The use of the iPhone5 as a real camera is an important metric for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) as it makes the product more valuable to consumers, and justifies a higher price tag. Good news on that front comes from a new Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) (LON:BARC) report. The iPhone 5 is picking up momentum as a premium camera.
Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) (LON:BARC) regularly releases detailed reports on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). One of the topics repeatedly studied by analysts is the use of the iPhone 5 and other Apple smartphones on photo sharing sit Flickr. The March 12th report on the firm showed a significant uptick in the use of the iPhone 5 as a real camera.
According to Flickr, the iPhone 5 is the third most commonly used camera on its site, with 3,988 average daily users. The top two spots are held by the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4 respectively. the iPhone 4S still manages 5,502 daily average users. The iPhone 5 has seen an increase of 23% in daily average users in the last month.
As Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) friendly consumers upgrade to the latest model, the numbers of customers using it as their primary camera is likely to increase. The iPhone5 has the best camera of any Apple smart phone yet. That makes it the most likely to replace traditional enthusiast cameras.
The fourth and fifth positions on the Flickr chart are both Canon DSLRs. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II had 3,553 in the last week, while the Canon EOS 7D had 2,884 average daily users. The position of the iPhone5 above those professional grade DSLRs is a sign that the Apple smart phone could be the go to camera in years to come. That’s what the analysts at Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) (LON:BARC) believe.
According to the report, the analysts see the iPhone 5 “becoming the digital camera of choice for consumers in developed markets, reflecting its ease of use and ability to get photos online quickly.” If that prediction proves true, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will have a value in its smart phones untouched by competitors.
According to the analysis, when it comes to pictures, the iPhone5 is being used much more often as a premium device than its major Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) competitors. That means that the phone is a more valuable product to consumers, despite the similar pricing. If that rings true, the iPhone 5 will retain its place despite the coming Galaxy S4 launch.
