Verizon Wireless on Thursday announced that it has received the top spot in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Wireless Customer Care Full Service Study Volume 1. The carrier received a score of 762 out of 1,000, which was 10 index points above the industry average of 752. Virgin Mobile took the top spot in non-contract providers with an overall score of 735. J.D. Power also found that 38% of full-service customers who resolved technical issues online used an online chat service. Those who used the online chat services were also the most satisfied  (749 satisfaction points) as opposed to those who relied on a carrier’s website (734 points), emailed the carrier (721 points) or searched forums (664 points). Interestingly, owners of 4G devices were more likely to contact their carrier than owners of devices not capable of running on 4G networks. J.D. Power based its study on responses from 9,098 wireless customers in the United States. The non-contract study surveyed 2,840 wireless subscribers. J.D. Power and Associates’s full press release follows after the break.

UPDATE: An AT&T spokesperson contacted BGR via email with the following statemnt in response to J.D. Power’s study: “AT&T was again named No. 1 in walk-in customer service by J.D. Power as part of its 2012 Wireless Customer Care Survey – Volume 1, and third overall. We remain dedicated to continuous improvement so we can deliver the industry’s best products and services with exceptional customer care.”

2012 U.S. Wireless Customer Care Performance Studies – Volume 1 

J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Owners of 4G-Enabled Phones Are Far More Likely to Contact Their Wireless Provider for Customer Service than Are Owners of Less Technologically Advanced Devices 

Verizon Wireless Ranks Highest in Wireless Customer Care Performance among Full-Service Providers, While Virgin Mobile Ranks Highest among Non-Contract Customers

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif: 2 February 2012 — Wireless customers who own a 4G-enabled device contact their provider for customer service considerably more frequently than do owners of less technologically advanced devices, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Customer Care Performance Full-Service Study^SM—Volume 1 and the 2012 U.S. Wireless Customer Care Performance Non-Contract Study^SM—Volume 1, both released today.

Now in their 10th year, the semiannual studies provide a detailed report card on how well wireless carriers provide service to their customers via three contact methods: telephone calls with customer service representatives (CSR) and/or automated response systems (ARS); visits to a retail wireless store; and via the Web. The studies measure satisfaction and processing issues in each contact method, such as problem-resolution efficiency and hold-time duration.

Among customers who currently own a 4G (4^th Generation)-enabled device—which uses a faster, more efficient network—60 percent report having contacted their current wireless service provider during the past six-month period. In comparison, only 47 percent of a non-4G smartphone and 35 percent of traditional/feature phone owners contacted their provider for support.

Owners of a 4G-enabled device have a much greater propensity to contact their carrier due to network-related problems (18%) than do owners of a traditional phone that uses less advanced networks (11%). One of the main factors contributing to the higher contact rate among owners of 4G-enabled devices may be that higher network speeds are available only in limited areas, while slower 3G technology is offered in more areas of the country.

“It’s not unexpected that customers who use new technology or services would be more likely to contact their carrier with questions or problems, particularly with the 4G network rollout that began in 2011,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates. “What is important to understand is that investment is needed in support services to not only handle the increase in customer interactions, but also to provide service representatives with the necessary training and information across all contact channels in order to offer a timely and superior service experience. In fact, it takes approximately five minutes more per contact, on average, to resolve issues pertaining to 4G-enabled devices, compared with issue resolution times for traditional phones.”

According to Parsons, creating a superior customer experience leads to a higher propensity for customers to spend more on services and a lower likelihood they will switch providers in the future. This is especially true among customers who own a 4G-enabled device, as they report spending $36 more per month and are more likely to say they “definitely will recommend” their current carrier than are customers who own a traditional mobile phone.

Verizon Wireless ranks highest in wireless customer care performance among full-service providers with an overall score of 762 on a 1,000-point scale. Verizon Wireless performs particularly well in phone contacts that originate in the ARS channel and are then transferred to a live service representative, and in phone calls made directly to a CSR.

Virgin Mobile ranks highest in overall customer care satisfaction among non-contract service providers with an overall score of 735. Virgin Mobile performs particularly well in phone contacts that originate in the ARS channel and are then transferred to a live service representative, and in phone calls made directly to a CSR.

