Whether iPhone or Android: The Swiss smartphone study 2022 provides a deep insight

The internet comparator Comparis has published its annual smartphone survey. watson summarizes the most important and surprising findings.

The crucial question: who considers the environment when buying a mobile phone?

Despite good intentions, sustainability among Swiss smartphone users remains ‘more intent than action’, Comparis argues based on the representative survey (see below).

From year to year, more respondents say they want to keep their main device for a long time. However, the fact is:

This value has been constant since 2019. Only 11 percent would actually own their device for 4 years or more. And only 15 percent had their device for 3 to 4 years.

Who wants to buy a new mobile phone in 2023?

45 percent of those surveyed want to buy a new Android smartphone or iPhone again. That is significantly less than before (in 2019 it was 57 percent). Nevertheless, such a significant portion of users do not reach “the desired holding period of 4 years or more”.

According to Comparis research, significantly more iPhone users than Android users want to buy a new device in the next 12 months. With an approval percentage of 48 percent (under 36 years old) and 49 percent (36 to 55 years old), young people are much more likely to want to buy a new smartphone than the over-55s (35 percent).

Willingness to buy is significantly higher in French-speaking Switzerland (48 percent) than in Tessin (36 percent). In German-speaking Switzerland, 44 percent planned “to make a new purchase in the near future”.

Who are the most popular smartphone manufacturers?

48 percent of respondents used an iPhone as their main device. What is striking: Significantly more young respondents (age group 18 to 35 years) have an iPhone as their main device.

The country remains firmly in control Apple, says the study’s author, Elisabeth Rizzi. In comparison: in Germany the iPhone market share is almost 30 percent, in France and Italy only 21 percent.

More than a third of those surveyed have a smartphone as their main smartphone Samsung-Device.

Far behind, but still in third place, followed with over 5 percent (of those surveyed) the Chinese manufacturer boycotted by the US Huawei.

What are the trends in mobile phone use?

This interactive chart shows the different usage habits of Apple and Android users:

Exciting insights:

What bothers users about their mobile device?

Comparison states that the respondents are basically satisfied with their smartphones. A stable 37 percent are not bothered by anything. Anyone who has something to complain about the device will most likely suffer from the short battery life (26 percent). The number of people affected by the camera quality has increased considerably. The lack of 5G has clearly lost importance.

The willingness to pay is higher than ever, but…

Despite general inflation, the willingness to pay for a new smartphone will be higher than ever in 2022, the study shows. On average, the respondents wanted to spend 555 CHF on their next smartphone. In 2019 that was more than 100 francs less.

There is a clear divide between Apple and Android users. Significantly more Android users (38.3 percent) were willing to spend up to CHF 400 on a new device (compared to 11 percent of Apple users). In contrast, significantly more iPhone users are willing to spend more than 600 francs for a new device.

And used mobile phones?

Smartphones are generally still bought new in Switzerland, says Comparis. Just like last year, less than one in ten is a second-hand device.

The share of Apple smartphones in the devices used is significantly higher than that of Android (12 percent versus 7 percent). Telekom expert Frick:

Who benefits from the providers?

In terms of market shares of the mobile phone providers, Switzerland has remained stable in 2022. Top dog Swisscom owns 37 percent. However, there are major changes at the small providers, writes Comparis. Yallo (Sunrise subsidiary) and Wingo (Swisscom subsidiary) significantly increased their market share. UPC Mobile, on the other hand, no longer exists.

Which study is this?

The findings of the Comparis smartphone study are based on a representative survey conducted in October 2022 by the market research institute Innofact among 2100 people in all regions of Switzerland.

Sources

(dsc)