We all know that the iPhone 5 will be a popular device but a new survey from PriceGrabber suggests that it will be a massive hit, as 35 percent of those surveyed planned to purchase it.
Of those who said they would purchase the iPhone 5, 51 percent indicated that they will buy the smartphone within the first year of release, 30 percent will purchase it before the end of 2011, 14 percent will buy it within the first month, and 7 percent will buy it within the first week. We’ve seen previous iPhones sell millions on its opening weekend and the iPhone 5 could outdo those.
Apple just reported a record quarter where it sold more than 20 million iPhone units without even having a shiny, new device to push. The next-generation iPhone should help it easily surpass that number when you consider that it will be back-to-school season.
“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,” stated Graham Jones, general manager of PriceGrabber, in a prepared statement. “Anticipation and brand loyalty are certainly high, but in today’s 24-7 work culture and uncertain economic environment, consumers are cautious to look for a reasonably priced phone that will perform optimally over an extended time period.”
The survey also asked what users want from the next-generation iPhone and most said they want better battery life, cost reduction, improved camera or a larger screen. A significant portion (46 percent) said 4G would be important to them but I’m still not banking on the next iPhone to have 4G LTE – it might be a 4G phone for AT&T’s HSPA+ network or even T-Mobile’s but 4G LTE modem technology still has too many compromises.
Of course, these surveys aren’t always an accurate representation of the market because it is very simple to say you plan to buy something but things can get in the way. Still, this is another sign that the next iPhone will be a success.