The study also finds several key wireless customer care patterns:

• More than one-third (38%) of full-service wireless customers who resolved their issue via the online channel say they used their carrier’s online chat function for customer service, an increase of two percentage points from July 2011. In addition, satisfaction is higher among customers who use the online chat function (749) than among customers who research information on their carrier’s website (734); email their carrier directly (721); or utilize online user forums (664).
• Satisfaction averages 100 points higher (733) among non-contract customers who are initially addressed by a representative with the experience and understanding needed to resolve their issue, compared with customers who are transferred or referred to another representative (633).
• Approximately 40 percent of smartphone customers who contacted their carrier with a problem did so because they had a device malfunction or were experiencing repair-related issues.

The 2012 Wireless Customer Care Full Service Study—Volume 1 is based on responses from 9,098 wireless customers. The 2012 Wireless Customer Care Non-Contract Study—Volume 1 is based on responses from 2,840 wireless customers. Both studies are based on the experiences of current customers who contacted their carrier’s customer care department within the past six months. The study was fielded from July through December 2011.

For more information on customer satisfaction with wireless service, wireless retail sales, cell phone handsets, customer care, prepaid wireless service and business wireless service, please visit JDPower.com.

 

Demand for Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet has started to cool off according to one study. ChangeWave published results of a survey on Thursday, which found that just 2% of customers in January were “very likely” to buy a Kindle Fire, down from 4% in December. Respondents who were “somewhat likely” to buy the tablet fell as well, from 13% in December to 10% in January, though demand following the holidays is expected to slow. Amazon’s tablet has better satisfaction ratings than several other tablets, however. ChangeWave’s survey found that 54% were “very satisfied” with the Kindle Fire, compared to 49% of those surveyed who were “very satisfied” with other tablets and 74% who were “very satisfied” with the iPad. Read on for more.

Amazon’s tablet is also driving consumers to purchase goods from Amazon: 29% of Kindle owners expected to spend more money than they had previously with Amazon during the next 90 days, but just 19% of consumers who don’t own a Kindle Fire plan to do the same. Kindle Fire owners are most attracted to the price of the device — 59% of owners said it was what they liked most about the tablet — and 27% of owners said the lack of physical volume control buttons was their least liked feature. A link to ChangeWave’s report follows below.

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Users of Android phones are more likely to have sex on a first date and have one-night stands, according to survey results revealed by Match.com. The survey was conducted by Zoomerang and found that 62% of singles who use Android devices have had sex on a first date, compared with 57% of iPhone users and 48% of BlackBerry users. iPhone users are more likely to date someone in their workplace, with nearly a quarter of iPhone-owning singles having had an office romance in the last five years. More Android users, however, have visited an online dating site, compared to 58% of iPhone users and 50% of Blackberry users. After a first date, iPhone users will wait just one day before contacting an individual again, while Android and BlackBerry users won’t initiate contact until after the second or third date. Users of RIM’s BlackBerry platform are more likely to drink alcohol on the first date, with 67% claiming they have experienced love at first sight — perhaps due to the alcohol. The results were based on Internet surveys conducted with 1,068 Canadian singles between October 13th and 15th last year.

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The bathroom is a popular place to use a mobile phone according to the results of a new study. ”The writing is on the stall,” says Nicole Burdette of 11mark, the firm that conducted the survey. ”This study confirms what we all know – that the last private place is no longer private. And, that the ‘mobile-everywhere’ phenomenon is flushing out a host of new opportunities for savvy communicators.” 63% of those surveyed said they have initiated a phone call while using the bathroom and 38% have surfed the Internet. Android owners admitted using their smartphones in the bathroom more than any other group of smartphone users; 87% of the Android users responding to the survey said they have used a phone in the bathroom while 84% of BlackBerry users and 77% of iPhone users admitted the same. The full press release for “IT in the Toilet” follows after the break.

New IT in the Toilet Study Shows Americans Aren’t Spending Alone Time Alone

Study Highlights Americans’ Habits Behind Closed Stalls

ALEXANDRIA, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Three-fourths of Americans with mobile phones report they use their phones in the bathroom, according to a new study by 11mark, a new integrated marketing agency. Americans are texting, emailing, and yes – as you may have heard – talking on the phone in the bathroom. Approximately one quarter of Americans report they don’t go into the bathroom without their phone. The new report, “IT in the Toilet,” uses the “bathroom benchmark” to examine just how connected we have become.

