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iPhone Users Satisfied, but Many Carry Second Mobile Phone

Apple’s iPhone on the whole lives up to the hype according to its users, who tend to be satisfied with their shiny new gadget - some even say it’s displacing their laptops - though many also carry a second phone, according to a Rubicon Consulting study.

Rubicon conducted a survey of 460 iPhone users in the US to determine how the iPhone is being used and its effects on consumers and the tech industry (via MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog).

Some of the key findings of the study:

• iPhone users are satisfied. Most users report high levels of satisfaction with its various features - from music and  touch interface (the highest-rated features) to battery life (the lowest rated - though 60% are satisfied):

• E-mail is the leading iPhone function. The data function most used is reading email (72%) - though not writing emails (about 58%). Next are texting, browsing the web and listening to music.

• Increased mobile browsing. More than 75% of users say using an iPhone has resulted in more mobile browsing. But some 40% of iPhone users say it has trouble displaying some websites.
• Expanding the smartphone market. About half of iPhones replaced conventional mobile phones, 40% replaced smartphones, and 10% didn’t replace a phone.
  • Among conventional phones, Motorola Razr was the phone most often replaced.
  • Among smartphones, Windows Mobile and RIM Blackberry were most often replaced.
• One-third of iPhone users carry a second phone. Among those who do, the RIM Blackberry is the most popular - carried by nearly 10% of all iPhone users.
• iPhone is displacing a laptop computer. 28% of users say they often carry their iPhone instead of a laptop.
• Users tend to be young. About half of users are under age 30; about 15% are students.
• iPhone owners use other Apple products. Some 75% of iPhone users have used either iPods or Macintosh computers.
• Phone bills increase. Users’ monthly mobile phone bills have increased, on average, 24% - or about $228 annually.
• Carriers switched. Nearly half of iPhone users say they switched carriers.

Rubicon’s whitepaper, “Apple iPhone: Successes and Challenges,” provides additional, detailed survey information and analysis on the iPhone and its users.