Survey results: The brands you own and the brands you want

This week we're examining the results of CNET's recent survey of Australian readers' tech habits. On Monday we looked into the top level results on which devices and accessories people carry with them every day. On Tuesday we looked at how we use laptops, tablets and phones in combination with each other and with key accessories and networks. Today, we're looking at the brands we own and the brands we're choosing next.

The Phones We Own Now

We all know that Android is the dominant operating system in the phone market today, but Apple still holds the crown for the top-selling phone. In our survey of personal phone usage we found 37 percent of our readers are carrying an iPhone, giving it a comfortable, but not huge, lead on Samsung at 27 percent. After those two clear leaders we hit the middle of the pack with Google Nexus at 10 percent, HTC at 10 percent, Nokia at 7 percent, and Sony at 5 percent. Then the tail really kicks in with LG at 2 percent and Blackberry, Motorola, and Huawei all at 1 percent each.

Looking at work-supplied phone brands there are a few significant changes. Apple still leads the pack at 33 percent, but in second place we see Samsung sharing the honours with Nokia at 18 percent each, then Blackberry at 13 percent, showing some of the classic brands still hold strong in the corporate world. We then see Sony at 5 percent, ZTE at 4 percent, and LG, HTC and Google Nexus at 2 percent each. An interesting reshuffle compared with our personal preferences.

What's Your Next Phone?

Alongside asking people about the phone they currently use, we also asked which brands they intend to purchase next. Here we find the top two brands remaining the same, but some percentages show shifting loyalties within the Android market, in particular.

For next-choice intentions, Apple maintains its healthy lead at the same 37 percent of readers (though that doesn't mean exactly the same group of readers, which we'll see shortly). Samsung drops back to 19 percent, while Google Nexus increases to 13 percent. A smooth curve flows down the list from here, with HTC at 8 percent, Sony at 7 percent, Nokia at 5 percent, LG at 3 percent, and Motorola, Xiaomi, and Huawei at 1 percent each. The once-dominant Blackberry brand was mentioned in less than 1 percent of responses.

We looked at Apple, Samsung, and Android in specific detail after this, checking how those who currently owned one of these phones said they would choose their next phone. For example, if someone chose Samsung as their current phone, what brand did they say they'd be buying next?

In the case of Apple, as mentioned earlier, 37 percent of those surveyed currently use an iPhone. For those current Apple users, 85 percent said they'll be buying another iPhone the next time they upgrade. So there's a very deep brand loyalty to iOS in the Apple ranks.

Meanwhile, of the 27 percent who said they current use a Samsung phone, 57 percent said they will buy another Samsung the next time they buy. 10 percent said they will be buying an iPhone and 34 percent said they will be choosing another brand. This shows a much lower level of loyalty in Samsung's user base, and plenty of opportunity for other Android brands to win some extra share in coming years.

Looking at Android as a whole, of the 55 percent of current Android phone users, 89 percent said they'll be buying another Android device, 9 percent said they'll move to iPhone, and 2 percent intend to go to another platform. This shows a general devotion to Android very much in line, or stronger than, the loyalty amongst iPhone users, and shows Windows Phone has a lot of work to do to steal share from either camp.

The Tablet Competition

For a long time, when we thought tablets we thought iPad, but that's changing as the quality of the competition has ramped up in the past year. But while the quality on shelves shows real competitive spirit today, the larger-sized personal tablets people are packing in their bag each day is still more likely to be an iPad than anything else. Apple reported at 71 percent of all large personal tablets, with Microsoft Surface coming in next at 11 percent. Samsung was next with 8 percent and Sony at 4 percent. After Asus at 2 percent we see Lenovo, Google, Acer, Toshiba, and HP all reported at 1 percent each.

The mini-tablet landscape is where Android tablets have been making ground for quite some time, and in our results we see the iPad is only slightly ahead of the rest. iPad mini sits at 36 percent of small personal tablets, with Google close behind at 26 percent. Samsung and Asus are further back at 13 percent and 12 percent respectively, and then a larger drop down to Dell at 4 percent, then Lenovo and Amazon at 2 percent. Toshiba, Sony, and Microsoft Surface each saw 1 percent here. Amazon is an interesting case with a lot of clout and awareness in the market, but with many of its tablet services limited in scope outside the US, the brand seems to be overlooked by Australians.

Our Laptop Brands

While we focus so much on its phone and tablet portfolio these days, Apple is again dominant in the personal laptop world, listed by 45 percent of those surveyed as their day to day laptop brand. From there the competition is fierce amongst Windows models, with Asus leading the pack at 12 percent. Next comes Lenovo at 9 percent, and then HP, Toshiba and Dell all at 7 percent each. Samsung sits at 5 percent, and then Sony, MSI and Acer all hold 2 percent each.

Work laptops paint a very different picture, showing a closer race across the well known corporate targeted brands. Dell leads here at 23 percent, HP at 21 percent, and Lenovo at 19 percent, with Apple in fourth place at 18 percent. Toshiba is the last brand of real note at 12 percent, before a big drop to Samsung (4 percent), Acer (2 percent), and Asus (1 percent).

Tomorrow: The Apps You Can't Live Without

We've analysed the hardware you're packing each day, so tomorrow we dive into the software on your smartphones. We find out which apps are critical to our daily routines across a wide range of categories and find out just how similar, or different, Australian smartphone home screens really are.