The survey of 1,000 Americans reveals that neither men nor women are going to the bathroom alone today – 74 percent of men and 76 percent of women report they have used their mobile phone in the bathroom. 63 percent report they have answered a phone call, and 41 percent have initiated a phone call. Many (67 percent) have read a text, and 38 percent have surfed the Internet. Men are a bit more attached, however, with 30 percent reporting, “I don’t go to the bathroom without my mobile phone,” versus 20 percent of women. Men also work more from the bathroom – 20 percent say they have participated in work-related calls versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.

Droid users are slightly more likely to use their phones in the bathroom overall; 87 percent have used their phone while indisposed, versus 84 percent of BlackBerry users and 77 percent of iPhone users. BlackBerry users are most likely to answer a call in the bathroom. 75 percent of BlackBerry users report they have done so, versus 67 percent of Droid and 60 percent of iPhone users. But, Droid and iPhone users are more likely to browse a social network or use an app (in the bathroom) than their BlackBerry colleagues.

As expected, Gen Y respondents are the heaviest IT in the toilet users. Ninety-one percent use their phone in the bathroom, but older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X report they use the phone in the bathroom, as well as 65 percent of Boomers, and 47 percent of the Silent Generation (guess they are no longer silent.)

Americans are using apps to connect to their favorite content, quickly – 59 percent of Gen Y, 43 percent of Gen X, and 22 percent of Boomers have used an app in the bathroom. While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. iPhone users are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.

“The writing is on the stall,” says Nicole Burdette, principal, 11mark. “This study confirms what we all know – that the last private place is no longer private. And, that the ‘mobile-everywhere’ phenomenon is flushing out a host of new opportunities for savvy communicators.”

The “IT in the Toilet” study is based on an online survey of 1,000 Americans with mobile phones in October 2011. To learn more and download the full free report, please visithttp://www.11mark.com/IT-in-the-Toilet.

BlackBerry owners tend to be older and wealthier than other smartphone users according to a new report released this week. Data from comScore Data Mine suggests BlackBerry users are “more likely to have a household greater than $75,000 when compared to average smartphone owners.” BlackBerry owners were also more likely to have at least part of all of their monthly mobile bill paid for by their employers. We’re not surprised, taking into consideration the vast number of enterprise users that still own a BlackBerry for work. “BlackBerry users over indexed in all age segments 35-64 in November 2011, with the 55-64 age bracket showing the highest index of 120,” comScore said in its report, which found the fewest number of Blackberry users between the ages of 18 and 24.

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In what is certainly one of the most bizarre mobile-related studies we’ve seen published in recent months, a new survey found that iPhone and iPad owners are generally very optimistic relative to owners of other handsets and tablets. The most pessimistic mobile users, according to the same survey, are BlackBerry owners. Consumer electronics recycler and reseller Gazelle recently published the findings of a survey conducted on the CES show floor that sought to establish a correlation between a person’s outlook on life and the mobile devices he or she carries. The firm’s findings, while anything but scientific, paint an interesting picture that suggests users of iOS and Android devices have a better outlook on life than BlackBerry users. Read on for more.

According to Gazelle’s poll, 52% of iPhone users and 58% of iPad users are always optimistic about their future while 28% of Android smartphone users and 36% of Android tablet users share the same outlook. 29% of iPhone users and 60% of iPad users expect the best in uncertain times and 31% of Android smartphone users and 55% of Android tablet users expect good things to happen more often than bad. 25% of iPhone users and 26% of iPad users don’t get upset very easily, and neither do 18% of Android smartphone users or 27% of Android tablet users.

Where RIM customers are concerned, Gazelle found that 33% of BlackBerry users subscriber to Murphy’s Law, holding the belief that if something can go wrong for them, it will. 16% of BlackBerry users hardly ever expect things to go their way and 33% of BlackBerry users rarely count on good things happening to them. 0% of BlackBerry users usually expect the best, Gazelle found.

“Who knew that Apple users had such a promising outlook on life, while BlackBerry owners hardly expect things to go their way?” Gazelle CEO Israel Ganot said in a statement.

