Surveys: iPhone users pay for digital content, while Mac users are all individuals
iPhone users are happier to pay for digital content than the wider online population; while Mac users are more creative and individualistic, a pair of surveys released this morning claim.
Media law firm, Olswang, has its eye on the iPhone users which it highlights in its 2009 Convergence Survey, released today. It shows that the iPhone population is a new opportunity for media firms.
According to the research:
- 58% of people would pay to access online a film just released in cinemas,
- 52% would pay for access to a film that will not be on DVD for at least two months
- 40% would pay to access a film which is already on DVD or pay-TV.
However, within the iPhone users demographic, those figures jump to 73%, 67% and 54% respectively.
- 41 percent of iPhone users (as against 30 percent of the general online population) would already be willing to take out subscriptions to access their favourite TV shows.
- 19% of iPhone users surveyed said they access on-demand TV on their handsets
- 37% said they want to access on-demand TV on their iPhone in the future.
The survey also shows 30% of people (42% of iPhone users) would pay for an online book; 32% (43% of iPhone users) would pay for an extract from a travel guide; and 29% (38%) would pay for a magazine.
Olswang surveyed over 1,000 adults and over 500 13-to-17-year-olds about their digital habits. John Enser, partner in its media, communications and technology team, said, “It seems to be that people get used to paying for content, such as an application on the iPhone because it is so easy and the idea of paying for something suddenly becomes much less of a barrier than it is online where people are used to getting so much for free."
Moving along to Mac user data (which we admit to being based on flimsier research than the above), decision-making site, Junch, is claiming that "Mac People" are more individualistic and design-oriented than "PC People.
Analysing aggregated data from 76,000 PC and Mac users asked about aesthetic preferences, media choices, and personality traits, the survey declares that Mac users want to be perceived as unique, prefer bold colors and retro designs, enjoy indie films, and consider themselves risktakers. Those PC users, on the other hand, are more likely to see the world as “different enough already” and appreciate “being in tune with those around them.” This is reflected in their more subtle, “mainstream modern” (neither retro nor extremely contemporary) design choices and their practical choices in clothing, footwear, and cars that favor getting the job done rather than making an overt design statement.
From a personality perspective, Mac People are more likely to describe themselves as “verbal”, “conceptual”, and “risk takers”, with PC People countering that they are “numbers oriented”, “factual” and “steady, hard workers”.
Interestingly, PC users like John Travolta, while Mac users prefer The Wire.
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Comments (34)
great. just when I wanted to get the best portable browsing product -- talk of how it has become a target for media firms...
p.s: that garbage about "risk takers"... wouldn't buying the most "popular" mobile device (according to pie charts) be the opposite?
"I'm gonna do somethin' crazy today, and buy what everyone else already has!!!"
To the earlier poster: actually, the "risk takers" poll was about Mac users, not iPhone users.
More importantly, though, it's worth pointing out that it's quite likely that the overall population of "individualists" is actually higher amongst PC users than among Mac users.
It's likely that there is considerably more than 5-7% of the population that "want to be considered unique" and "consider themselves risktakers." It's just that they're not as large as the population of PC users who just want a computer that gets the job done.
One example category: people who build or modify their PC's enclosure so that it really is unique. Far more of these people use PCs, because it allows them more choice in hardware elements to use. Macs are great computers, but surely a handmade steampunk-style PC with accents in brass and leather makes a stronger statement about uniqueness than owning a Mac.
My take on these guys is exactly the opposite. Their goal (generally) is not create something new or unique; it's to build something bigger, faster, more powerful. Like "tuner" cars, the combinations and permutations are mind boggling, but in the end they're all building the same thing. But when you get down to it, there's not much difference between Radeon 1GB video card with a 1TB Western Digital HDD, and a GeForce with a Seagate drive. Those aren't exactly "risk taking" decisions.
As for the numbers, you're looking at them sort of "sideways." The two populations (PC/Mac) are large enough that raw numbers (like market share) don't matter. If you randomly select the same number of users from each group (a statistical sample), you will get exactly the same result. Whether you use 1,000 PC users and 1,000 Mac users, or 9,000 PCs and 1,000 Macs, or even 1,000 PCs and 9,000 Macs, you get the same answer.
It shows that more of the people who buy PCs want a computer to "just get the job done." Mac users want and expect their computer to help them do more. That's a large part of the buying decision. It's also why the $300 PC is so popular and why Mac doesn't make one; a $300 PC can "just get the job done" for many, and Mac users don't want/need that type of computer.
