When buying a smartphone: Brand loyalty not important - but sustainability is

In Switzerland, over 500 out of a total of 7,785 people who plan to buy a new smartphone in the next 12 months were surveyed. Overall, 35 percent of smartphone owners in Switzerland currently plan to purchase a new device in the coming year. Two factors are decisive for prospective buyers: the functionality of a device and the price-performance ratio. Sustainability more important than recycling Sustainability is more important to prospective buyers than recycling solutions. 54 percent of the study participants said that the durability and longevity of a smartphone is important to them. Likewise, 54 percent said they would like to have a positive impact on the environment, and as many as 59 percent said they would pay more money for an ecological product. 66 percent of prospective buyers expect manufacturers to be ecological and to act with a focus on social responsibility. Price-performance ratio is more important than the brand Although brand loyalty in Switzerland is relatively high compared to other countries, at 43 percent almost half of prospective buyers would consider another brand. All generations in the group of respondents - Gen X, Gen Z and Millennials - agree in the percentages. However, the breakdown between men and women and between short-term and long-term prospective buyers is interesting. For example, Swiss men and long-term prospective buyers are more likely to switch brands than women and short-term prospective buyers. The factors that further influence the decision to buy are package deals (38 percent), lower costs for the device or mobile contract (27 percent) as well as warranty and after-sales service after purchase (27 percent) and innovative hardware (26 percent). When asked about functionality, 62 percent of respondents said they would rather buy a smartphone where the price/performance ratio is right than the current most popular brand. Functionality is more important to 68 percent than the brand itself. In addition to a good offer, 44 percent are persuaded to change brands by a better battery and 43 percent by a better camera. An average of 2.5 hours on the smartphone Overall, smartphone owners spend an average of 2.5 hours online with their device. To do this, they spend most time messaging (80 percent), taking photos (67 percent), social media (62 percent), watching videos (58 percent) and reading articles (54 percent). When watching a video, smartphone owners prefer short clips under 10 minutes (35 percent) and music videos (28 percent). If they read an article, 48 percent prefer general news, 45 percent entertainment topics and 41 percent interesting facts about travel. 68 percent of prospective buyers come into contact with information about smartphones primarily through advertising on news sites and online magazines. More 5G than 4G smartphones are already sold worldwide James Aylott, Teads' Strategic Accounts Manager, said, "In January 2022, the smartphone market globally experienced a key inflection point when the sales rate of 5G-enabled smartphones reached 51 percent, outpacing 4G smartphones for the first time. Our study shows that consumers are clearly ready to upgrade their devices. The latest smartphones certainly play a role in this, but what is perhaps most exciting is the willingness of consumers to consider switching to a new smartphone brand. With such a wide range of factors at play when deciding on a consumer's next smartphone, our research shows that advertising has a significant role to play in helping consumers understand the key features and benefits."