9% of consumers in the United States have already cut cable TV service from their monthly utility bills, the latest State of the Media Democracy survey from Deloitte indicates. The company also found that 11% of U.S. consumers are considering cutting cable TV. Younger generations are more likely to get rid of cable TV, too. Deloitte found that 19% of those aged 23-28 are thinking about canceling cable while 13% of Generation Xers and 7% of baby boomers said they are considering doing the same. “For the first time, less than half of all viewers say they have viewed their favorite shows live on their home TV,” Phil Asmundson, Deloitte’s U.S. Media & Telecommunications Sector Leader said. “In 2011, the number was only 49%. In 2008, it was 71%. That’s striking.” Read on for more.

Deloitte found that 35% of survey respondents are now using their DVR to watch shows at their convenience. In 2009, just 17% of viewers streamed their favorite television shows online for free, and that figure jumped to 22% last year. Just 6% of viewers said they watch their favorite show from a smartphone or mobile device, but 9% used a game console such as an Xbox or a PlayStation 3. “Cable providers should consider enhanced ways to leverage their current strengths before users flock to other options,” Asmundson said. “DVR would appear to be a strong starting point for waging that battle – but today it’s underused.”

[Via GigaOm]

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While electronics vendors struggle to gain traction in the emerging media tablet market, Apple has managed to maintain a significant lead in the space despite an increasing number of rival offerings. Apple’s share of the global tablet market in the third quarter was estimated to be 61.5% by market research firm IDC, and it’s not just momentum keeping the company’s market share high. Apple’s user experience on the iPad has been touted by many as having a huge lead over rival platforms, and the majority of iPad owners seem to agree according to the results of a recent survey. Read on for more.

Wichita State University’s Software Usability Research Laboratory conducted a survey of iPad owners and found that 83.65% of users are satisfied with the tablet. 62% rated the Apple tablet as “excellent,” 21% said it was “good” and 10% of respondents said it was the “best imaginable” tablet. 4% of those surveyed said the tablet was “fair,” 2% said it was “poor” and another 2% called the device “awful.”

SURL’s study used a small sample set of 52 respondents, but the results mirror a number of larger studies that sought to determine users’ satisfaction level with the iPad. Studies conducted by ChangeWave have found the iPad’s satisfaction rating to be as high as 95%, and a recent user survey conducted by PCWorld determined that the iPad is “miles ahead of the pack in durability, ease of use, and features such as battery life, screen quality, and overall speed.”

The Software Usability Research Laboratory at Wichita State University also found that apps continue to be a big draw for iPad users — 46% of users have between 21 and 60 apps installed on their iPads — and web browsing is still one of the most common uses for the Apple tablet. Almost 90% of respondents said they browse the Internet daily on their iPads while less than 70% said they checked their email each day, the second most popular iPad function according to the survey, and just over 60% said they read the news on their iPads every day.

[Via The Loop]

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Apple could sell as many as 190 million iPhones next year according to a survey conducted by AlphaWise for Morgan Stanley. The survey results also suggested Apple will sell 31-36 million iPhone handsets this quarter, almost 30% more than estimates from other Wall Street analysts. That figure is also more than the 30 million iPhones Morgan Stanley’s chief Apple analyst Katy Huberty expects the company to sell during the fourth quarter. ”Surprisingly, US consumers expect to buy more iPhones in C1Q12 than C4Q11,” Huberty wrote in an email to clients on Wednesday, noting that the survey results suggest consumers could buy as many as 41 million iPhones during the first quarter next year. Huberty also suggested that Apple could sell 15 million more iPads should it decide to drop the price by $100, making the entry-level iPad 2 just $399. Morgan Stanley estimates Apple will sell 52 million iPads during 2012 but the results of the AlphaWise survey suggested consumers are ready to purchase as many as 81 million units, far above the Street’s consensus of 54 million units. 

