Wireless carriers are pushing users to buy Galaxy phones over iPhone, says study

By Williams Pelegrin August 10, 2014

The thought that your wireless carrier wants you to purchase a Samsung smartphone over an iPhone might seem like a far-fetched idea. Yet, according to a recent study conducted by research firm Kantar Worldpanel, that seems to be exactly what’s happening.

Related: iPhone makes gains in United States, hits 42 percent market share

According to the study, 63 percent of people who purchased a device in the first quarter of 2014 were recommended a Samsung device. This represents more than twice the rate of recommendation for an Apple device and almost 10 times more than recommendations for a Nokia device.

These recommendations have had a huge impact on Samsung device sales. About 59 percent of those recommended a Samsung phone went ahead and purchased one, compared to 6 percent who eventually purchased an iPhone, based on the study’s analytics.

There are several factors at play, one of which has to do with subsidies. Unlocked iPhones are almost criminally expensive, which means that the iPhone carries a very high subsidy cost for carriers. These same carriers are concerned that Apple will rack up too much market power, seeing how iOS is not far behind Android with 42 percent market share.

Samsung phones also carry heavy subsidy costs, and Samsung arguably has as much brand recognition as Apple, but there is one thing that is apparent whenever Apple comes up in a conversation: loyalty. As Kantar Worldpanel notes in the study, “Consumers purchasing Apple’s iPhone models are the ones doing the least amount of pre-purchase research.” This is because Apple fans know that they’re going to get an iPhone and don’t need someone else’s recommendations to try and allay or augment that want.

Related: Ready for the Galaxy Note 4? Samsung sets Unpacked event for September 3

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Williams Pelegrin

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…

Mobile

How to schedule a text message on your iPhone

Close-up photo of the Messages app on an iPhone.

Do you often send text messages to a friend or family member across the pond? Or do you want to message someone when you know they’re off work and are able to get to you in a reasonable manner? Maybe you want to send a message every day at the same time, to let your significant other know you’re on the way home and to ask if they need you to pick up anything.

If you said yes to any of these scenarios (or other ones you have in your head), you may be looking for a way to schedule text messages on your iPhone. After all, this is a feature that Android users have, and it can often prove incredibly convenient.

Mobile

iPhone SE deals: Refurbished 2nd and 3rd Gen iPhones

apple iphone se 2020 news new black camera and touch id 04152020

Apple’s iPhone is one of the most popular phones on the planet, and whatever its current model happens to be almost always ranks among the best phones. This makes the iPhone an expensive purchase, which is where the iPhone SE comes in. Apple launched the iPhone SE in order to make an iPhone affordable to more people. The SE utilizes technology that’s a generation or two old and will often take the form factor of a previous iPhone model. Right now the it's a great phone to turn to for even more savings. There are some iPhone SE deals to take a look at out there, and while it’s difficult to find newer iPhone SE models, you can shop refurbished knowing the big retailers are likely backing the purchase with warranties and solid return windows. So whether you’re looking for some great iPhone deals or phone deals in general, below you’ll find the best iPhone SE deals to shop right now.
iPhone SE 2nd Gen deals

The second generation of the iPhone SE was initially launched in 2020, but it still manages to keep up with the needs of many phone users today. It utilizes the body of the Apple iPhone 8, which means it will have a home button and fingerprint ID instead of the Face ID technology in current iPhone models. That’s not much to give up, however, as the second generation iPhone SE still has a great display, a 12-megapixel camera with the ability to shoot 4K video, and wireless charging capability.

Mobile

Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513

An iPhone 13 in white color option.

The Apple iPhone is one of the best phones on the market, and because of it they don’t often come cheap. There are some great iPhone deals out there, but it’s rare to find significant discounts on newer models without having to commit to a longterm contract with a carrier, and it’s even less frequent you come across one of the best iPhones with a major price drop. This is where shopping refurbished can come in handy. Refurbished iPhones — for the most part — will come backed with a functionality guarantee or extended return window, making refurbished iPhones as safe of a purchase as shopping new. There are a lot of refurbished iPhone models seeing great price drops right now, which is why we’ve done the heavy lifting of rounding up all of the best refurbished iPhone deals. You’ll find them below, as well as some information on which refurbished iPhone might be best for you.
iPhone XR -- from $136

A refurbished model but one that's unlocked and comes with a full one-year warranty, the Apple iPhone XR is still pretty stylish for its age. It has a large 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792 x 828 resolution with Liquid Retina technology ensuring it looks super sharp. Powered by the A12 Bionic chip, it's starting to show its age but still has potential. There's also a 12MP back camera that can shoot 4K videos while the front-facing camera is 7MP and ideal for selfie-taking.