The market is bubbling in anticipation over the iPhone 5, which is expected to launch later this year. In a consumer survey conducted in June, but released today, ChangeWave has established that the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) designed smartphone was ‘very likely’ to be purchased by 14% of consumers surveyed. In addition to that, 17% of the people surveyed exclaimed that they were ‘somewhat likely’ to buy the phone.
Perhaps the biggest observation in the survey is not the startling numbers, but the fashion through which these latest survey numbers tower previously recorded advance demand numbers for preceding iPhone launches.
While the iPhone 4S raked sales of 37 million units during its debut quarter, its advance demand figures were not as assuring as the current iPhone 5 survey figures. Last year, before the launch of the iPhone 4s, figures revealed that 10 percent were ‘very likely’ to set hands on the gadget while a slightly higher 11.5 percent leaned towards the ‘somewhat likely’ incline.
The current ChangeWave polls were spread over a population of 4042 people, most of which were North American consumers. To snuff out the unwanted aspect of bias, all the polled individuals were given similar information with regard to phone specifications and release dates. With respect to the latter, surveys told the polled individuals that the phone’s release date was slated for later this year; they did not give conclusive details on the date. Notwithstanding, all polled individuals were told that the new iPhone would have an improved camera, 4G LTE capabilities, new iOS operating system, and a larger screen. Interestingly, everything will be at the same price points as the iPhone 4S.
Its Samsung again
Between Samsung and Apple, who is shadowing who? These two are inseparable. Anywhere you go, a conversation about either, inevitably traces back to the other.
As expected, the survey also revealed impressive news for Samsung. The Korea-based tech heavyweight has an increasingly positive outlook, especially so after the release of the Galaxy S3. The latest poll showed that 19 percent of surveyed individuals had plans of buying a Samsung smartphone over the next three months. Narrowing down to the flagship Galaxy S3 that runs on Google’s Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android, the ‘very likely to buy’ incline gleaned 2 percent while the ‘somewhat likely’ disposition recorded 7 percent. The core driving factors behind the Galaxy S3’s soaring demand, was noted to be the size and quality of the screen.
While prospects are renewed at Samsung and Apple, other phone makers have been pushed to a familiar moribund state. Progress is slow at other handset makers, as Samsung and Apple widen the gap between themselves and their peers, with the wake of each day.
