Despite what seems like too much iPhone 5 speculation at times, technical specifications and design details regarding Apple’s fifth-generation device are still very much a mystery to mere mortals like you and I. However, that doesn’t stop 35% of consumers wanting to buy the device before they’ve even seen it.
A recent Experian PriceGrabber survey of 2,852 consumers found that 7% of people want to grab the iPhone 5 within its first week on the market, while 14% want to get it within the first month. 51% said they’d buy it within the first year of its release. What’s more, 69% of consumers said they’d rather receive Apple’s iPhone 5 as a gift over the Samsung Galaxy S II, Droid Bionic, or BlackBerry Curve.
Graham Jones, PriceGrabber general manager, said in the company’s press release:
“Our survey data confirms the strong following Apple has built around its iPhone, with more than one-third of consumers planning to upgrade to the latest model only a little over a year following the release of the iPhone 4.”
This news, surely, is a testament to Apple and its products and the trust its customers place in them. Can you honestly say you’d buy another product from another company before you’ve seen it or even know anything about it?
Wired believes that both Apple’s App Store and retails stores are contributing factors:
Apple’s well-curated, well-populated App Store presents consumers with a wide variety of quality apps to choose from. Other app stores still just don’t stack up, either suffering from a lack of content, a lack of profit (for developers), the presence of malware, or sudden app removals.
If you’ve got a problem with an Apple product, Apple’s brick-and-mortar stores offer a convenient, reliable way to get help or get a fix. Apple even has an app for its App Store, so you can easily schedule appointments if, for instance, your iPhone’s home button suddenly quits functioning.
Right now, you can add me to that 7% of customers who want to purchase the iPhone 5 within its first week of release. My contract is due to end in September — just in time! — so I’ll be sure to grab the new device as soon as it’s available. I’m not sure I’d be so keen if my contact wasn’t ready to end, however.
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
19 responses to “35% of Consumers Want the iPhone 5 Before They’ve Even Seen It”
Well when you label everything “magical” what do you expect to happen? Everyone wants an iPhone 5 because it’s an iPhone and they usually are always good.
It’s no surprise that so many people want the iPhone 5 even before they know anything about it. Apple has a long reputation of delivering simply stunning designs, ease of use and user friendliness that goes back over 20 years. What other company has that kind of history? The world at large is finally catching on to what Mac users have known for more than 2 decades: Apple makes great products that are easy and fun to use, and that work incredibly well to help people with their daily lives and work. “Consistently elegant and highly usable” are terms synonymous with Apple.
Surprising that its such a low percentage. I would have thought it would have been higher. I know I would buy it without second thought.
that’s a bit sad…
thats nice mockup
I am eagerly waiting for the iPhone5, and hope it comes out soon. Have a 3G that is showing its age big-time. My ATT contract has lapsed (hooray), so I will probably jump to Verizon.
My main concert is with how Apple will handle the relase. I hope they learned from the iPad2 release and do not let the organized packs of scalpers repeatedly buy out the inventory. They should require activation on-site, require legitimate (ie state-issued ID or drivers’ license) photo ID, and not allow cash purchases. I finally got my iPad2 after 2 weeks of frustration – but had to resort to buying it at Target.
Besides, when you’re on 2 year contracts, we’re talking about upgrading from a 3GS to a 5. Of course me and my wife are doing that!
The external design of iPhone 4 is a failure and so iPhone 5 will go back to the grasp of iPhone 3Gs.
The usual idea is that you would use NFC to set up the link between the two devices and then do an automatic hand over to a different protocol for doing the actual transfer of data – eg Bluetooth,iphone 5
I’m preordering it.
So I guess you can consider me part of that 7% that want it immediately. I’ve been waiting 4 years to finally get my hands on an iPhone and with the beautiful design of the iPhone 4 now (which I suspect will be either the same or VERY similar as far as the design goes) i’m really excited.