A new survey from 451 Research/ChangeWave Research shows the iPhone 5 has sparked an unprecedented wave of buying with consumers queueing up the latest Apple smart phone at record rates.
“Despite the media attention surrounding both the Apple Maps issue and the Apple Lightning port issue, neither has had an impact on the massive numbers of buyers queuing up to buy the iPhone 5,” said Dr. Paul Carton, ChangeWave’s VP of Research, in a statement. “Rather, the survey results show both issues hardly rank as bumps in the road.”
To gauge overall demand for the latest Apple smart phone model ChangeWave asked consumers how likely they were to buy one in the future. The survey results show an unprecedented degree of consumer interest, with one-in-three consumers (32%) saying they’re Likely to buy the iPhone 5 in the future (19% Very Likely; 13% Somewhat Likely).
How likely is it that you will buy a new Apple “iPhone 5” for yourself or someone else (e.g., a family member) in the future?
For perspective, ChangeWave compared the current Apple iPhone 5 findings with the results of a similar demand question asked at the time of the iPhone 4S launch (October 2011):
Likelihood of Buying: iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S
Apple Maps. Apple’s new iOS 6 operating system – which comes pre-installed on the iPhone 5 and can be downloaded for earlier models – includes a new Apple Maps application that replaced the Google Maps app in previous iOS versions. However soon after iOS 6 was released and the iPhone 5 went on sale, media reports began circulating about user dissatisfaction with Apple Maps. Reported problems include inaccurate location searches, distorted satellite imagery, and missing points of interest in major cities.
To gauge the impact of the Apple Maps issue, CHangeWave asked iPhone 5 and other iOS 6 users if they had experienced a problem with Apple Maps.
Nine-in-ten users (90%) reported it was No Problem at All or they Haven’t Experienced Any Problem, while 3% characterized it as a Very Big Problem and 6% said it was Somewhat of a Problem.
Have you experienced a problem with “Apple Maps” on your iPhone?
To put this in context, back in the summer of 2010 ChangeWave surveyed new iPhone 4 owners on the Apple antenna/ reception issue – which at the time had received an unprecedented level of media focus. In that 2010 ChangeWave survey, 7% of new iPhone 4 owners had reported the antenna/ reception issue was a Very Big Problem and 14% Somewhat of a Problem. Another two-thirds (64%) reported they Hadn’t Experienced any Problem.
Here’s a head-to-head match-up between the earlier iPhone 4 Antenna/Reception issue and the current iPhone 5/iOS 6 Apple Maps issue:
In comparison to the iPhone 4 Antenna/Reception issue, the current Apple Maps issue is of marginal concern to iPhone 5/iOS 6 users. Simply put, Apple Maps is not considered a problem by the overwhelming majority of users.
Read more here.
