Survey: 29% of smartphone owners, 47% of iPhone 4 owners disappointed in iPhone 4S

By on Oct 13, 2011 at 1:20 PM
mobile October 13, 2011

The idea that consumers were disappointed in the iPhone 4S has been tossed around quite a bit since Apple took the wraps off its latest smartphone last week. Looking beyond knee-jerk reactions, we thought it was pretty peculiar to suggest that that the iPhone 4S was disappointing, and we said the numbers would soon do the talking. The numbers have spoken, of course, and the iPhone 4S will be Apple’s biggest iPhone launch yet when the handset becomes available on Friday. In fact, pre-orders have now sold out from all three major U.S. carriers that offer the new iPhone. Despite the phone’s popularity right out of the gate, however, it looks like there are still a substantial number of consumers who were hoping for more out of Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone. Read on for more.

According to Retrevo’s survey of more than 1,300 U.S. consumers, 71% of smartphone owners said they were not disappointed in the iPhone 4S while 29% were disappointed to some extent. 7% of those disappointed in the phone wanted it to have a larger display, 11% wanted a new design and 17% were hoping for a 4G-enabled iPhone. Respondents were able to indicate more than one area of disappointment.

More interestingly, perhaps, 47% of current iPhone 4 owners said they were disappointed in Apple’s new iPhone 4S following its unveiling. 12% were hoping for a bigger display, 21% were sad the new iPhone didn’t feature a revamped design and 29% wanted 4G.

“Although some expressed disappointment in the lack of ‘iPhone 5′ features it appears that interest is high and demand will be strong for iPhone 4S especially among current iPhone owners,” Retrevo’s Andrew Eisner wrote on the company’s blog. “It also doesn’t appear likely that you’ll see many customers camping out in front of Apple stores around the country like we have for products in the past.”

Retrevo’s survey also found that of those respondents who plan to purchase the iPhone 4S, 44% are iPhone 3G or 3GS owners, 42% are iPhone 4 owners, 24% currently own BlackBerry handsets and 12% own Android smartphones.

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  • Sonya

    I was disappointed until they announced Siri. I’ve upgraded my phone every year since I’ve had the Motorola V710 and I’m not going to stop now. I know a lot of people who do the same so why bash people for upgrading the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S. I think it’s worth the upgrade, unless you have to pay full retail, but I just take other peoples upgrades to who don’t use them so works out fine for me.

  • RH

    They may be disappointed, but you know good and well the fanboys will be in line come Friday.

  • Anonymous

    24% of all smartphones owners planning to get one is huge !

  • Anonymous

    Didn’t iPhone 4 users thing that they already had 4G?

    • Vikingdave

      Technically speaking, iPhone 4S is “4G”.  It’s not LTE, but it can be classified as 4G and has double the network data rate of the iPhone 4.

  • Jowek11

    They sold 1,000,000 in 24hrs,  but Apple is also on a 100 different carriers now.  iPhone 4 launch last year they sold 600,000 in 24hrs on only 4 or 5 carriers.   I know its a million, but Is it just me, but it doesnt seem like such great figures, being on 100 different carriers.

  • Stephen Adams

    Survey is bogus, I think….look at the sales numbers and the upgrade numbers. This opinion survey doesn’t seem to match reality….

  • Anonymous

    Sounds like a very good plan to me dude. Wow. I know I am going to stick with my jail broken iPhone4
    web-privacy.eu.tc

  • Anonymous

    Nobody gives a dam about this POS it doesn’t have “LTE” connectivity waste of a post

  • FJW

    how can people be disappointed when today is the actual release date and no one has actually had the phone.  I do not put much credence into this survey and article.  

  • Robert Applegate

    The question is not whether someone who owns an iPhone 4 thinks the 4S is a big deal.  If they had a 4 and bought a 4S, clearly they have no sense any way, by definition.  The question is whether those who have run though older phones like the first or second generation iPhone, have found it to be an effective upgrade.

    The 4S is fantastic by any measure in that realistic frame of reference.  This thing does in 2 or 3 seconds what used to take a whole minute.  And 4 G will come along, we all know that nothing is ever as easy as it ought to be.

    Get a grip people! 

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