Recent reports of waning demand for Apple products may be greatly exaggerated, according to the results of a recent study by ChangeWave Research. That source surveyed more than 4,000 North American smartphone shoppers in December and found that exactly 50 percent of respondents desired an iPhone.
Apple's competitors have started to gain ground – the percentage of consumers who said they would purchase a Samsung smartphone climbed by 8 percentage points since the previous survey, conducted in September. However, Apple's iPhone remains far and away the product of choice among North American consumers, said the report.
Samsung's surge could be attributed to the release of its large-screen smartphone, the Galaxy Note II. However, experts from the firm said it's entirely possible Apple could produce a similar product to appease consumer demand.
"With this level of consumer interest, Apple is perfectly capable of producing a large-screen smart phone that's virtually a tiny tablet – they could call it an 'iTab' – and have it on the shelves for the next holiday season," said ChangeWave's Paul Carton.
What could the numbers mean for businesses? For starters, the increased priority consumers have placed on mobile technology suggests the need for experienced in-office Apple support, as many workers are likely to bring these devices into the workplace.
In addition, to encourage smoother integration and take advantage of the functionality benefits inherent in Apple products, businesses may want to consider implementing Apple solutions that can integrate with employees' personal devices. For example, iPad deployment would make the company's revolutionary tablet available to employees, allowing them to enjoy the same productivity and connectivity benefits in the workplace as they do at home with their new iPhone.
