One-Third of Consumers Undecided About Their Next Mobile Device Purchase

A new study by Management Consultancy cg42, released this week, shows both consumers’ perceptions and purchase intent when it comes to the nation's top mobile device brands.

According to the new study, only 16 percent of United States respondents plan to purchase a new mobile device in the next 12 months. The majority of those surveyed were 25-34 years old. Apple and Android led as the preferred device brands, with 34 percent of respondents choosing Apple and 27 percent favoring Android. But another 34 percent of consumers surveyed were undecided about their next device purchase.

These results are based on two separate surveys, one that surveyed over 2,500 members of the United States general population. The second survey was of more than 1,000 consumers who intended to purchase a mobile device within the next year. Results of the study rank Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Google, Samsung and Microsoft based on 'innovativeness, device preference across different demographic groups, and overall purchase intent.'

Stephen Beck, founder and managing partner of cg42, says, "Despite what we had expected to find, only a minority of the population is in the market for a new device. This signals that mobile device brands must now fight harder than ever to not only build their customer bases but establish loyalty among new and existing customers. Understanding how customers across age and gender categories perceive their brands is crucial if these companies want to remain competitive."

The impact of Apple's recent announcements about the iPhone 5s and 5c were also surveyed. The survey found that a higher awareness of the news among those who intended to purchase a device within twelve months (76 percent) versus the General Population (58 percent) correlated with a higher intention among those who intended to purchase Apple.

Some of the studies key findings were that consumers perceive Apple as the most innovative brand. Samsung was its closest rival. The survey also showed that 34 percent of Intenders (those who plan to purchase a new device within 12 months) would most likely purchase an Apple device, followed by Android (27 percent), Microsoft (3 percent), and BlackBerry (2 percent). Thirty-four percent of consumers remain undecided about the brand they intend to purchase.

One out of five consumers surveyed indicated that they "don't like" Apple as a brand – the same percentage that responded that they "love Apple."

Women outnumbered men when it came to those undecided about their next mobile device purchase. The report showed 41 percent of women undecided and 28 percent of men.