Apple’s iPhone 7 announcement appears to have stemmed a consumer perception decline over the past several weeks, but consideration to buy Apple products has recently slipped.
While the iPhone 7 is water-proof, has a better camera and longer battery life, the removal of its headphone jack has probably generated the most debate.
The new YouGov BrandIndex metrics come at a critical time:
- The iPhone recently hit its worst consumer perception mark in more than three years.
- Apple brand’s perception itself has been declining in recent weeks.
- Both the iPhone and Apple brands are tracking at almost half the consumer perception levels of last September, when the iPhone 6S was introduced.
Perhaps more concerning for Apple: since the iPhone 7 announcement, both the Apple and iPhone brands have dipped in purchase consideration. Apple fell from 31% of consumers considering purchasing one of its products the next time they are in the market to purchase, to 28%, while the iPhone has edged down from 25% to 24%.
If there is one upside to all these numbers, it’s that rival Samsung is in worse shape while dealing with the Galaxy Note 7 crisis. As we reported recently, until the potentially exploding Note 7 smartphones, Samsung’s consumer perception was significantly ahead of Apple throughout 2016. Now Samsung is at its lowest consumer perception levels in eight years and far below where Apple is currently trending.
YouGov BrandIndex measured Apple, iPhone and Samsung with two metrics: 1) 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?” and 2) Purchase Consideration: "When you are in the market next to purchase items in this particular category, from which of the following brands would you consider purchasing?”
Buzz scores can range from 100 to -100 with a zero score equaling a neutral position. Purchase Consideration is expressed in a range from zero to 100%.
Buzz: Apple, iPhone, Samsung
Purchase Consideration: Apple, iPhone, Samsung