(and steampunking a Mac is like tricking-out an Aston Martin Vantage; sure you can do it, but why would you?)
You're funny...
People with more money (and can therefore afford a more expensive phone like the iPhone) spend more money than those that perhaps don't have as much money.
So they justify stealing stuff on the 'net? 'I don't have money, but I waaant it, Waaaaaaaaah!'
My definition of a "risk-taker" would be anyone foolish enough to try to run a business with Windoze.
I run a medical office and our docs demand macs because they are much more productive with them doing the same job faster, better, and with more creativity.
As the owner of the practice I can tell you that apples are more stable than PC's and the maintenance and replacement cost are WAY below PC's In the long run Mac is the way to save money.
I feel I take a risk every time I boot up one of my PC's. And I'm always racking my brain trying to get it to perform tasks, install software, etc. Probably had the thing apart a hundred times. I think that takes at least a little creativity to keep it running.
I also have a Macbook Pro and it just always work - no tech savvy needed. I did replace the hard drive myself though and that was easy compared to Thinkpad surgery.
My son uses Mac and has gone through three computers to my one PC. They are more expensive to buy and they keep breaking down!
I keep hearing this PC vs Mac argument comparing their relative hardiness, and I always think that there is no way we can judge based on individual's personal experiences. For instance I had four pc laptops in 2 years (they all broke in more or less the same way, too) until I got fed up and got a Mac, which has been running smoothly for the last two years with no problems whatsoever. This is a stark contrast to your experience. All the stories cancel each other out.
I was always reluctant to switch to Mac from PC because I had used PC all my life and knew how to troubleshoot away all the (many) problems, but after switching to Mac I found that I didn't HAVE to. I have no idea how to fix my Mac if it breaks because it has never happened before.
I took a risk switching to Mac. It sounds like a trivial risk, but it's not really. I spent $2000 on a machine I didn't even really know how to use and wouldn't be able to afford to replace any time soon. I depend on my computer both because I'm a total nerd and because I need a stable computer professionally. All my life Mac was kind of the boogieman but it was all total Windows user propaganda. I would never go back to Windows. I could be lured back to PC to check out the Google Chrome OS, but with the exception of that I am a solid convert.
Per above comment: I also have a Macbook Pro and it just always work - no tech savvy needed.
Of course it does. PC users, etc., have no creativity due to them looking at dirty windows and blue screens of death: http://web.me.com/captcct/Site/Tech_Review.html
And with a Mac your creativity shines brightly.
http://web.me.com/captcct/Site/Video_Den.html
http://web.me.com/captcct/Navigating_The_World/Welcome.html
lol, I crack up everytime I read BS like this. I own 3 PC's, a macbook pro 15" and a G5 tower ( the macs just purchased within the last 6 months) and I can confidently say with no bias and no malice towards either platform...
They are tools, and they work and fail at about the same ratios -
For all the MAC people who scream "they just work" - stop lying. Maybe they just work if you don't try to install any new software other than what they came with when you purchased them, but really, stop the lying and stop the madness. They don't just work, they have as many if not more hardware issues, compatibility issues, etc., as any PC. I know, I work with them and crash them just as much, even when they exceed software manufacturers requirements. I purchase them because its a lot easier to deal with a studio on the west coast in the format that they are using. However, as someone who uses both platforms, don't let great marketing sucker you. I run a shop with over 15 people each running PC's and Macs, and the Macs cause as many problems and are a lot more of a hassle to fix and deal with.
Windows as an OS has its issues, and you can hate them for a lot of reasons, but please, to say that one platform is inherently better than the other is ludicrous.
Welcome to Darwin!
$ uptime
19:06 up 269 days, 29 mins, 3 users, load averages: 0.12 0.18 0.22
2 year old install and if i look at my app crash log, i have about 20 unique crashes for 10 apps. this is on a laptop that is opened up and put to sleep multiple times a day.
Welcome to Darwin!
$ uptime
19:06 up 269 days, 29 mins, 3 users, load averages: 0.12 0.18 0.22
2 year old install and if i look at my app crash log, i have about 20 unique crashes for 10 apps. this is on a laptop that is opened and put to sleep multiple times a day.
My MacBook Pro is over 3 years old. I use it day in and day out and it is the primary computer used for an organization I work for. We use it for graphics, video and powerpoint presentations, all for a live audience. I have worked with HUNDREDS of software programs and never had a hardware problem. The only thing I have needed to do to this computer is add more RAM. Yes they just work. I have owned several PC's from supposedly reputable vendors such as Hewlett Packard and Dell. And I can tell you first hand, they are JUNK. Your assertion that Macs have the same failure rate as PC's is absolutely ludicrous.
