Smartphone users aren’t as loyal as they used to be and most would consider switching to entirely new mobile operating system if it offered the services and applications that their current provider isn’t.
As Enterprise Mobile Today reports, iPhone fans are the most loyal but a surprisingly large percentage of users would still consider making a change if another device or mobile OS delivered more flexibility and integration with their PCs and other devices.
Of those queried, only 25 percent said they plan to remain loyal to their current smartphone brand.
The ability to sync their mobile data and applications with their PCs was cited as the top priority of future smartphone buyers when evaluating mobile operating systems, followed by the ability to use cloud-based services on their mobile devices and access to applications designed for both consumer and business use.
A new survey this week by German market research firm GfK Group makes it clear that smartphone users have evolved in the past few years, placing a higher priority on the overall mobile experience and ecosystem and less on loyalty to a particular brand.
The survey of more than 2,600 smartphone users in the U.S., Germany, Brazil, the UK and China found that 37 percent plan to upgrade their devices during the next upgrade cycle and that 56 percent of those folks were “keeping their options open” when it comes to picking their next smartphone.