Last updated May 17, 2021
Brand loyalty soars to 93% as Apple rolls out controversial privacy feature and new products
After months of rumors and leaks, Apple last month launched its first-ever item tracker called AirTag alongside a slew of refreshed lineups, including M1-powered iMac and iPad Pro models, a new Apple TV, and more.
While Apple performed relatively well compared to rivals in pandemic-hit 2020, this year is shaping up to be even better for the Cupertino giant as it records a massive 54% YoY revenue growth during its fiscal second quarter.
With a lot happening in the Apple space right now, we decided to survey iPhone & iPad users to gauge their opinion on everything from the iOS 14.5 update and new hardware releases to features they would like to see in the upcoming iPhone.
Survey Highlights
- iPhone and iPad users were asked to pick one feature of iOS 14.5 that they like the best, and the responses were – in order of the number of votes received: App Tracking Transparency (36%), Unlock with Apple (23%), Apple Maps crowdsourced data (13%), ‘Find My’ app with AirTag support (8%), PS5 and Xbox Series X controller support (6.9%), AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+ (5%), Dual-SIM 5G support (4%), New emojis (2.1%), New Siri voices (1.3%), Revamped News and Podcasts apps (0.7%)
- When asked whether they agree with Apple’s new privacy policies, a majority (73%) said they agree, 18% think the firm might be taking it too far, 9% aren’t sure what to make of it
- Respondents were asked what they like best about AirTags, and these were the answers – in order of the number of votes received: “reliable as it leverages Apple’s robust Find My network” (42%), “great value for money” (19%), ‘strong privacy features’ (15%), “uses replaceable batteries that last about a year” (10%), “has plenty of accessories” (6%), “personalization with engraved text, emojis, numbers” (5.3%), “better overall design than rivals” (2.7%)
- Over six in 10 (61%) iPhone and iPad users intend to buy the new AirTag, while 39% aren’t interested
- 54% think what Apple charges for AirTags is a good deal, 32% think it is reasonable, 14% feel it is expensive and should be cheaper
- A massive 67% think accessories should come with the device and not be purchased separately
- Nearly 8 in 10 Apple users (78%) are satisfied with how Apple handles privacy with AirTags, as opposed to 22% who aren’t
- 57% of those buying AirTags would get the $99 four-pack bundle, whereas 43% would buy them individually for $29
- When potential AirTag buyers were asked what they intend to track with the device, these were the responses – in the order of the number of votes received: Keys – 42.4%, Pets – 34.8%, Luggage – 30.6%, Bike – 25.8%, Purse / Wallet – 23.3%, Airpods case – 19%, Kids – 15%, Car – 10.2%, Drones – 7.6%, Partner – 6.9%, TV remote – 4%, Laptop bag / Rucksack – 3%, Eyeglasses – 1.1%, Jacket (in a cloakroom) – 0.7%, Other – 0.6%
- 14% intend to buy the new iMac with M1 chipset, while a majority (86%) said they aren’t interested
- More than eight in 10 (82%) respondents want to see the Face ID feature on upcoming iMacs and Macbooks
- Potential iMac buyers were asked to pick their preferred color option for their device, and the responses were – in order of votes received: Blue – 33.4%, Silver – 30.1%, Green – 13.4%, Purple – 8.9%, Yellow – 6.8%, Pink – 4.1%, Orange – 3.3%
- 24.9% intend to buy the new iPad Pro with M1 chipset, whereas 75.1% said they aren’t interested
- Of those planning to get a new iPad Pro, a majority (66.2%) want the smaller 11-inch screen model, while 33.8% will go for the 12.9-inch screen variant.
- When asked to pick the features they would like to see in the upcoming iPhone 13, the responses were – in order of the number of votes received: Return of Touch ID – 21%, Higher refresh rate display (120Hz) – 17%, Smaller notch / Notch-less design – 15%, Return of in-box charger – 12%, Bigger battery – 11%, Better camera features – 8.2%, Faster processor – 6.8%, Compact phone – 5%, Better waterproofing – 2.2%, Foldable design – 1%, Removal of lightning port – 0.8%. Interestingly people are keen to see improvements to privacy features but the uptake for a Folding iPhone 13 may be limited. The removal of a lightning port does not seem a popular choice.
- A whopping 92.6% are locked into the Apple ecosystem and would never consider switching away to Android
App Tracking Transparency tops the list of best iOS 14.5 features:
We asked iPhone and iPad users which new feature of the iOS/iPadOS 14.5 they like the best, and here are the results.
- The controversial ‘App Tracking Transparency’ feature, which lets users decide whether to allow apps to track them across other apps and websites, topped the list with almost 36% picking it as their favorite.
- ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’, a pandemic-friendly feature that lets masked users unlock their iPhone using an Apple Watch, is the second most popular feature at 23%.
- Meanwhile, Apple Maps’ new Waze-like feature that allows crowdsourced reporting of accidents is polled at 13% and takes the third spot on the list of best features of iOS 14.5.
- 8% think the best thing about the new release is the updated ‘Find My’ app with support for AirTags, while 6.9% are excited about the added support for PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers.
- AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+ is polled at 5%, followed by Dual-SIM 5G support at 4%, and the addition of new emojis at 2.1%.
- The addition of new Siri voices and Revamped News and Podcasts apps were among the least-loved features of the iOS update at 1.3% and 0.7%, respectively.
Next, we asked the same set of respondents whether they agree with Apple’s new stringent privacy policies, and we found out:
- A majority (73%) said they agree with Apple on the rollout of new privacy features, up 8% from 65% in our January poll.
- Meanwhile, 18% think the firm is taking it too far with the policies, down 5% from 23% in our previous poll.
- Another 9% aren’t sure what to make of it.
More than 60% of iPhone users intend to buy AirTags:
When asked what they like best about the recently released AirTags, the Apple users responded:
- 42% think AirTags can be reliable as it leverages Apple’s robust ‘Find My’ network of iPhones, iPads, and other devices.
- Two in 10 iPhone users (19%) think AirTags offer excellent value for money, whereas 15% praised the strong privacy features of the device.
- 10% are impressed that the AirTags use replaceable batteries that could last a year.
- Another 11.3% have bought into the customization aspect of AirTags, with 6% interested in the wide range of compatible accessories, including key chains and luggage tags, and a further 5.3% excited about the option to personalize the tracker with engraved text, emojis, or numbers.
- Only a mere 2.7% said AirTags feature a better overall design than its rivals like Samsung Galaxy SmartTag.
We decided to see whether AirTags will live up to its pre-launch hype and asked the same set of respondents whether they intend to purchase the tracker, and we found out:
- A little over six in 10 (61%) iPhone and iPad owners intend to buy the new Apple AirTag.
- Whereas 39% aren’t interested in the product
We further asked for their opinion on the pricing of AirTags, which currently retail for $29 for one and $99 for a pack of four.
- More than half (54%) said the pricing is a good deal, while 32% think it is reasonable.
- On the other hand, 14% noted that AirTags are expensive and should be cheaper.
Unlike item trackers from Tile and Samsung, Apple’s AirTags don’t come with a hole or a hook to attach to your belongings.
And while there are plenty of accessories available for the device, it is worth noting that they don’t come in the box and will have to be purchased separately. When asked whether this is fair, our survey takers responded:
- A whopping 67% disagreed, saying that accessories should come with the device.
- However, 33% said they aren’t bothered by this.
For AirTag to work, it sends out Bluetooth signals to nearby devices in the Find My network, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more. These devices then send the location of the lost AirTag to iCloud and enable the owner to track it through the ‘Find My’ app. While Apple promises that the whole process is anonymous and encrypted, we asked the survey respondents whether they feel secure with how the firm handles privacy with AirTags.
- Unsurprisingly, a majority of iPhone and iPad users (78%) responded affirmatively to the question.
- 22% aren’t convinced about the security of AirTags, however.
To the 61% of respondents that intend to buy an AirTag, we asked whether they are looking to buy them individually ($29) or as a bundle of four ($99).
- 57% said they would go for the four-pack bundle that costs $99
- Whereas 43% intend to buy them individually at $29 per device
To the same set of respondents who said ‘yes’ to buying AirTags, we asked what they would like to track using the device, and the responses – in order of the number of votes received – were:
(Note: Respondents were allowed to select up to three options.)
- Keys – 42.4%
- Pets – 34.8%
- Luggage – 30.6%
- Bike – 25.8%
- Purse / Wallet – 23.3%
- Airpods case – 19%
- Kids – 15%
- Car – 10.2%
- Drones – 7.6%
- Partner – 6.9%
- TV remote – 4%
- Laptop bag / Rucksack – 3%
- Eyeglasses – 1.1%
- Jacket (in a cloakroom) – 0.7%
- Other – 0.6%
Not surprisingly keys topped the charts as the most popular thing to track. Seemingly people would really like the tags to track their pets & kids despite Apple advising against it. Conversely, Samsung’s Smart Tags can be used to track pets. Worryingly 7% would like to use AirTags to track partners activity, again Apple advise against this!
