Over the past month if you had said the Apple iPhone 4 is the most popular smartphone of the moment, you wouldn’t be have been alone. However, a recent survey by goodmobilephones.co.uk has shown that among the top searched mobile phones the Apple iPhone 4 only ranks sixth, trailing behind three HTC devices.
HTC performed very well in the survey, which used data taken from their in-built mobile search engine. HTC took all three of the top spots; the HTC Wildfire was the most popular followed closely by the HTC Desire and the new HTC Desire HD – a victory in search terms that reflects the brands growing popularity.
Following closely behind the HTC trio were the Samsung Galaxy S and the Nokia N8 Smartphone, leaving the iPhone 4 in sixth position with the Blackberry Curve 8520, Samsung Tocco Lite, Blackberry Torch and Sony Xperia X10 closing out the top ten.
Mark Owen of goodmobilephone’s explained that it’s the price ‘putting people off’ the iPhone 4 with a combination of a ‘lack of incentivising’ from Apple to choose the iPhone over competing brands handsets.
A shift in brand popularity?
We wonder if the survey would be different this month after the release of iOS 4.2, which of course included the free addition of ‘find my iPhone’ and Airprint. The results were taken from one site to, what they found is a reflection of one site not the entire internet, however, the results are still interesting and perhaps suggest Apple may have to provide more incentive for consumers to choose the iPhone 4. It could also show that Apple has such a brand presence and following already that users simply don’t use comparison sites to research the iPhone.
What do you think?
Do you think Apple need to provide more features to entice customers?
Research:Goodmobilephones
Honestly, is there really a need to use a comparison site to compare phones especially ones like the iPhone?
Apple products make the news in my country when they are released. Im sure people know what their products can do, and theres not much of a need for sites to compare the specs.
People usually buy Apple products blindly especially fanboys.
What other smartphone company makes the news when their products get released?? Pretty much no one except Apple. It goes to show…..
People aren't searching for the iPhone 4 because:
a) They most probably already own one
b) If they don't they most likely already know what it can or cant do
and
c) They know where to get it, and working models are on display everywhere.
As opposed to other phones where you can rarely find a working model unless you ask, so looking online is more of a necessity.
Also this data is quite vague. It states people are looking for a certain phone model, but does that mean they buy it, or when they go to buy it, do they realise that it feels like a lump of plastic (Galaxy), or runs slowly (Torch). Also is their search for that phone model followed by the word problem?
Yes, sure, I own an iPhone but ive also owned Blackberrys, Nokias, Sony-Ericssons and more. I'll tell you now, that an iPhone may have a lower spec than x,y,z phones out there, but that does not mean its inferior. It makes calls, sends SMS, plays games, takes photos, records video and more, all in a pleasing manner without crashing. Not one other phone that ive owned did everything without any problems except a Blackberry…. and what are the browsers like on that to use?!
Sorry but there is a severe point missing in this article… It shouldnt be what the most searched for phone is, more what the most owned / sold (Modern, Smart) phone is.
Considering Google Trends shows the volume of searches for the iPhone outnumber searches for HTC, Blackberry and Samsung from between 200% – 400% over the last month (and that is for all searches for those words, not just the name of a phone!), I don't think Apple needs to be too concerned.
This press release is after all just an attempt by goodmobilephones to benefit from a controversial "study" of their own customers.
-Mart