Running Head: IRESEARCH MOBILE

iResearch Mobile Douglas A. Sewell Queens University of Charlotte

IRESEARCH MOBILE Abstract Smartphones have become a significant large part of peoples lives. Phones are used for work, games, communication, reference, and more. As a device that people use

daily, consumers must choose which device they purchase carefully. Smartphones evolve through new hardware components and software features. The purpose of this study is to understand whether or not consumers care for software enhancements when purchasing a smartphone. Students at Queens University of Charlotte were recruited to participate in focus groups that questioned them about their thoughts on their own smartphone, competing smartphones, and their smartphone usage. Seven focus groups were conducted, and each focus group contained between four and seven participants.

IRESEARCH MOBILE Introduction Smartphones have become a large part of peoples daily lives. Whether it is to text a friend or send an important e-mail to a coworker, smartphones can be used for a variety of purposes. In addition to the variety of purposes a smartphone can serve, there are also many different smartphones available to purchase. They run different software, and companies create different user experiences for consumers through their devices. This study seeks to understand the extent to which a smartphones pre-installed software affects consumers purchase choices. This study is not only helpful in determining whether or not the software plays a significant role in the purchase process, but also

shows the thought process a consumer goes through to choose a specific smartphone over another. The open nature of the focus groups allowed participants to speak freely as opposed to being constrained through quantitative questionnaires. Information arose that may not have been possible through quantitative research, and more topics for future research have been made apparent because of it. The following question is the research question in which this study seeks to examine:

To what extent does pre-installed software on smartphones influence consumers choices when purchasing them?

IRESEARCH MOBILE Literature Review Theoretical Framework :: Uses and Gratifications Theory The Uses and Gratifications Theory, while not always specifically defined, has been used since studies of mass communication research began (Katz, Blumler & Gurevitch, 1974). Examining mediums such as comic books, operas, newspapers, etc., researchers sought to learn what gratifications consumers gained from these forms of information. Whether it is specific content or an entire medium of information, the

different research was all about forms of media. Instead of connecting this research into a unified theory, the research stayed separate (Katz et al., 1974). Eventually, studies became more uniform: These more recent studies have a number or differing points, but each attempts to press toward a greater systematization of what is involved in conducting research in this field. Taken together, they make operational many of the logical steps there were only implicit in the earlier work. They are concerned with: (1) the social and psychological origins of (2) needs, which generate (3) expectations of (4) the mass media or other sources, which lead to (5) differential patterns of media exposure (or engagement in other activities), resulting in (6) need gratifications and (7) other consequences, perhaps mostly unintended ones. Some of these investigations begin by specifying needs and then attempt to trace the extent to which they are gratified by the media or other sources (Katz, Blumler & Gurevitch, 1974, p.509-510).

IRESEARCH MOBILE Researchers take different approaches within Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz et al., 1974). Some research seeks to understand the gratifications which different mediums solve, while other research observes the gratifications acquired through mediums, and seeks to understand the need (Katz et al., 1974). Either way, both are similar in nature as they relate to both uses and gratifications. Gratifications Through Belonging

In 2008, researcher Isabel Pedersen explored the idea that new electronics change social interactions (Pedersen, 2008). In 2007, the first iPhone was released in the United States. Despite its release, Canada did not initially have the iPhone for sale. While iPods were available, the iPhone was absent from Apples product line in Canada. The press was reporting on the lack of iPhones in the country, and the press expressed disappointment to not be included in the launch. Pedersen argued that to report on products not being released would mean that there is a line of inclusion (Pedersen, 2008). It is possible that consumers may want a product because others have it, or the marketing is good enough to drive new social interactions. This analysis also supports the Uses and Gratifications Theory because it is about consumers wanting a device to consume media in a way that was new at the time. When the population of Canada could not have the gratification they wanted, it caused many people to become upset with Apple. Other research shows consumers also want what others have due to envy. Through envy, consumers will purchase products they are envious of (Van De Ven, Zeelenberg & Pieters, 2011). For example, if someone envies another person with a certain smartphone, then that person is likely to pay a premium price to close the gap

