Apple survey reveals why people choose Android over iPhone

Nearly half of shoppers who considered buying an iPhone but eventually bought an Android smart phone did so because they wanted to stick with their network operator, an internal Apple survey claims.

The survey, which lists reasons why people who considered an iPhone eventually went for Android, is another document that's come to light thanks to the legal spat currently raging between Apple and Samsung, and was published in January last year, the Verge reports.

Before we don our analysis hats, the number of people polled isn't given, so it's wise to take these stats with a pinch of salt. Update: an eagle-eyed Tweeter spotted that the graphic above features 'n=89', suggesting the poll involved 89 people, which isn't a particularly large sample size.

Those disclaimers dispensed, 48 per cent of people in the survey checked the 'Wanted to stay with current wireless service provider' box as a factor that influenced their buying decision.

That would suggest that a chunk of the Android-owning public line their pockets with Google's mobile operating system because they want to stick with a network, rather than because they crave a particular Android mobile.

That's not quite the whole picture however, as 36 per cent of those who considered an iPhone but eventually opted for Android listed trusting the Google brand as a reason for doing so.

That feels like a healthy amount to me, or at the very least it suggests that shoppers associate the Android operating system with Google, which I suspect hasn't always been clear to those who don't hang out with geeks live their lives on the technological frontier.

Another factor is that the survey took place while the iPhone was still exclusive to operator AT&T in the US, which meant that any shoppers that didn't want to switch to that network would need to opt for a non-Apple smart phone.

30 per cent of those polled said they chose Android because they preferred a bigger screen -- something that Android has certainly capitalised on in the last year, with gadgets like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X bumping up display real-estate averages. 25 per cent said they ultimately went Android because they 'wanted the latest technology'.

Results aside, the survey also proves that Apple -- which gives the appearance of being totally aloof when it comes to its rivals -- is in fact keeping a weather eye on the competition.

Do you have an Android phone? Why did you choose it? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.