I have a hunch what your problem is. You're treating your Macs like PCs. You haven't got Mac Intuition. You've got a different tool in your shop but you haven't developed any sense of how it operates, to make it ring. And if you paid more for them, you should be getting more bang for your buck. Try harder. Try hiring some Mac geeks and you'll see what I mean. You doing something wrong and I'm sure some one out there can volunteer to help you fix it. Unless you really don't want to?
Just testing something, before I write a reply.
Yup.
I find this article...unconvincing. First of all, the article originates from a source that seems to be just a little biased. I'm not accusing the author of blatant plagiarism, I just never believe "study" results unless I can read them myself. Second, I've met Mac and PC users a plenty, and niether one of them seem to be anymore creative (or individualistic) than the other.
And what's all this hubbub of Mac being a superiour computer? They do seem effective, but PC's seem no less effective. I've owned an HP for 2 years, and havn't had any problems at all. I also didn't have to bleed out 2000 dollars to aquire it. And I also feel like I'm an individualistic person. But maybe I'm brainwashed by Windows over the top advertising scheme that wants nothing less then to thwart Mac, subsequently revealing all the horrid things that lay under Mac's un-hip, dry, and boring underbelly. Wait a minute...
Apple fans are ( and always have been ) under the delusion that owning an Apple product,
particularly an IMac, somehow makes them "cutting edge" and "different".
The only fact that this study proves is that Apple users are perpetually
enticed by savvy media presentations into paying exhorbiant prices for poor
quality products that frankly aren't special in any real capacity.
It's a rediculous notion that Apple fans' willingness to pay even more money to access online services doesn't somehow makes them more creative than non-Apple users.
Just think of the Apple drones waiting hours in long lines to buy yet another shoddy product
under the guise of being "different".
Very creative and hip, indeed.
Apple products, as rated by Consumer Reports, are at the top of the list.
Apple customer service are in the industry lead.
Tear down prices of Apple computers compared to Dells typically cost Less then Dell. You can get a cheaper machine, but, yes, Apple doesn't sell cheap machines. More then likely it will be a PC with a substandard component shipped, then a Mac, the Industry statistics tell the story.
Dell makes more profit by selling you substandard components.
If you knew what you were talking about you'd be writing your comments on a Mac.
As a generalization, PC people see their computer as a tool to use and Mac people see theirs as a place where you exist.
There is a kernel of truth in this article. I own a 15 inch Macbook Pro and my wife has a Macbook -we switched last year after our very pricy Sony Vaio's died miserably. Our first, a multimedia laptop, a Sony Vaio A190, was purchase to act as a media server and for editing 3 years of digital home movies from a Sony Digicam. You would think that Sony would work well with Sony -turned out that the A190 was underpowered for anything but light web browsing. Even watching DVD's it stuttered horribly. The other problem was Windows XP -networking was a full time job. Wirelessly printing from our other Vaio laptops (these would edit a movie but were ultraportables) basically didn't work, and access to home server data was dicey and required multiple reboots of all the laptops involved and the Wifi basestation.
Since switching to Mac, everything works. I make movies, I run two blogs, and I can access all my files over a home network and print wirelessly without a hitch.
And no more antivirus is a big plus. Service is like buying a Mercedes and having your brother in law be the owner of the dealership. The two trips to the Apple store for purely service related issues and the one service call went smoothly and comfortably with knowledgeable folks. The Vaio experience was not so great -standing in line at the service counter of Best Buy -handing over the laptop and picking up when they were done -I felt like I was getting a driver's license. Don't bother calling Sony's service -doesn't exist.
As to style, everything just looks better on a Mac. The styling isn't overdone like the glossy/swirly motifs popular on Windows. The fonts are smoothed and incredibly readable -even on my Dell Mini 10V -and even here, the hardware's inferiority highlight's Apple's superiority. The trackpad on the Dell Mini 10V is so comically bad, it shows Dell's deliberate inconsideration of usability and design. Also, while ordering the Dell Mini 10V was easy enough, actually getting it took five calls to India (to very nice people), because Dell took my money but failed to register the order due to a glitch on their website -when you buy, you are given the option of registering as a user but if you opt not to, you don't get your laptop but have your money taken.