IRESEARCH MOBILE between themselves and the person they envy by purchasing that same smartphone (Van De Ven et al., 2011). It becomes social reasoning that someone uses a certain product

over its specifications. A product may elicit envy in consumers if it is exclusive and has a higher price (Van De Ven et al., 2011). That would cause those with wealth to purchase the product. When someone owns an envious product, it makes others want that same product (Van De Ven et al., 2011). By making a product exclusive and cost a lot of money, it may ironically boost sales (Van De Ven et al., 2011). A 2010 study conducted by Lam, Ahearne, and Schillewaert showed that consumers view their products as a part of self-identity (Lam, Ahearne, Hu & Schillewaert, 2010). Relationships between oneself and a product brand may cause users to stay with a particular brand (Lam et al., 2010). Once a consumer begins using a product from a specific company, they feel like they are a part of their community. It is as though the relationship between the user and the brand is more important than the user and the functionality of the devices they use. In Korea, a study composed of 239 college students, found that social influences and positive self-image were large factors in smartphone adoption (Chun, Lee & Kim, 2012). This is because smartphones can show affiliations and position within a group of others (Chun et al., 2012).

IRESEARCH MOBILE Not About Having A Smart Phone In 2012, a study conducted with Chinese youths revealed their top four uses of mobile devices: 1. Text Messaging 2. Voice Calling 3. Camera 4. Alarm Clock (Zhen, Honglei & Sen, 2012) Also within the study, 50.5% of mobile device owners said they would not

upgrade their phones within the next one to two years for advanced functionality (Zhen et al., 2012). 33.7% of the participants wrote that they would upgrade within the next two years (Zhen et al., 2012). 15.8% of all respondents felt unsure about whether or not to upgrade (Zhen et al., 2012). The functionality used the most by participants within this study are features that have been in smartphones for years. The purchase choices among consumers may not be about the software installed based off of this study. A study conducted in 2009 had similar results to the study previously mentioned. Instead of being conducted on Chinese youths though, this study was conducted on young Latinos in different countries. The following list is applications that are used the most among young Latinos across several countries: 1. Text messaging 2. Clock/Alarm 3. Calendar 4. Games 5. Note/Memo Pad (Albarran, 2009)

IRESEARCH MOBILE Unlike the previously mentioned study with Chinese youths, these results show some differences in their mobile device usage. However, text messaging was the most used feature in both studies. It may support that despite geographical and social

differences, there could be underlying similarities between cultures regarding mobile use. Personality A study conducted in 2011 sought to learn about personality types and smartphone ownership. However, the results showed that personality traits were not the best way to predict smartphone ownership (Lane & Manner, 2011). Despite this, the study did find that males are more likely to own a smartphone than females (Lane & Manner, 2011). Smartphone ownership is also correlated with age and education (Lane & Manner, 2011). Younger and higher educated people are more likely to own smartphones than older and less educated people (Lane & Manner, 2011). Smartphone Owner Statistics In 2013, the Pew Research Center found that over half of all American adults own smartphones (Smith, 2013). During his study, researcher Aaron Smith found that 56% of all adults in the United States own a smartphone (Smith, 2013). It shows that there are more smartphone adopters than before, and the industry is still growing. Despite there being several smartphone operating systems, Android and iOS are the two largest mobile operating systems (Paul, 2013). Nokia, a company that releases Windows Phone devices is not in the top five smartphone vendors (Paul, 2013). Blackberry, another large phone maker, is also not in the top five smartphone vendors (Paul, 2013). The top five smartphone vendors are Apple and four companies that release mostly Android devices (Paul, 2013).

IRESEARCH MOBILE Literature Conclusion Based on the literature, it seems that most reasoning behind consumer purchase choices for smartphones is socially driven. Software has little effect on swaying consumers to purchase other smartphones. This is reflected in the hypothesis below. Hypothesis: Pre-installed software on smartphones has little influence on consumers choices when purchasing them. Sub Research Question Does the manufacturers software (or lack of software) put on top of Android affect which Android smartphones consumers purchase? Hypothesis: Software put on top of Android has little effect on what Android smartphones consumers purchase. Methodology Objective Smartphones have become a large part of peoples lives. Phones can be used for work, games, communication, reference, and more. As a device that people use daily, consumers must choose what device they purchase carefully. Smartphones evolve through new hardware components and software features. However, the purpose of this study is to understand whether or not consumers care for software enhancements when purchasing a smartphone. This study will analyze the way in which consumers make the decision of what device they will knowingly carry with them everyday until they make another smartphone purchase in the future. The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent to which the software that comes with a device affects the decision-making process.

