Users now swayed by apps as much as carrier brands

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Users now swayed by apps as much as carrier brands

New survey shows that almost 25% of customers now feel their primary loyalty is to a software brand

By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 25 February, 2010

READ MORE: UK | Applications | Mobile Content

The past decade has seen a battle between mobile operators and handset vendors to place their brands at the front of subscribers' minds, and therefore control their mobile experience. But now there is a third set of brands, which can increasingly sway users' choice of wireless device and service - the content and apps providers. A new survey of consumers in the UK, one of the most competitive mobile data markets, shows that almost 25% of customers now feel their primary loyalty is to a software brand.

This is about the same percentage as those users who are mainly influenced by carrier brand, according to a survey by research firm TNS. However, the handset brands remain dominant, driving 51% of consumer choices - though this picture would be very different in markets where the operators are more prominent in consumer perception, such as east Asia and the US.

The single most important factor in handset choice, TNS found, is still look and feel (29%) but the choice of apps and content is in second place on 13%, tying with handset brand - and unsurprisingly, the focus on apps is highest among users aged 16 to 30, being the primary factor for 37% of these people. In the UK, 19% of users are regularly downloading apps to their phones.

However, once the initial brand consideration is out of the way, apps are less important in assessing the specific phone. In that rating, look and feel is dominant, followed by brand, then touchscreen, and even the choice of operating system beats out apps availability.

Stephen Yap, group director at TNS Technology, said: "As uptake and usage of mobile services proliferates, we are seeing profound changes in the way that people make purchase decisions and in the brands that are the most meaningful to them. While established handset makers are standing their ground, network operators are clearly under pressure from the rise of the likes of Facebook, Google and Twitter. These content providers are increasingly capturing consumers' loyalties and are leading the way in bringing users the benefits of the latest mobile technologies."