User Experience Loyalty: Apps V Device

uvox

This is not very scientific, but the following proposition was put to me re: the iPhone: That the loyalty is to the apps on it and not the device itself.

Personally I don't think that is true (for a range of reasons including the premise that all apps are the same, people actually have any decent apps, or that there would be no rush to upgrade). But what do you think?

Is it the phone or the apps? Or both?

displaced dub

uvox wrote: »

This is not very scientific, but the following proposition was put to me re: the iPhone: That the loyalty is to the apps on it and not the device itself.

Personally I don't think that is true (for a range of reasons including the premise that all apps are the same, people actually have any decent apps, or that there would be no rush to upgrade). But what do you think?

Is it the phone or the apps? Or both?

both as one is useless without the other.

uvox

i should clarify that make an assumption that many apps are available for multi platforms (and devices have similar features - geo location, cameras, etc)

Gumbo

to me :

i like my iPod.
i like iTunes.

i like my phone, so it makes sense to have them both in one device. and the way alot of hi fi's, sound systems etc are ipod compatible, its great that i have my music collection with me anytime for those spur of the moment drinkies garthering's!

the apps enhance the device and tbh probably make up for 30% of the appeal of the iPhone to me.

naasrd

iPad first, got it for browsing & email, apps a sweet extra.

chrislad

I think it's a combination of both. I personally didn't buy my iPad primarily for the out of the box functions, mainly for ComicZeal 4 truth be told. If it was just web browsing, I already had an iMac and iPhone. It's wasn't necessary, however for reading comics/magazines, it's smaller than the iMac and can be read on a couch, train etc, and bigger than squinting at an iPhone!

georgiemcgrane

kceire wrote: »

to me :

i like my iPod.
i like iTunes.

i like my phone

Apple first made a great portable music player, Im not saying it was the best, but it was certainly the easiest to use and the brand "iPod" became for portable music players what Hoover became for vacuum cleaners. They spend years refining and improving them and when they released the iPhone the first killer app itself was the phone along with its email and internet apps.

Plus the iphone was available a good year I think before they allowed 3ed party developers build apps for it. For me having an ipod and a phone in one device makes sense. Next biggest usage is email and then Internet. Apps prob make up < 10% of my iphone usage.

uvox

Interesting comments. Good observations about iPad too.

bkehoe

Mainly for the phone (it's style, the fantastic screen, usability) but partially for the apps. I've seen some of the cross platform apps, the iDevice version is always far better, at least the ones I use. I'm also reassured by the app store review process that an app I get for my iPhone won't do anything malicious (read on the Vodafone forums about people with Android apps unknowingly sending premium text messages for example).

happyeveryday

I think of the iPhone more as a mini portable computer that also makes phone calls. The loyalty is with the phone, you discover later that 'there's an app for that'.

However if it was announced that say 1,000's of Apps were to be removed from the App store (and lets say the phones as well) and could only be accessed on Android, how many would switch phone?

There are also so serious stats about the fact the the iPhone only accounts for approx 30% of the smartphone market (not touchscreen) but over 70% of the data traffic....ie iPhone users use their smartphones for more things more often.

It's simply the useability of the thing, plain and simple.
PS would love to play with the new Sony or HTC Evo to see if they are starting to match up.

chrislad

The new Sony isn't. Running 1.6 android which is two versions behind!

whiterebel

Both. I have used a Mac for years, and have been envious of how Nokia, Motorola, SE users and Blackberry users could have their info sync'ed across PCs, phones etc. Nokia tried, in fairness, with the E51 which worked. Also worked on the 5800, but the phone itself was a POS. O2s appalling greed and grasping performance while they had the exclusive iPhone deal sickened me, and I refused to get tied to a contract with them. I then made the decision to bite the bullet and get a s/h iPhone 3G, go with VF and get the data add-on. I can honestly not see me ever using any other type of phone now. the combination of phone and apps is brilliant.

jester77

for me it is the apps. Old iphone packed it in earlier in the year, went with an android and the apps that I regurlarly use were lacking or not available. Ended up buying an ipod touch to tide me over until I got the iphone 4. So I was carrying around 2 devices for a few months.