31 to query AT&T customers -- as well as current Verizon users of Android and BlackBerry phones -- uSamp surveyed more than 700 smartphone users, finding that 29% of AT&T customers who intend to switch to Verizon for the iPhone are willing to wait in line on Feb. 10 to get it. Among existing Verizon customers who plan to get the iPhone, 24 percent report a willingness to stand in line, too.
For young consumers, devotion to the iPhone is even more intense: among AT&T customers intending to upgrade, 35 percent of those ages 18-24 and 50 percent of those ages 25-34 are willing to wait in line on the Feb. 10 launch day. For Verizon’s current BlackBerry and Android users who report plans to upgrade to the iPhone, 46 percent of those ages 18-24 and 34 percent of those ages 25-34 agree to wait in line on day one.
The uSamp survey affirms initial reports of widespread defections from AT&T. According to the survey, more than a quarter of current AT&T customers (26 percent) intend to upgrade to Verizon’s iPhone on the day it becomes available. 26% percent of AT&T customers say they are “very likely” (8 percent) or “somewhat likely” (18 percent) to upgrade to Verizon’s iPhone on February 10.
A majority of Verizon’s current Android and BlackBerry users already have iPhone fever, reporting that they intend to head to Apple as soon as the iPhone hits the shelves: 54 percent are very likely (25 percent) or somewhat likely (29 percent) to upgrade to iPhone on February 10. Research in Motion, take note: fully two-thirds of Verizon’s BlackBerry users (66 percent) report they are very or somewhat likely to trade up to the iPhone that day, as are nearly half of its Android users (44 percent).
MacDailyNews Note: These are "Day One" numbers, in the middle of winter, no less!
As AT&T loses its monopoly on the iPhone, its customers who plan to switch to Verizon have one clear-cut reason: Dropped calls (48 percent). Other factors cited: carrier coverage (25 percent), product features (22 percent) and other reasons (30 percent).
For upgraders among Verizon’s current Android and BlackBerry users, it’s all about the cool features: the interface (60 percent), web browser (58 percent), media (51 percent), memory (43 percent), and camera (41 percent).
The top two reasons Verizon’s current smartphone users do not plan to give up their Androids or BlackBerrys in favor of the iPhone: conversion costs (46 percent) and the keyboard (34 percent). Other reasons not to upgrade included functions such as e-mail and messaging (23 percent), maps and GPS (23 percent), customization and widgets (20 percent), web browser (19 percent) and, for BlackBerry users, BlackBerry messenger (28 percent).
When asked if learning details about Verizon’s actual iPhone offering had led to second thoughts about switching, respondents cited the cost of conversion as the biggest concern (45 percent for AT&T customers, 41 percent for Verizon). AT&T customers had bigger fears than Verizon’s about a potential decline in Verizon’s service (25 percent for AT&T customers, 15 percent for Verizon). Both groups showed relatively equal concern about network speed (22 percent for AT&T customers, 26 percent for Verizon) as well as the risk of being first (19 percent for AT&T customers, 18 percent for Verizon). Despite these and other unknowns, 15 percent of AT&T customers reported having no second thoughts about switching, along with 25 percent of Verizon’s current BlackBerry and Android users.
In addition to top-line results, the data reveals some intriguing differences among AT&T customers and Verizon’s current BlackBerry and Android users, including along demographic lines such as age, gender and region.
The findings include:
• Men are more likely than women to upgrade to Verizon’s iPhone (32 percent of males at AT&T are somewhat or very likely, vs. 20 percent of females; 58 percent of males at Verizon, vs. 51 percent of females).
• Younger customers are not only more willing to wait in line for Verizon’s iPhone on Feb. 10 but, in general, they are more likely to upgrade: 36 percent of AT&T customers ages 18-24 and 41 percent ages 25-34 are very or somewhat likely to upgrade (vs. 26 percent for all AT&T customers); for Verizon’s current BlackBerry and Android users, 71 percent of those ages 18-24 are somewhat or very likely to upgrade on Feb. 10, as are 60 percent of those ages 25-34 (vs. 54 percent of all Verizon BlackBerry and Android users).
