Blackberry Battles iPhone Loyalty 'Stampede'

Four out of 10 Blackberry and other smartphone users say they would switch to Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone as their next smartphone purchase, while only 14% of non-Blackberry smartphone users would switch to a Blackberry (RIMM), according to a study from Crowd Science.

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These findings (pdf) reveal a tremendous brand-loyalty to the iPhone, even among its non-users and especially among its users, Crowd Science said. Nearly all (97%) iPhone users would recommend the iPhone to someone else, and a large majority of iPhone users (82%) would purchase it again.

The survey also looked at smartphone function usage and found that nearly three-fourths of smartphone owners (71%) use their device for both business and personal reasons, with only 3% using it for business alone.

In terms of smartphone functions used, internet surfing, picture-taking, and e-mail top the list. These are followed by music, WiFi and GPS.

Of the total sample, four in 10 respondents use some type of smartphone, and iPhone users account for one in three of these smartphone users. iPhone users also and exhibit the highest satisfaction ratings among smartphone users measured.

Specific iPhone findings:

• iPhone penetration is significantly higher among males than females, and those ages 25-44 vs. younger counterparts.
• iPhone users outpace other smartphone owners in their use of a wide variety of phone functions – ranging from internet and email to music, WiFi and GPS.
• iPhone users exhibit higher overall satisfaction levels with their phone.Top-2 Box satisfaction scores (on a 1-7 scale) are significantly higher among iPhone users (73%) vs. Blackberry (52%) or other smartphone users (41%).
• iPhone top-2-box satisfaction also outperforms that for other smartphones in screen size, navigation within the phone, availability of add-ons, and video playback:

• iPhone users are the most heavily invested in their phones, with greatest usage scores across most top-used functions (internet, e-mail, music, WiFi, GPS).
• Nearly six-in-ten iPhone users agree they would buy Apple products over other brands if given the choice (top-2-box agreement on 1-7 scale).

“These results reflect the great challenges Blackberry faces in stemming the iPhone stampede,” said John Martin, CEO of Crowd Science. “They are also a great example of the kind of insight that can be gleaned when rigorous sampling and research techniques are applied to online populations.”

Martin added that Crowd Science plans to conduct similar studies to gauge the mindset of consumers as new devices – including the Palm (PALM) Pre and iPhone 3G S begin to get traction.

About the survey: This study was conducted across the Crowd Science open research network, a group of websites from a wide range of topic areas serving over 20 million unique visitors profiled by Crowd Science’s audience measurement technology. Through random probability sampling, respondents aged 14 years and older were invited to participate. Those accepting the invitation comprised the final sample of study participants. Data collection was conducted from May 19 to June 8, 2009.

Comments

[fcca:]

it is flawed because blackberry is selling more then double the smart phones then iphone and most articles seem to omit this and always seem to have a negative sentement towards the blackberry. Yet their are more blackberry phones being sold every quater then iphones.

Jun 24 04:38 PM

[another.ana...:]

"Yet their are more blackberry phones being sold every quater then iphones."

First it is "there" not "their." Perhaps you could use an app for that?

Second, sure there are more Blackberry ISSUED than iPhones at this time. If AAPL gave them away, like the buy one, get one free blackberry campaign what do you think the figures would show then?
Third, even w/o giveaway programs, 4 out of 10 Blackberry uses would buy an iPhone. What does that tell you about the future? Possibly in your case, nothing. But I think others may get the message.

Ayuh

Jun 24 05:28 PM

[JamesApple:]

It's Buy1 blackberry Get1 blackberry Plus 1 Samsung Free for $45 a month. The BOGOberry is now a $45ComboSamsungBerry. Guys would dish out the $45 for the Combo, throw away the 2 BOGOberries and keep the Samsung.

The way ComboBerry deals are stalling, Rim should offer Buy1 iPhone Get 1000 Feee BOGOberries, and don't forget to throw in the Samsung for Free also. Just don't look for these deals from Verizon, Verizon probably has hundreds of thousands of BOGOberries it can't give away.

Jun 24 08:02 PM

[DrewG5:]

Woo Hoo crackberry fans.. Always need some FUD, due to the fact that truth hurts.

Jun 24 08:39 PM

[Frank Castle:]

I see the turtle-neck brigade is out in force.

You just HATE that Verizon had the BOGO .. RIM still sold the devices to VZW just like Apple does with at&t .. carriers are free to do with the device back to their consumers so if VZW felt it would attract / retain and grow data plan adoption (which is what carriers want) why is that some sign of weakness? I'm sure Verizon sold a boat load of Curves the past couple months (thus it being #1 device for like 3 months).

