Survey: 31 percent of Android users eyeing switch to iPhone
A new survey suggests that Android users are less loyal to their smartphones than iPhone users--by a lot.
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We know how passionate Android users can be because we hear from them regularly in our comments section. But what's a little surprising is that a recent survey suggests that rank-and-file Android users may not be so loyal to their platform, with nearly one in three contemplating a switch to the iPhone and an additional 10 percent in the "undecided" camp.
Granted, the survey conducted by UBS Research had a pretty small user sample (515 people overall and only 51 Android users), so we'll take it with a grain of salt. However, my own personal survey among friends suggests there's some truth to the numbers, with, for instance, some Verizon customers only switching to Android models because the iPhone wasn't available at the time (now that these folks are two years into their contracts, they're waiting on the next iPhone before making a decision on their next phone).
The survey also indicated that the iPhone is the "stickiest" phone out there, with retention rates at 89 percent, while Nokia and BlackBerry are slipping badly. According to the survey, Nokia's retention rate went from 42 percent in March 2010 to 24 percent, and BlackBerry dipped from 62 percent to 33 percent. Not good.
Android's adoption rate has been nothing short of phenomenal, but as the iPhone comes to more carriers, it will be interesting to see how many Android users end up being tempted to switch sides.
(Source: GigaOM via 9to5Google)