Market research firm Markitecture reported Tuesday the results of a recent survey to judge interest in the iPhone among existing cell phone users. While the iPhone ranked surprisingly high in consumer awareness, most respondents said there was little, if any chance, that they’d actually buy one.
Based on a poll of 1,300 people who owned a cell phone and were responsible for the monthly payments, 77 percent of those polled said they’d heard about the iPhone. Forty-one percent of those familiar with the iPhone had a good impression based on what they’d seen and heard, according to the firm.
But despite that strong initial impression, two-thirds of those familiar with the product said there was “zero chance” they’d buy one. Six percent said they’d like one — and that’s not bad news, according to Markitecture.
“While 6% may appear low for a high-profile product launch, it actually may actually be very strong for the cell phone market,” reads a statement offered by the firm. “The highly successful Motorola RAZR after its launch in 2004 achieved a 6% market share at its peak.”
With the ubiquity of cell phones in today’s marketplace, six percent is still a big number. AT&T recently reported that it’s fielded more than a million inquiries about the iPhone since the device’s preview at Macworld Expo in San Francisco this past January.
The price was the number one factor for why respondents weren’t going to switch to the iPhone — it will retail for $499 or $599 respectively, depending on capacity. Issues related to the carrier (it will be carried exclusively by AT&T in the United States) and contracts came in a close second.