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Survey says half iPad owners are angry at Apple for releasing fourth-gen iPad so soon

Published Oct 25th, 2012 12:15PM EDT
Apple iPad 4 Consumer Reaction

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It’s only natural for third-generation iPad owners to feel upset with Apple (AAPL) for releasing a fourth-generation iPad a mere seven months after the former tablet was release. Had Apple announced the fourth-generation iPad would only be an update with a Lightning port and not one with the new A6X processor, maybe so many people wouldn’t feel so cheated. According to Toluna QuickSurveys, 45% of 2,000 U.S. consumers surveyed online felt angry about the new iPad’s launch coming so soon.

Per the iPad mini, 14% of those surveyed said they would”definitely buy” it and 32% said they will “probably buy” it. Interestingly enough, when pitted against the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7, 46% said they’d buy the Kindle Fire. The iPad mini came in second at 40% and Nexus 7 came in last at 14%.

Toluna QuickSurveys cited the iPad mini’s size as it’s most important feature with 25% of those surveyed agreeing and 22% excited for its performance and battery life. But what about current iPad owners buying an iPad mini? Only 30% of those surveyed who already own an iPad said they’d buy the mini.

Toluna QuickSurveys’ press release follows below.

According to Toluna QuickSurveys, 45% of US iPad Owners Disgruntled With Timing of New iPad 4 Launch
iPad Mini still set to be a hit though the Kindle Fire is more popular

WILTON, Conn., Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Within 24 hours of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s unveiling of the new iPad as well as the iPad Mini, Toluna QuickSurveys has the first reliable consumer reaction to the launch via a survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers online. The survey found 45% of U.S. iPad owners feel disgruntled that Apple has released a new iPad 4 only seven months after the release of the latest iPad 3.

Reaction to the iPad Mini was more positive with 14% of respondents saying they will ‘definitely buy one’ and a further 32% say they will ‘probably buy one.’ However, when directly asked which device they would prefer out of the iPad Mini, Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 Tablet, the Kindle came out on top with 46%, followed by the iPad Mini (40%) and Nexus a distant third (14%).

Size was the major factor driving demand for the iPad Mini with 25% saying it was the most impressive feature, followed by “speed and performance” (22%) and enhanced battery life (22%).

The survey also asked U.S. consumers about their general attitude toward Apple. More than 1 in 4 (26%) believe Apple’s reputation has been tarnished by the iMaps fiasco following the iPhone 5 release, and nearly half (45%) believe Apple is an inferior company since current CEO Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs.

Other notable findings from the research found:

  • Current iPad owners were even more likely to purchase the iPad Mini with 30% saying they would “definitely” purchase the new device and 39% saying they will “probably” purchase one.
  • The 3G or 4G iPad Mini is set to be marginally more popular than the Wifi only version with 51% of those intending to buy an iPad Mini preferring the cellular version.
  • Environmental friendly materials are a key driver for more than one-third of US consumers with 35% claiming the environmentally friendly and recyclable materials will positively impact their decision to buy one.
  • The iPad Mini is set to become a hot holiday gift with 1 in 5 (21%) planning to buy the tablet as a holiday gift.
  • The double camera was the least impactful feature with only 7% nominating it as a standout feature.

Methodology: 

This survey was conducted online within the United States on October 23, 2012 among 2,000 adults (aged 18 and over).  Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Toluna surveys online.  Figures for age, gender, education, race/ethnicity and region were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the online population.  In addition, the percentage of iPad owners was weighted to their proportion in the online population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in Toluna surveys, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

For more information on the results from this Survey, please contact quicksurveys@toluna.com.

About Toluna QuickSurveys 

Toluna QuickSurveys takes the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of DIY survey-tools and adds speed and reliability by providing direct access to a global panel of four million people available to respond to surveys. No other survey tool in the market can match the speed, reliability and cost-effectiveness.

To learn more please visit www.quicksurveys.com.

SOURCE Toluna QuickSurveys

Raymond Wong is a technology reporter with a passion for cutting-edge gadgets and clean design. His writing has appeared on DVICE, Ubergizmo, G4TV, Yahoo News, NBC blogs. You might even have seen his videos on Xbox LIVE.