RIM gets to unload older devices as they ramp up new ones so everyone makes out as consumers WANT the devices - I'm not seeing reports of people being held a gun point to buy a Blackberry.

Now I would like to see the full report, its wasn't a long data collection period. Of those with a Blackberry was it personal or company provided? Did happiness with the device differ based on model they used? e.g. a Blackberry user with a 4 year old Blackberry clearly would love a new device.

Now that the 3G is $99 according to all these great survey's and the top notch insight on here - Apple should see double digit growth over the next quarter. My thought is it will see a bump but as this survey itself shows - people that buy iPhone ALREADY have an iPhone. The biggest things holding back the masses:

- Carrier selection
- Data plan pricing

iPhone could be FREE on a 2 year contract and it would still hit a wall of adoption just like Blackberry as there are only so many consumers who have the income and need for a smartphone. Sure the market is growing but its bigger then any one company to command.

And that is my main gripe about iPhone fanatics (which by the way I've HAD a damn iPhone since the initial launch) - they cannot accept that personal preference matters - not everyone wants an iPhone, needs 50,000 apps etc.

Jun 24 11:01 PM

[JamesApple:]

BOGOberries are cheap, old, tired, outdated junk. You can find these cheap junk anywhere. Verizon had stopped the BOGO deal. Why? Because BOGOberries need to throw in a Samsung plus a cheap price of $45. which is 3 cheap phones at less than half of a $99. iPhone which is 10 times the phone than these 3 cheap phones. Comes a point when the BOGOberries are simply unwanted junk people see flooding the whole planet but for what purpose? junk is junk however many there are.

Jun 24 11:19 PM

[droopydro:]

Chart em and weep

Jun 25 04:28 AM

[Frank Castle:]

And yet you visit the same sites .. I don't know what I said that was hating on Apple? I'm a shill because I look at the market beyond one company? Right ..

Keep on hating.

Jun 25 11:01 AM

[jmmx:]

This article indicates that 90% of iPhone users use the internet (from the phone) vs 78% of Blackberry users. This does not seem to be much of a difference.

The following article, however, shows a different story - According to AdMob, iPhone accounts for 69% of all smartphone web traffic vs 13% for RIMM (although this most likely includes the iPod Touch). So, if fcca is correct that "...blackberry is selling more then double the smart phones then iphone ..." then there is something else going on here.

Assuming that the AdMob data is ***somewhat representative*** of real internet usage, then it is clear that iPhoners must be using the internet a lot more frequently than berryites. this leads us to observe that most Blackberry phones are NOT smartphones in the same sense as the iPhone. They are not in the same class. Therefore, the allegation that there are so many more BB smartphones sold is not really relevant.

Still - the truly significant data points here are the overall iPhone satisfaction, AND that so many would be pre disposed to purchase other Apple products (brand loyalty).

"iPhone share of U.S. smartphone traffic hits 69%"
>> apple20.blogs.fortune....

Whatever your favorite phone is - I hope you enjoy it.

Jun 25 11:47 AM

[EJL:]

Guys, this is from the same study that has to be questioned given the lack of background on collection of the data AND the study was done coincidentally with the run up to the new iPhone announcement.

FrannkCastle - let's just stop responding to jamesapple, it's clear he's trolling. i don't what funnier, that he writes that stuff - or that people rate it positively! There's no reasoning with these folks.

Jun 25 02:09 PM

[EJL:]

pot, meet kettle.


On Jun 24 08:39 PM DrewG5 wrote:

> Woo Hoo crackberry fans.. Always need some FUD, due to the fact that
> truth hurts.

Jun 25 02:11 PM

[EJL:]

no worries there just as many "shills" on both sides. this shouldn't be surprising other than the fact that apple shills typically drown out anything else in their vitriol. pot, meet kettle.


On Jun 24 05:17 PM JW.PhD wrote:

> And we have our first RIM-shill. Congrats, fcca!
>
> The study doesn't have the first thing to do with total sales. You
> completely missed the point. Read the article one more time, come
> back and try again. Next!

Jun 25 02:15 PM

[DrewG5:]

Funny thing is I don't see BB themes for the iPhone, yet every other so called smart phone out there has a iPhone theme.

Jun 25 08:23 PM

[.crazylegs..:]

Yes, but the trash has to be taken out first. how many times has that guy jamesapple written the same exact thing? check his comment stream...


On Jun 25 07:21 PM JW.PhD wrote:

> EJL, do you have anything of intelligence to offer, or just more
> shill-speak like "vomit" and "pot, meet kettle"?
>
> You people are proving my original point with every post. Thanks.

Jun 25 11:16 PM