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Beating out popular own-brand apps like Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube, Facebook holds the title as the most actively used Android app. Market research firm Nielsen on Monday published the findings of a month-long study to determine the most-used Android apps currently available for the platform. The study made use of Nielsen’s proprietary on-device monitoring software, which has been voluntarily installed by thousands of panelists across the country. Beyond the Android Market itself, Facebook was the most actively-used app on the Android platform over the past 30 days in all age brackets. Among users aged 18 to 24, Google Search was the second most used app in the firm’s new study with 77% of panelists having opened the app over the past 30 days. Gmail and Google Maps followed with 79% a piece, and YouTube slid in behind them with 64%. Following the suite of Google apps was Pandora Radio with a distant 30%. A similar study conducted by Nielsen in July found that Facebook was the third most popular app behind Google Maps and Gmail. Read on for more.

Among users aged 25 to 34, 81% used Facebook over the past 30 days while 80% used Gmail. Google Maps was used by 79% of panelists and Google search was used by 78%. YouTube followed with 56% and the most actively used non-Google app other than Facebook was Angry Birds at just 29%. Users aged 35 to 44 painted a similar picture. Facebook and Gmail were tied at 77% followed by Google Search (75%), Google Maps (73%) and YouTube (51%). Angry Birds then followed with a distant 35%.

Interestingly, Amazon’s third-party app store ranked in the top-15 most actively used apps across all age groups. The Amazon Appstore was No.14 among users aged 18 to 24 with 14%, No.11 among users aged 25 to 34 with 22% and No.10 among users aged 35 to 44 with 24%.

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Thanks in part to the multitude of mobile apps available across every smartphone platform, consumers seem to be uninterested in the own-brand handset Facebook is reportedly developing — security concerns may be an issue as well, of course. According to a recent report, Facebook is working with HTC on a new smartphone code-named “Buffy” that will feature a customized version of the Android operating system with deep Facebook integration. The Wall Street Journal’s AllThingsD blog recently conducted a survey to assess interest in the Facebook-branded smartphone, and the results are telling. As of Monday morning, more than 81% of respondents want nothing to do with a Facebook phone. Approximately 11% said they might consider the handset depending on features and security, and less than 8% said they would want to buy the handset. Facebook has been rumored to be working on an own-brand smartphone for more than a year, but the company has repeatedly denied the claims.

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For the first time ever, an iPhone is now more likely to show up in a conference room than a BlackBerry, a new Mobile Workforce Report from research firm iPass suggests. According to the report, 95% of mobile workers now own a smartphone, up 10 percentage points from 2010, and 45% of the enterprise workforce carries an iPhone, up from 31.1% last year. “BlackBerry has not really fallen from the top spot in so much as other smartphones have grown faster,” the report said. “BlackBerry market share has only declined slightly from 35% in 2010 to 32% today.” Read on for more.

Android’s market share doubled year over year to surpass Symbian with a 21% share of the enterprise smartphone market. 18% of mobile workers said they intend to purchase an iPhone in 2012, 11.2% are planning to buy an Android device and 3.6% want a Windows Phone. Only 2.3% of workers have plans to buy a BlackBerry next year. Several respondents reported owning multiple devices on different platforms.

The iPass study also found a number of other compelling tidbits: 40% of mobile workers would feel disoriented if they didn’t have a smartphone for a week, 34% would feel distraught and 10% would feel lonely. The iPass study was based on a survey of more than 2,300 workers around the world.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday are typically two of the biggest shopping days of the year, and as consumers continue to use mobile devices more frequently to make online purchases, 2011 is shaping up to be huge for mobile shopping. A new study from ad network InMobi found that an estimated 60 million people will use a mobile device to bargain-hunt this coming Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and 21 million of them will make purchases on their devices. ”The study highlights that mobile is cannibalizing desktop shopping and shows that mobile devices will be a critical tool in all facets of shopping this holiday season,” InMobi VP Anne Frisbie said in a statement. ”It will be ubiquitous both in the store and online, and successful brands and advertisers have a tremendous opportunity to differentiate themselves by creating an exceptional mobile experience.” More findings from the study follow below in InMobi’s full press release.

InMobi: Thanksgiving 2011 to Be Biggest Yet for Mobile Shopping

Nearly 60 Million Mobile Users to Shop on their Mobile Phones on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — InMobi, the world’s largest independent mobile ad network, announces the results of a study on mobile consumers’ Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping intentions.  The Holiday Mobile Shopping Study* finds that 2011 will be the biggest yet, with an estimated 60 million mobile users planning to utilize their devices during the upcoming holiday weekend, over 21 million (36%) with the intention to make purchases directly from their mobile handset.