• Midwestern Verizon users of BlackBerry and Android are least willing to wait in line for the iPhone on Feb. 10 (13 percent, vs. 31 percent in the South, 26 percent in the Northeast, and 22 percent in the West). Regional differences among current AT&T users are minor (31 percent for both the Northeast and the South, 29 percent for the Midwest, and 25 percent for the West).
uSamp’s iPhone survey was conducted online among 727 U.S. residents between Jan. 28 and Jan. 31, 2011 using the uSamp/DMS River Sample methodology and resulting in a 3.6 percent margin of error.
Source: uSamp
MacDailyNews Take: The Verizon iPhone is going to quickly and brutally render the current smartphone landscape unrecognizable.
I’ve used all 3 phones in a business environment.
1. Android is the best (interface, pics, call clarity, OS, etc.).
2. iPhone is a close 2nd (need Apple Store to change the battery).
3. Blackberry is 3rd (clumsy interface and fewer aps).
Humm, I thought that Verizon bought Alltel. Was that done so the purchase could get regulatory approval?
I wouldn’t go with Verizon if they paid me given their history of crippling phones and poor service in my area. (Been with US Cellular for 16 years)
I wouldn’t go to an iphone but may consider giving up on Blackberry for Android but I don’t need a bunch of apps that are cool for a week.
I know very little about the iPhone, but I sure like my Droid-X, which replaced a Blackberry I hated.
Yep, and from my own and some friend’s experience, ATT tends to be better in more urban areas, whereas Verizon is much better in rural areas.
Went to a family reunion up in Radon, IL a short time ago, and I had zero signal (ATT). My relatives (most of whom I’d never met) with Verizon had a decent signal :p
As to the iPhone, yea, its great, but it is rather over-hyped and Apple is, I think, way too overprotective. I’d suggest going with an Android phone. Better, more personalizable, plus, the Android version of Angry Birds is free!
I have both an I-Phone 4 and a Droid X. It took me one day to figure that the Droid was far superior. I made two calls on the I-Phone and during the call, I asked if I could call back. I did...on the Droid, and both my callers remarked how much better the call was...without knowing I switched phones.
Agreed, Verizon is costly. I’m with T- mobile, far from perfect, but the difference in service will not kill me or hurt me long term. In the mean time, money saved is money earned. Oh ya, Qwest had sprint as their provider, when we were on the west coast, never had a problem.
No. Alltel went bankrupt and AT&T saw the opportunity to purchase Alltel because Alltel was in most area’s AT&T wasn’t. Alltel customers in return would get the chance to own AT&T phones, plans and an upgraded network.
That’s what I’m hoping for.
Not exactly... In any market where the iPhone is equally available, it outsells Android. AT&T offered both iPhones and Androids and iPhones outsold Androids eight to one. The same ratio holds in other carriers around the world that sell both.
Not exactly... In any market where the iPhone is equally available, it outsells Android. AT&T offered both iPhones and Androids and iPhones outsold Androids eight to one. The same ratio holds in other carriers around the world that sell both.
I’m with you on thinking $30/mo for each line on a family plan is outrageous. Those who can’t pay for their own cell don’t need one with internet access.
Kids get into school and spend the day txt’ing each other, twittering, posting to Facebook, etc. I see my nephews’ kids posting at FB all school day long. I wouldn’t tolerate it! In the meanwhile, the kids’ grammar is atrocious. Don’t know the difference between your and youre but they sure know how to message.
I joke with the Alltel (soon to be AT&T) people about being able to drill for oil based on their coverage map. No coverage= an oil well...or at least a drilling location.
I’m looking forward to the new Jitterbug.
The dirty secret is neither one will have 4G capability for awhile longer. When Verizon says it will have 4G, they will be talking about a minuscule amount in limited areas. I say good riddance so my network will get faster when the IPhone snobs leave.
Read again... While the article does speak of some people moving from AT&T, the meat has to do with Verizon Android and Blackberry customers, 54%, who are planning to jump ship to the iPhone on the first day!
I'm curious. FR's interface is extremely straight forward. In what way does it work better on Android than it does on the iPod touch, or iPhone? Both use the same underlying engine, webkit. What makes the difference?
That sounds like good news.
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