Apple’s public battle with the FBI to gain access to the San Bernadino shooter’s iPhone has not impacted the electronic company’s brand in a statistically significant way.
Apple is fighting a Feb. 16 order from a federal magistrate in California that the company must help the FBI try to get into gunman Syed Rizwan Farook's iPhone. Apple CEO Tim Cook has called the request akin to creating a "backdoor" into the device.
YouGov BrandIndex’s perception data for Apple since that date has been the same for several key demographics. There has been no meaningful movement among adults 18+. The same is true for consumers along party affiliation – neither Republicans nor Democrats have altered their perception of the brand. Also, Apple customers themselves show no significant movement since the story broke.
To measure perception, YouGov BrandIndex used its Buzz score, which asks respondents: "If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?"
