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iOS 6 Maps, Lightning connector have no effect on iPhone 5 demand, survey finds

Negative headlines haven't suppressed consumer interest in the iPhone 5, which is seeing "unprecedented" demand, according to the latest survey from ChangeWave Research.

The poll of 4,270 primarily North American consumers was conducted in September, and found that 19 percent of consumers considered themselves "very likeLy" to buy an iPhone 5, while 13 percent said they were "somewhat likely."

The numbers show a significant increase in demand for the iPhone 5 over the iPhone 4S from a year ago. Last year, 10 percent of consumers said they were "very likely" to buy an iPhone 4S, while another 11.5 percent considered themselves "somewhat likely."

The stats show that consumers who indicated they are "very likely" to buy the iPhone 5 has nearly doubled from that of the iPhone 4S. Until now, Apple's iPhone 4S has been the most successful smartphone in history, but the iPhone 5 is expected to surpass it.

"Despite the media attention surrounding both the Apple Maps issue and the Apple Lightning port issue, neither has had an impact on the massive numbers of buyers queuing up to buy the iPhone 5," said Dr. Paul Carton, ChangeWave's vice president of Research. "Rather, the survey results show both issues hardly rank as bumps in the road."

ChangeWave also asked respondents running iOS 6 if they had experienced problems with Apple Maps, and the survey found that the new mapping software has not been a major issue for users. Among those polled, 90 percent reported "no problem at all," while 3 percent said iOS 6 Maps are a "very big problem," while 6 percent said the issue is "somewhat of a problem."

The data shows that any perceived issues with iOS 6 Maps are less of a concern than the "antenna-gate" controversy with the iPhone 4. In 2010, ChangeWave's polling found 7 percent of new iPhone 4 owners characterized the reception issue as a "very big problem," while another 14 percent said it was "somewhat of a problem." Nearly two thirds reported they "hadn't experienced any problem."

ChangeWave 2

As for the new, smaller Lightning port on the iPhone 5, customers likely to buy Apple's latest handset were asked for their thoughts on the change that makes it more difficult, and in some cases impossible, to use legacy accessories. Nearly a third — 31 percent — said the change to the Lightning port is "not much of a problem," while 26 percent said it's "no problem at all.

However, 6 percent characterized the Lightning port switch as a "very big problem," and 31 percent said they felt it was "somewhat of a problem."

Even though more than two-thirds of respondents expressed some level of concern over the Lightning port, the survey found it will not stop consumers from buying the iPhone 5. Among those who said they are unlikely to buy the iPhone 5, 0 percent said their decision was made because of the Lightning adapter.

The iPhone 5 had the strongest launch yet of any iPhone, as Apple announced the device sold 5 million units in its first three days of availability. It's believed that Apple could have sold many more handsets over the launch window, but sales are believed to have been held back by limited supply.



90 Comments

michael scrip 14 Years · 1916 comments

It's possible that there are some people who never use maps on their phone... and who don't own any 30-pin speaker docks.

originalg 17 Years · 383 comments

Do American carriers have some kind of reservation system in place for getting an iPhone? My friend was put in queue two and a half weeks ago at #2000+ and only now is he at #10 with Rogers in Canada. He's in Toronto so I'd figure we have more people wanting to buy than anywhere else in the country (you know, centre of the universe and all). So are people getting their phones some other way, or is supply actually that problematic? Like the article says the demand should be there, ordering now puts you at 6000 in queue I've heard, but I've only seen a few out in public as well.

nw3227 16 Years · 16 comments

I love the Lightning connector. I hated the old 30-pin one, which was a pain to orient properly. I'm completely mystified by those who complain about what to me is a clear improvement.

clemynx 17 Years · 1550 comments

The exact date of the surveys is important. The 4 came out in June 2010 so a July 2010 survey was potentially conducted weeks later. On the other hand, a september 2012 survey when the 5 came out on the 21st was conducted just after release.