How many cell phone users don't understand there are different OS's?

[testarosy]

Why I ask:
I was at a major retail store which was offering a promotion requiring an app. Now I admit that I didn't bother to check til after I declared there was no app for my Windows phone. The associate assured me there was if I just went to the store. By this time I had, and as I'd expected, there was no app from that retailer. The associate looked also, and btw was easily able to figure out how to navigate to the right place and there was still no app. I kept saying that mine was a Windows phone and it just didn't register at all on this person.
This made me wonder just how many people buy a smartphone not really understanding that there are different operating systems, not choosing based on operating systems, but choosing simply by name recognition?

 

[Guytronic]

Good question and thread.

I have family members that believe any phone or tablet is an iSomething.
Doesn't bother me at all since the majority of the globe doesn't consider an OS as an important thing.
What works for them works and what doesn't work causes them to seek professional advice with a possible jump to something else.

Techknowgeeks or software developers are the only people that pay attention.
The other 689 billion people could care less IMO...

 

[Josiah23]

That's interesting.

Usually when a retail store (especially a major one) has an app, they usually specify which platform it's available on. Android, IOS, WP, etc...

My guess is that the guy doesn't pay much attention outside of the "more recognized" mobile devices such as Android (Samsung, LG, etc...) and IOS

I'm not sure why but if I mention anything about Windows Phones, they have no idea what they are and what I'm talking about, lol...

 

[tgp]

I would guess that most users have no idea of their phone's OS. They would identify it by the brand: iPhone, Samsung, Nokia.

I'm just imagining someone who always used Nokia. 5 years ago it would have run Symbian. Later it would be Windows Phone. And now Android. When they buy a new one, they probably think "This looks a little different than the last one." and carry on, attributing the change to updates and having no idea it IS a totally different OS.

 

[testarosy]

If name/brand recognition is a primary factor and if that's built on real or perceived value, what would be the one word hook for people to pick a Windows phone? Example: IPhone = exclusive, Android = affordable, Windows phone = ???
Seems like this was the battle for which there was no plan

 

[Guytronic]

Windows phone = ???

I actually discovered WP because a neighbor had an AT&T 520.
He showed it off a little and I had no idea what it was.
However he said it was an 30 dollar upgrade or something like that.

I went home and searched on Amazon and found the T-Mo 521 on sale outright for $117.00 usd.
Bought one immediately.

So for me it was "affordability"
**I was 60 years old at the time of purchase.

 

[anon(50597)]

I agree with everyone. The average user has no idea, as long as it works for them. If you figure about 98% of people are using ios or Android it makes sense because, unfortunately, there isn't a lot of competition.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[meattray]

Yeah I'd guess they identify more with the brand as stated above such as Samsung or Applie etc as opposed to the actual iOS or Android.

I think more and more people are starting to become familiar with the os's though as these devices become a bigger part of our daily lives.

 

[libra89]

I think it probably depends on the people.

In my experience, it's a common assumption that if it's not an iPhone, it's an Android. I remember one time when my (former) coworker asked me what my phone is. He asked if it was iPhone or Android, and my answer was "neither" and he was shocked.

Also, I don't know if it's just in my peers, or this is regional, but I feel like some people look down on their phones if it's not a top Samsung or iPhone. I notice this more with people that have Androids.

 

[Josiah23]

@libra89
I asked someone if they use Android, IOS, or a WP, and the response was "neither, I have a Samsung" I chuckled a little bit (but was dying on the inside) lol. This was the first time I ever got a response like that. This was very recent too, so I really wasn't expecting it.

 

[tgp]

In my experience, it's a common assumption that if it's not an iPhone, it's an Android.

That's an accurate assumption. You would be correct more than 99% of the time, which is probably a rate better than the national average on pretty much any subject! :smile:

Also, I don't know if it's just in my peers, or this is regional, but I feel like some people look down on their phones if it's not a top Samsung or iPhone.

I was in Spain a few days ago, and I noticed that almost all phones actually are Samsung or iPhone! My anecdotal observation showed probably 90% Samsung, slightly less than the remainder iPhone, and almost nothing else.

I guess I've not really encountered people looking down on choices of phones in real life. The only places I've observed it is on fan forums such as this one, where I would expect it. In real life, nobody seems to care.

 

[Timbre70]

Maybe that Samsung is running on own OS or WM.

 

[Josiah23]

Maybe that Samsung is running on own OS or WM.

Were you referring to my post?

She was using a Samsung Galaxy S5, I believe it has the "Lollipop or Marshmallow" Android version. It'll be cool if Samsung had they're own OS away from Android itself. That'll be very interesting!

 

[Guytronic]

My sister told me a while back during dinner that her son (my nephew) was always on his iPhone.
He was clutching a Samsung S7

 

[libra89]

That's an accurate assumption. You would be correct more than 99% of the time, which is probably a rate better than the national average on pretty much any subject! :smile:



I was in Spain a few days ago, and I noticed that almost all phones actually are Samsung or iPhone! My anecdotal observation showed probably 90% Samsung, slightly less than the remainder iPhone, and almost nothing else.

I guess I've not really encountered people looking down on choices of phones in real life. The only places I've observed it is on fan forums such as this one, where I would expect it. In real life, nobody seems to care.

I don't really see it much, maybe it's just some of my peers. One of my friends like to joke and say that you (general you) upgraded if you get an iPhone, and that "people try the others but they always come back to Apple". He's just funny in general but I have heard similar statements offline a few times.

On the note of looking down on phones, I have also seen the attitude of people saying that they have this phone (usually Android) but they don't really get it. Those people feel like they just deal with their phones. I rarely ever see that with people who use iPhones.

 

[tgp]

A customer called into work awhile ago and wondered if he could get some help with installing something on his iPad. I don't normally do PC repair, but since I have an iPad and am familiar with iOS, the receptionist scheduled the job for me. He brought it in later, and he had a Surface device!

 

[libra89]

A customer called into work awhile ago and wondered if he could get some help with installing something on his iPad. I don't normally do PC repair, but since I have an iPad and am familiar with iOS, the receptionist scheduled the job for me. He brought it in later, and he had a Surface device!

LOL, why do people do that? I don't know if I should blame Apple and/or trends for this.

So many people call their tablets iPads, including my very own mom even though we always correct her to say that it's not one. Her brother does the same thing too.

 

[Drael646464]

It's an early market thing. Back in the early days of vacuum cleaners people used to call them "Hoovers". In the early days of the PC, people pretty much thought of IBM.

Early, pre-saturated markets are associated with premium products focused on brand recognition. Late, post saturation markets are associated with price-point competition, diverse brand selection and more purchasing pragmatism (and more general sense of what is really up).

I think you could say phones are close to "peak" (Think last quarter was a mere 2% growth), so we will see that slowly change as years go on.

Whether than means the average jo, knows about less common OSes like windows10 m is another issue, but its a world in which branding becomes less primary. And a world in which old people don't call tablets and smartphones iSomething

 

[raycpl]

Here's a different take... Every time I take a flight, you'll hear the the announcement for passengers to switch off their phone at such and such a time... and so many people totally disregard the announcements...
I won't be wrong to say, these stubborn people are always using Androids. Once a while I see a apple user sheepishly tapping away...
... but, i have never, ever ever seen a WP user doing that.. (Haha. I know we exist in small numbers, but its true...)

... !!

 

[Timbre70]

Were you referring to my post?

She was using a Samsung Galaxy S5, I believe it has the "Lollipop or Marshmallow" Android version. It'll be cool if Samsung had they're own OS away from Android itself. That'll be very interesting!

Samsung did have their Bada OS on some of their smartphone series.