As to iPhone -I do believe in paying for content. Its superiority over 2 years is jaw dropping -everybody has had 2 years to catch up and it hasn't happened yet, despite the iPhone being crippled with association with AT&T. I switched to Verizon so I could make a phone call and got an HTC Touch Pro2 and while I applaud HTC's efforts at hiding Windows Mobile's faults, the Verizon App Store is laughably difficult to use and slim in pickings. As soon as iPhone gets another network, I'm going back.
I know not everybody can own a fine luxury car and have to make do with Chevy's, and this is so with the Mac and the iPhone. It's just that everybody else has had a chance to catch up and have everything in front of them to just copy and improve upon BUT THEY HAVEN'T. I chose HTC Touch Pro2 over Droid because of the RAM limitations put on the number of apps you can load, and because the ergonomics of the keyboard were, again, just not well thought out.
Like many surveys - this should be taken with some perspective in mind.
I have used a Mac for many years now and the choice to purchase them (early Performa, PowerMac 8500, Dual 450 G4, Intel Core-duo MacBook Pro) was largely based on software investments. My sense from meeting other users that regularly use/need Photshop, After Effects, Final Cut Studio and other such software is that the platform you started up on is likely what you will stick with because most software can only be installed to one or the other and "pro" software can be expensive. I have seen many friends and family go thru several more PCs than the (relative) few systems I have owned due to various issues (usually related to bugs picked up online). But I have generally accepted that I am likely more diligent in care for my systems as I actually use them in making money. I also account for the fact that few "hackers" bother with the Mac platform. Many "creative" types that I have met did make the move towards Macs but a few of them did so because of the perceived "stability" factor. Most of them made the move to be able to use the Final Cut Pro suite (available only on Macs). In recent years the PC platform has made significant improvements for video and particularly audio production.
Much like the perceived advantages of the cars manufactured in Japan vs. here at home - there will always be a lag in public acceptance of the quality of some products. Apple advertisement has made the most of this perception but I would caution people that think the perception is based only on these ads to reconsider. The users of both these systems have historically made some judgements based on experiences. Though Windows is for sure more stable now and the playing field of PC software that does not "play well with others" has been largely roped in, each system must live with it's reputations and there are reasons that these reputations exist.
this survey must refer to American users, which is a small minority of mobile device users. In Europe, free public wi-fi is common, and we are not forced to buy content usually. I am also American, but I don't fall for this brainwashing that online content always need be paid for. Re-word the survey to offer the very real option of free content and see what the answers are
People need to compare like systems to like systems, not things that are completely different. Comparing a Ferrari to a Semi-truck is the same in the sense that they are both vehicles, just as Mac OS X and Windows are both operating systems, but each is of a completely different design implementation and comes from a different design philosophy. Comparing a Ferrari to a Lamborghini would be a closer fit.
Comparing Windows to Mac OS X just doesn't make sense., yet most people do so because they are computer illiterate. My point isn't really about Mac OS X or Windows, so much as it's about being in the same ball park o n the same playing field.
What if someone said to you that A-1 Steak Sauce is the best and that it's better than a Ferrari, now wouldn't that make you tilt your head and go "WTF?" Dude.. that simply just does NOT make any sense. WHAT are you smoking???" Wouldn't you say something like "uh.. maybe try comparing to say Heinz 57 instead perhaps?"
I dunno.... Maybe I'm just the odd ball for trying to educate the masses of people.
I am not sure if I would describe myself as individualistic or a risk taker although I have been called odd and reckless by my peers. Is that the same? I have been a Mac owner since 1987 and I also work for a very large, blue computer manufacturer ( I own an iPhone as well). I suppose that makes me a little different but I don't really trust the validity of analysis done for most surveys. In fact, I put more faith in a friend survey on FB than one done by OLSWANG or most other media companies.
Hands down mac's rule. It should be no surprise they have been design to be ascetically pleasing along with super stability. I can't believe I waited so long to switch. To be fair there are some great PC's out there but it takes a large amount of money to build a desktop worthy of graphically intense applications or running high end games. My mac book pro can run high end games flawlessly( yes I'm running windows xp along with OSX on boot camp. It's like interracial-integration.
Every single person I know with a mac (and thats a lot, I am a designer and went to art school) has at one point had a major hard drive failure and lost all their data. Most were able to recover it using an expensive recovery service, but they all still swear they that macs are the best. I am convinced their computers have all kinds of problems... they actually don't see them. Marketing and propaganda can do amazing things to someone's mind.