The study uncovers that during Cyber Monday—traditionally dedicated to online shopping—a staggering 42% of mobile shoppers plan to use mobile devices to shop or research sales while on the move.

Commenting on the findings, Anne Frisbie, VP & Managing Director, North America, InMobi, said: “The study highlights that mobile is cannibalizing desktop shopping and shows that mobile devices will be a critical tool in all facets of shopping this holiday season.  It will be ubiquitous both in the store and online, and successful brands and advertisers have a tremendous opportunity to differentiate themselves by creating an exceptional mobile experience.”

Key highlights from the study include:

• Price comparison shopping on mobile devices will more than double to 45%, up from 22% in 2010
• 29% of mobile users will use mobile devices to learn about new products or services, and 27% will use their phone when making a purchasing decision
• 15% of shoppers will use their mobile device to make a purchase on their device while in a store

The study questioned mobile users on the types of information that they are likely to research from their mobile devices during the holiday weekend.  Responses were as follows:

Information likely to be researched from mobile	% of mobile users
Updates on sales and promotions	31%
Local store hours and directions	27%
Product information and availability	26%
Product photos	26%
Official retailer apps	18%
Customer support	17%
Other	17%

Frisbie added: “The clear upward trend to mobile shopping further empowers the consumer. Savvy shoppers price check products in-store, putting added pressure on brick-and-mortar retailers to remain competitive.  As a consequence, we expect some great deals this holiday as there is increased competition among retailers on the high street.”

About the study

InMobi conducted an on device survey among 907 US mobile users, questioning planned behavior over the upcoming holiday season.  The survey was conduced Oct 28th to Nov 4th 2011; the data is representative of all major platforms in the US market, including Android and iOS.

Forecasted numbers are based on percentage of respondents against the current total number of US mobile users, 123 million users, comScore, November 2011.

Developers are now more compelled to build apps for Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system than for RIM’s aging BlackBerry OS, new research from Appcelerator and IDC revealed Monday. “The third major mobile OS after iOS and Android is now clearly Windows [Phone], driven largely by the Microsoft/Nokia partnership and underscored by the new Nokia Lumia 800,” IDC vice president of mobile and connected consumer platforms Scott Ellisson explained. 38% of survey respondents said they are “very interested” in Windows Phone, which IDC noted is the greatest amount of interest in the platform ever for Microsoft. The same can’t be said for RIM. Only 21% of developers said they were “very interested” in developing for BlackBerry OS and just 13% said they were “very interested” in creating QNX-based apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Read on for more.

Apple’s iOS continues to be the most attractive mobile OS for developers. 91% of those surveyed said they are “very interested” in iPhone development and 88% are just as excited to create apps for the iPad. In addition, the report, which compiled survey responses from 2,160 developers around the world, found that developers are quite excited to create new Android applications for the Amazon Kindle Fire.

“Findings reveal that Amazon’s new Kindle Fire edged Samsung’s Galaxy Tab as the number one most popular Android Tablet in North America, on par with interest for the iPad prior to its launch in April 2010, and second only to the Galaxy Tab globally with developers,” the study said. 49% of North American developers surveyed said they were “very interested” in the Kindle Fire.

The survey also suggests that overall developer interest in Android is fading a bit. 83% were “very interested” in developing Android apps for smartphones, down 4 percentage points from the last survey. 68% were “very interested” in creating apps for Android tablets, down 6 points from the last survey. The full press release from Appcelerator and IDC follows below.

Appcelerator–IDC Mobile Report Finds Amazon Kindle Launching as Leading Android Tablet for Developers in North America

14 Nov 2011

Survey of 2,160 Developers Sees Kindle Fire Interest on Par with iPad in April 2010; Microsoft Moves Decisively Ahead of RIM Through Nokia Partnership to Challenge Apple

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – November 14, 2011 – Appcelerator, the leading integrated mobile platform for rapidly developing native and HTML5 mobile Web applications using open Web technologies, and industry-leading analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC), today announced results from a new joint survey of 2,160 Appcelerator developers around the world. Findings reveal that Amazon’s new Kindle Fire edged Samsung Galaxy Tab as the number one most popular Android Tablet in North America, on par with interest for the iPad prior to its launch in April 2010, and second only to the Galaxy Tab globally with developers. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 also decisively moved ahead of RIM’s BlackBerry OS to become the clear number three mobile OS behind iOS and Android.

