Has iPhone 5 eroded Apple's loyal customer base?

New Delhi: Ever since Apple debuted its first iPhone in 2007, the number of iPhone loyalists, who say that they definitely or probably will buy the next iPhone, has plummeted. According to a recent Strategy Analytics Wireless Device Lab Report, only 75 per cent of iPhone owners in Western Europe say they are likely to buy their next phone from Apple, down from 88 per cent in 2011.

US repeat purchase intentions have also seen a slight decline, down from 93 per cent in 2011 to 88 per cent in 2012, said the report. The figures have come almost a month after Apple launched its latest iPhone 5.

"There is no doubt that Apple is continuing its success in retaining existing user base while attracting new customers," commented Paul Brown, director at Strategy Analytics' User Experience Practice, adding, "negative press prompted by a perceived lack of recent innovation by Apple has meant we are starting to see some growth in the number of previously highly loyal consumers who are now reconsidering whether or not they will purchase a new iPhone for their next device."

While Apple' charm is slightly fading away, Google's Android on the other hand has been gaining popularity. According to a new research report, three out of every four smartphones sold in the third quarter featured Google's Android mobile operating system, as the gap between Google and Apple-based phones widened further..

Shipments of Android-based smartphones made by Samsung, HTC and other vendors nearly doubled in the third quarter, reaching 136 million units, according to industry research firm IDC. The strong sales boosted Android's share of the worldwide smartphone market to 75 per cent, from 57.5 per cent in the year-ago period.

Taryn Tulay, analyst at Strategy Analytics' Wireless Device Lab added, "Respondents who say they probably will or definitely will not buy their next phone from Apple is low. However, it is the shift in the number of those who are unsure whether they will remain with the same brand for their next phone that Apple should be concerned about."