iPhone? Yeah, they've heard of it
April 8th 2008
Pearl Research has announced (.pdf) the release of a study that looks at the iPhone's potential in the Chinese market.
Their conclusion is that China could be a significant market for Apple with its 565 million mobile phone users and trend-conscious consumers.
Key findings include:
• About 68% of the sample (306 people) had heard of the iPhone
-- Females were more likely to cite "trendiness," "design" as a key factor in wanting to purchase
-- Males cited "utility" as the chief reason for wanting to buy
• The high $500 price tag was the most cited reason for disinterest in purchasing an iPhone
• A key selling point for the iPhone is the ease through which users can intuitively surf the Internet on a touch-screen
-- Chinese do not use the mobile Internet extensively due to carriers' high service prices
• About 88% of iPod owners surveyed expressed interest in the iPhone
The study is based on 450 online survey respondents and 24 in-depth one-on-one interviews across both first- and second-tier cities in China.
Editor's note: One of the reasons the iPhone has succeeded to date is because Apple has paired the device with unlimited data plans. I think this single point removes reservations people have about the device's relatively high initial price, which should be just a true in Shanghai as it is in New York...
What's your take?
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