Posted on 02/03/2011 9:01:38 PM PST by Swordmaker
As the end draws near for AT&Ts 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 Verizons iPhone.
uSamps 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 Verizons 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 Verizons 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 Verizons iPhone on February 10.
A majority of Verizons 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 Verizons 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 Verizons current Android and BlackBerry users, its 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 Verizons 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 Verizons 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 Verizons about a potential decline in Verizons 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 Verizons current BlackBerry and Android users.
In addition to top-line results, the data reveals some intriguing differences among AT&T customers and Verizons 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 Verizons 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 Verizons 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 Verizons 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).
uSamps 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.
We are switching from BBs to HTC EVO 4Gs and Sprint in a couple months. Better phone and much lower rates that with Verizon.
It is mindboggling that billions and billions of dollars are spent by cell phone makers who make ridiculously crappy and unusable and non-secure cell phones. Once the iPhone is available on Verizon, the other cell phone companies will whither away. Crap for the landfill. Pure Adam Smith...
I make pretty good money, but I think $30 per month for a data plan for everyone in the family is ridiculous. The funny thing is that with some phones they charge $10 for data plans. It’s like charging more for an all-you-can-eat buffet because you have a larger fork.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
These are just happy iPhone users dissatisfied with AT&T’s crappy network service.
“We are switching from BBs to HTC EVO 4Gs and Sprint in a couple months. Better phone and much lower rates that with Verizon.”
I have a Droid X with Verizon-are you sure? Son-in-law has Sprint; really poor coverage compared to Verizon. Wife and I travel a lot, so coverage is important. As for 4G, very little coverage area on ANY network...I’ll wait ‘til it grows some...
I got in on the pre- order. Sweet.
I have both AT&T and Verizon. I thought that AT&T was the worst until I got a (company supplied) Verizon and am now convinced that one is as crappy as the other. But lately Verizon has been somewhat worse. Just an observation as a user of both.
The ATT customers who stay will likely be rewarded with a more stable network as the excess bandwidth users go over to bog down Verizon’s network.
Got mine on pre-order; waiting for tracking # to update in FedEx to make sure when it’s to arrive.
I’ve read the ones who stay with AT&T will be rewarded with unlimited data rates on their current plans.
Coverage really depends on where you live and travel. There are some areas where Sprint coverage is not very good. but it is adequate where I live.
iPhone’s weren’t available to the entire state of Montana until a few months ago, because AT&T’s service was sporadic (limited to urban areas). That changed after AT&T bought Alltel’s network infrastructure.
Verizon’s coverage is virtually non-existent between Bismarck and Dickinson, ND.
Sprint is not available where I’m at. Sprint roams on Verizon’s network here.
hehe!
Yeah, the corollary to the above headline is that 100% of iPhone users will be upgrading to Sprint from AT&T.
Apple = walled garden
Android = open source
Android is already eclipsing Apple in smartphones
This is a repeat of the Windows/MAC wars where Apple became a niche player.
History repeats itself.
Good choice... I love mine.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.