When it comes to designing its overall mobile user experience, Apple apparently knows how to keep customers happy. Almost 90% of people that own an iPhone say they’d prefer to stick with Apple when it comes time to purchase their next mobile device, according to a recent survey conducted by UBS Investment Research.
This is far higher than the retention rate for the second most popular handset maker, which was HTC. The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer has managed to encourage 39% of its current customers to stick with them for their next device.
The manufacturers with the lowest levels of customer loyalty were Nokia and soon-to-be Google subsidiary Motorola. Faring perhaps the worst in the survey, however, was Research in Motion, whose Blackberry devices appear to be losing longterm popularity with consumers. In all, 33% of Blackberry owners plan on upgrading to a new RIM device. This represensents a huge drop from 62% only 18 months ago, as Apple Insider points out. Ouch.
Apple has done a remarkable job of enticing customers by releasing new handsets every year. Some of those updates are dramatic overhauls of the device, while others have been only minor updates. In both cases, the company has exhibited a unique ability to whip its fans up into a frenzy in anticipation for their next gadget.
The next iPhone will be launched at an Apple media event scheduled for October 4. It’s not known exactly what the new device will include, but there are some reliable clues to be found in all the rumors that have been flying around lately.
Chart image via Apple Insider.
