According to a new study by a European analyst group, consumers hate Apple's latest iPhone 5 flagship smartphone but love the Samsung Galaxy S4.
We already know there's a fierce competition between Apple and Samsung, not to mention the other smartphone makers, but what do consumers have to say about the new flagships? Apparently, enough to paint a pretty clear image.
We Are Social scanned Twitter, forums and blogs following the launch of four major flagships: the iPhone 5 launched in September 2012, the Samsung Galaxy S4 in March 2013, the BlackBerry Z10 in January and the Nokia Lumia 920, first announced back in September last year.
Apple's iPhone 5 faced the biggest criticism following its launch. According to new research, one in five posts on social networks criticized Apple's new flagship, with the most complaints referring to the new power socket, the barely-accurate Apple Maps and the similarity between the new model and previous iterations. Samsung's new Galaxy S4 flagship, meanwhile, got the fewest complaints - just 11 percent, The Daily Mail reports.
The iPhone 5 finally boasted a slightly larger display compared to its predecessors, but the handset still faced a firestorm of complaints. First of all, the Cupertino tech giant introduced a new Lightning to 30-pin power socket with the iPhone 5, which meant that existing iOS users could not use their older chargers with the new device. Apple, of course, charged extra for an adapter.
The mapping issue played a big role as well. While previous iPhones used a Google mapping application, Apple replaced that app with its own Apple Maps in the iPhone 5. Apple was severely mocked for its attempt at a mapping application that misplaced landmarks, gave wrong directions, offered poor satellite images and what-not. In less than two weeks after launching Apple Maps, the company had no choice but to issue an apology and recommend rival services until it sorted out the mess.
Other complaints referred to the quality of photos taken with the iPhone 5, with some users claiming that images had a purple discoloration. Other iPhone 5 owners complained about the coating of their smartphone chipping off, or about the lack of innovation with the new-generation smartphone.
While the iPhone 5 faced the biggest consumer backlash, Samsung had the most "wow factor," said We Are Social senior analyst Ed Kitchingman, according to The Daily Mail. According to the study, 56 percent of discussions praised new or different features in the Samsung Galaxy S4, with an emphasis on its eye tracking technology. Meanwhile, only 29 percent of discussions about the iPhone 5 focused on new or different features, as consumers increasingly complain about Apple's lack of innovation.
Despite all complaints, however, Apple still has the biggest brand appeal. The iPhone 5 was the most talked-about launch on social media, with roughly 1.7 million conversations, while the Samsung Galaxy S4 had 140,000 references, the BlackBerry Z10 had 300,000 and the Nokia Lumia 920 saw 45,000 comments.
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