82% want to see the Face ID feature on future Macs:
Next, we asked a series of questions to gauge the interest of Apple users in the latest iMac featuring Apple’s powerful M1 chipset.
When asked whether they intend to buy the new 2021 iMac, the respondents answered:
- 14% said ‘yes’ to buying the new iMac
- Meanwhile, a majority of 86% revealed they are not interested
“Existing MacBooks and iMacs, including the latest model, don’t have Apple’s Face ID facial recognition feature, but would you like to see it built into upcoming Mac computers?.” We asked this question to more than 3000 Apple users, and these were the answers:
- A massive 82% want to see the Face ID feature built into the upcoming Macs
- A mere 18% responded negatively to the question
Besides the standard silver, the new iMac is available in six other color variants, including Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue. To 14% of respondents who intend to buy the iMac, we asked them to pick their preferred color option, and the responses – in order of the number of votes received – were:
- Blue – 33.4%
- Silver – 30.1%
- Green – 13.4%
- Purple – 8.9%
- Yellow – 6.8%
- Pink – 4.1%
- Orange – 3.3%
A quarter of Apple users would buy the new iPad Pro with M1 chipset:
We asked the respondents if they would buy a 2021 iPad Pro model featuring M1 chipset and found out:
- About a quarter of Apple users (24.9%) intend to buy a new iPad Pro model.
- However, 75.1% aren’t interested in the new Apple tablet.
Of those planning to get a 2021 iPad Pro model, a majority (66.2%) want the smaller 11-inch screen model, while 33.8% will go for the 12.9-inch screen variant.
Touch ID and 120Hz display are among the most anticipated iPhone 13 features:
We then checked in with Apple users to find out what features they would like to see in the upcoming iPhone 13, and the responses – in order of the number of votes received – were:
- Return of Touch ID – 21%
- Higher refresh rate display (120Hz) – 17%
- Smaller notch / Notch-less design – 15%
- Return of in-box charger – 12%
- Bigger battery – 11%
- Better camera features – 8.2%
- Faster processor – 6.8%
- Compact phone – 5%
- Better waterproofing – 2.2%
- Foldable design – 1%
- Removal of lightning port – 0.8%
Brand loyalty for Apple at an all-time high of 92.6%:
“As Apple adds new features and new products to its ecosystem, would you ever consider switching away from Apple to Android?.” We asked this question to more than 3000 iPhone and iPad users, and the responses were:
- A whopping 92.6% answered negatively, suggesting they are locked into the Apple ecosystem and don’t ever intend to switch to an Android brand.
- Only a mere 7.4% would consider moving to Android.
Conclusion
With App Tracking Transparency topping the list of best features of iOS 14.5, it is clear that the controversial privacy feature has been well received by iOS and iPadOS users.
In fact, the survey also revealed that a whopping 73% agree with Apple’s new privacy policies, as opposed to 18% who don’t (an additional 9% aren’t sure what to make of it).
The survey shows that more than six in 10 (61%) respondents will consider buying an AirTag, indicating a strong demand for Apple’s new trackers among iPhone and iPad users.
But, it is a little worrying to see pets (34.8%), kids (15%), and partner (6.9%) high up on the list of things one would track with AirTags, although Apple clearly advises against it.
Apple has integrated several security features into AirTags to avoid unwanted tracking, including ‘AirTag detected’ alerts and continuous beep sounds if it has been away from the paired device for a set period.
It may be a little too early to talk about the next iPhone, but as there has been plenty of exciting rumors and leaks of late, we decided to straight-up ask Apple users what they would like to see in the upcoming iPhones.
Touch ID, higher refresh rate displays (120Hz), and smaller notch / notch-less design are among the most anticipated features of the upcoming iPhone 13.
Surprisingly, only 0.8% of Apple users want to see an iPhone void of the lightning port (in favor of fully wireless charging), despite several rumors flying around about port-less models.
The rollout of privacy-centric features and the addition of new products to the ecosystem, such as AirTags, have helped boost the brand loyalty of Apple users, as the survey reveals 92.6% of existing Apple users would never consider switching away to Android.
SellCell’s March survey reported that 91.9% of iPhone users wouldn’t switch brands when they upgrade, and so the new data represents a 0.7% increase in brand loyalty among Apple users.
Methodology
The report is based on a survey – conducted between May 04-11, 2021 – involving more than 3000 iPhone and iPad owners, aged 18 years or older, based in the United States.
The responses to the survey were collected without storing any personally identifiable information of the involved respondents.
The motive of the survey was to gauge the opinion of Apple users on everything from the iOS 14.5 update and new hardware releases to features they would like to see in the upcoming iPhone.