Appcelerator and IDC also continued their research into how companies are making the move from the Web to mobile. This quarter the report dives deep into understanding the priorities companies are making with their mobile strategy and how mobile is fundamentally transforming customer relationships. The full report is available free for download:http://appcel.us/q4_2011_report.

“The third major mobile OS after iOS and Android is now clearly Windows, driven largely by the Microsoft/Nokia partnership and underscored by the new Nokia Lumia 800,” noted Scott Ellison, vice president, Mobile & Connected Consumer Platforms at IDC. “Amazon has shown exceptional early success in appealing to developers with the Kindle Fire showing that price and differentiation are keys to competing in the crowded Android tablet space, rather than simply chasing the iPad market.”

The Rise of Amazon, Microsoft, and Samsung … and an Improved Outlook for Nokia

As the mobile industry advances, contenders are finding success by securing new footholds and partnerships to compete against Apple’s dominance. Amazon announced the Kindle Fire, a smaller, cheaper Android-based tablet that leverages its large content library while Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is building strong European developer enthusiasm thanks to its Nokia partnership. Developers and businesses gave high marks to these moves, which contrast sharply against BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry’s QNX-based PlayBook, and webOS, all of which collapsed in interest with developers this past quarter. Below are the topline findings from this quarter’s report:

• Amazon’s new Kindle Fire ignites developer interest. When surveyed among 15 Android Tablets, the low-cost, content-rich eReader was second only to the Samsung Galaxy Tab globally in developer interest. A regional breakdown shows Amazon edging Samsung in North America for the top slot. At 49% very interested in North America, the Kindle Fire is just 4 points less than where interest was in the iPad prior to its launch in April 2010.

• Appcelerator and IDC found in January 2011 that among developers price was the single most important factor for Android Tablets to compete successfully against the iPad. Fast forward to November and developers cite price again as the leading reason for interest in the Kindle Fire. Rounding out the top 5 tablets, respondents eye Amazon’s rich content ecosystem, Appstore, target demographic, and eCommerce integration as the key reasons for interest in the new eReader.

• When considering Kindle Fire’s potential drawbacks, fragmentation and lack of features like camera and geo-location were the two top concerns cited by developers.Assuming Amazon sells well this holiday season, Android developers will need to consider yet another set of different capabilities. The difference this time? Google will be less able to exert control over Amazon’s divergent Android path.

• Windows Phone 7 separated from the pack to become the clear number 3 mobile OS this quarter. The OS climbed 8 points to 38% of respondents saying they are “very interested” in the platform — the highest ever for Microsoft.

• Microsoft is enjoying symbiotic success with Nokia. When asked why developers are more interested in Windows Phone 7 now than a year ago, a plurality (48%) are saying it is the Microsoft/Nokia partnership. Nokia also received high marks for its new Lumia Windows Phone 7 smartphone announcement last month. Twenty-eight percent of developers said they are “very interested” in developing for the device. This is more than double the interest in Nokia’s own Symbian and MeeGo OSes since Appcelerator began reporting mobile platform interest in January 2010.

• This quarter saw a sharp fall-off in developers reporting that they are “very interested” in RIM offerings with BlackBerry OS phones dropping 7 points to 21% and PlayBook QNX-based tablets dropping 6 points to 13%. Put another way, there is now more interest in Nokia’s new Lumia Windows Phone lineup than RIM’s smartphones.

• HTML5 continues to keep developer interest. Sixty-six percent of developers are very interested in building HTML5 mobile Web sites, the same as last quarter.

• Connected TV app development interest continues to slide. A year ago, 44% of developers were very interested in developing for Google TV. Even with a second version announced last month, only 20% expressed the same enthusiasm for Google TV this round. Apple TV, however, saw a smaller decline from 40% a year ago to 27% today.

• iOS continues to reign at number 1 with 91% of respondents saying they are very interested” in developing for the iPhone, followed by the iPad at 88%. Apple continued to hold onto its number 1 position in part due to iOS 5, which was cited as the most significant announcement this past quarter.

