According to a survey by uSamp 54 percent of Verizon’s current Android and Blackberry users are contemplating switching to the iPhone after it’s launch date on February 10.
I ask WHY!?
The facts seem to say that common sense would dictate that a person with marginal intelligence would wait a few months for the release of the next model in a few months. But according to this survey those considering switching attributed to the iPhone’s unique user interface, the Mobile Safari web browser and they way it handles media.
While the iPhone’s interface is considered easy to use, is it really that unique? Android has a fairly similar interface, and I haven’t found it that difficult to use. It is drastically different from Blackberry’s offerings, even the OS 6 that I use is light years behind iOS, but if you’ve been using Blackberries for an extended period of time you are likely to used to it. I’m on AT&T and wouldn’t consider swapping my Torch for the iPhone.
Looking at the Safari browser I find it, use able, but some of the browser offerings on Android surpass the Safari browser. Besides on the iPhone you only choice is really the safari browser. On Android you have just to name a few, Opera Mini, Skyfire, Fennec (AKA Mobile Firefox), Dolphin, and more. I would rather have options than having Apple force me to use Safari and tell me it’s the best. Let me decide what browser is best for me. Once again Blackberry is lagging behind but with OS 6 they finally do have a competing Web Kit browser. I’ve found it to be just as usable as Safari, so still not enough to make a switch.
So if people have any common sense they should stick with their Android and not be sucked on to “IT APPLE SO IT’S SO COOL” bandwagon. And Blackberry users if you’re unhappy with your experience either switch to Android or wait until June when history dictates that a new iPhone will be announced and released. It’s just logical.
But even with all these facts uSamp still says that 25 percent of those surveyed would be willing to wait in block long lines to get one on release day….
FACEPALM.
[Source: Ars Technica]
[Image Credit Art of the iPhone]
That 54% is the percentage of people that are using Android simply because they didn't want to switch to AT&T. They are the "average user" that doesn't know or care about the intricacies of the OS or the differences between the 2. Safari is, at best, usable. It isn't impervious to crashes nor is it super-greased-lightning fast.
To address another point that you made, the next version of the iPhone is most likely going to be announced in June and released in July. When that happens, every single one of the people in that 54% is going to cry foul. Not because Apple has done them wrong in some way, but because they are idiots. The phone releases at the same time every year. But in 4 months when the announcement is made there will be millions of people that are positively incensed that the phone they just paid $300 for will suddenly be obsolete. These people are the reason Apple pulled the camera app that repurposed the volume button into a camera shutter. They were afraid it would confuse the users. These users. The idiots.
The Android/iOS argument is tired. Mostly because people will bleat their way into the Apple store regardless of what better options exist. The real question is "Why are you buying something that you know is going to be old news in less than 5 months?" and the answer is "I can count to potato!"