• Android phones fell nearly 4 points to 83% while tablets fell nearly 6 points to 68%. While the drop was likely due in part to renewed interest in iOS 5, developers nevertheless saw Samsung’s rise to the number 1 smartphone manufacturer as the second most significant development of the past quarter after iOS 5.

A Deeper Look at Mobile Priorities Across the Mobile Relationship Lifecycle

Over the past couple quarters, Appcelerator and IDC have been analyzing how businesses are making the move from the Web to mobile. Earlier this year, we discussed how companies were maturing through several phases of adoption. This quarter, we asked developers and businesses to rank 24 mobile objectives for their most recent application. We then clustered this analysis into what we call the “mobile relationship lifecycle” to define objectives in four areas: reach, engagement, loyalty, and monetization.

• Reach: Businesses view deploying to multiple devices with native applications and mobile websites as the number one priority. Making the transition more efficient by leveraging a company’s resources also ranked high.

• Engagement: Building applications that are easy to use with a native-user interface was the next most important objective, followed by application performance. Both are seen as key to driving engagement with users and echo the general sentiment that application utility is critical. These core concerns trumped even media, location and social features in priority.

• Loyalty: Application notifications and using analytics to measure application feature usage ranked in the middle of the pack for most respondents.

• Monetization: Advertising still trumps in-application purchasing as a preferred monetization model. When it comes to mobile commerce, the top priority is making payments easy.

A complete breakdown of these trends and a more detailed analysis is available online. To access the Appcelerator/IDC Q4 2011 Mobile Report, please visit: http://appcel.us/q4_2011_report.

About Appcelerator

Appcelerator is the leading enterprise-grade, cross-platform development solution on the market today, with over 1.6 million developers using its software to power over 30,000 cloud-connected mobile, desktop, and web applications used on 30 million devices every day. The company’s flagship offering, Appcelerator Titanium, is the only mobile cloud platform to enable fully native, cross-platform mobile app and HTML5 web development, from a single codebase. Appcelerator’s customers can leverage their existing skills and open, industry standard technologies to decrease time-to-market and development costs, increase customer adoption and revenues, and enjoy greater flexibility and control. For more information, please visitwww.appcelerator.com.

Amazon is seeing huge pent-up demand for its Kindle Fire tablet ahead of launch according to data from a recent study. Market research firm ChangeWave conducted a survey of 2,600 consumers in an effort to quantify demand for Amazon’s upcoming Kindle Tablet. In a note to clients on Wednesday, RBC analyst Mike Abramsky presented ChangeWave’s data, which shows strong demand that exceeds pre-launch demand for the iPad as determined by a similar survey in 2010. Read on for more.

According to ChangeWave’s survey, 5% of respondents have already pre-ordered Amazon’s Kindle Fire, or they are very likely to purchase the tablet following its launch next week. Another 12% of respondents say they are somewhat likely to purchase the device. A similar survey conducted in 2010 ahead of the iPad’s launch found that 4% of respondents were very likely to buy the tablet and 9% were somewhat likely.

Apple’s iPad was the first modern media tablet on the market when it launched last year. As the category was unfamiliar at the time, it is possible that consumers were hesitant to commit to a purchase. Now that tablets have flooded the market, however successful or unsuccessful most models may be, consumers are likely familiar with the device category and therefore more comfortable with committing one way or the other.

The more interesting stat, perhaps, is that more than a quarter of respondents in ChangeWave’s survey who confirmed an imminent Kindle Fire purchase said they would buy the Amazon tablet in place of an iPad.

“Tablet contenders (Xoom, Galaxy Tab, PlayBook, etc) have failed to gain appreciable traction against iPad’s est. 67% share, and iPad 2 should be a popular holiday purchase,” Abramsky wrote in his note. “However, strong early Fire uptake seems likely, raising speculation Apple now faces a real tablet contender. Survey data says 26% of likely Fire buyers (i.e. of the 5%) say they will delay/put on hold iPad buying. Sustained Fire uptake and ‘buzz’ will depend on consumer/reviewer reactions to Fire’s user experience.”

Amazon’s Kindle Fire launches on November 15th for $199 and pre-orders have been very strong. Analysts estimate that the online retail giant could sell as many as 5 million Kindle Fire tablets in the holiday quarter this year.