IRESEARCH MOBILE Participants Due to the study being focused on smartphones, the participants were current owners of a smartphone device. They are at least eighteen years of age, and are current students of Queens University of Charlotte. Each focus group had between four and seven participants, and there were seven focus groups. Focus Group Questions To help address the objective of the study, participants were asked to discuss the following questions: 1. What attracted you to your phone? 2. What made you pick that phone over another phone? 3. What do you feel was unattractive about competing smartphones? 4. How do you feel the experience can be improved in your phone?

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5. If the features you enjoy most on your smartphone were present in other smartphones, would that have possibly changed your opinion of which phone to purchase? 6. Do you see yourself ever switching phones that run different software, such as going from an iPhone to an Android device or vice versa? 7. What features within your phone do you use the most? 8. What features within your phone do you use the least, or not at all? 9. Is it difficult to switch from one smartphone to another? 10. How would an ideal smartphone work? Results and Analysis Rather than have an exhaustive list of all responses from each focus group for each question, results are recorded based on merit. Within the results of each question, all

IRESEARCH MOBILE responses listed were suggested, agreed upon by at least one other person within the

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focus group, and/or it was a response that was mentioned in more than one focus group. The only exception to this is the single Windows Phone user. The Windows Phone participant had her results recorded because she was the only Windows Phone participant. For the analysis, the results will determine if software does affect consumer purchase choices. Other factors, outside of the results, will be taken into account as well. Certain responses that were only suggested by a single participant, responses that didnt answer the question, and nonverbal communication will be factored into determining the extent to which software affects consumer purchase choices. Results Demographic Information Before analyzing the data, several demographics were taken into account. Participants Per Platform Of all the participants in the study, 21 participants (52.5% of participants) were using the iOS platform on their phones. 18 participants (45% of participants) were using the Android platform on their phones. There was also one participant (2.5% of participants) using Windows Phone as her mobile platform. See Appendix A, Table 1 for a visual representation of this data. Platform by Female Gender Out of all female participants, 18 participants (64.3% of all female participants) used iOS as their mobile platform. Nine participants (32.1% of all female participants) used Android as their mobile platform. One participant (3.6% of all female participants)

IRESEARCH MOBILE used Windows Phone for her mobile operating system. See Appendix A, Table 2 for a visual representation of this data. Platform by Male Gender

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Out of all male participants, nine male participants (75% of all male participants) used Android for their mobile platform. Three male participants (25% of all male participants) used iOS as their mobile platform. See Appendix A, Table 3 for a visual representation of this data. Participants with iOS Of all participants with iOS as their mobile platform, 85.7% (18 participants) were female. 14.3% (3 participants) were male with iOS as their mobile platform. See Appendix A, Table 4 for a visual representation of this data. Participants with Android There was an even split for males and females with Android. Of all participants using Android as their mobile platform, nine participants were male and nine participants were female. Each gender made up 50% of all Android participants. See Appendix A, Table 5 for a visual representation of this data. Question 1: What attracted you to your phone? Windows 1. Dislikes Apple. 2. Good customization iPhone 1. Everyone had one. 2. Mac compatibility Android 1.Cost (either cheap, could not afford an iPhone, store had good deal) 2. Personalization More customizable than iPhone 3. Physical keyboards

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Overlap 1. Convenience for information 2. Social media 3. E-mail

Question 2: What made you pick that phone over another phone? Windows 1. Dont like Apple. 2. Wanted to be different. iPhone 1. Simplicity 2. Easily syncs with MacBook/other devices 3. To fit in with others 4. Android had lots of glitches. 5. Loyalty to Apple 6. Android is too complicated. Android 1. Too many people had iPhones. Wanted something new. 2. Better for driving. Great navigation 3. Physical Keyboard 4. Android has more functionality Overlap (iOS/Android) Good Pricing

Question 3: What do you feel was unattractive about competing smartphones? Android (self dislike) 1. Preloaded apps iPhone (self dislike) 1. Square shape 2. Cant delete certain apps such as stocks, newsstand, compass 3. Expensive. Bought an older iPhone to keep it cheap iPhone 1. Android too big 2. Android phones crack easier. 3. Dont know anything about competitors Android

IRESEARCH MOBILE 1. iPhones crack easier 2. Price (iPhones too expensive) 3. Size (iPhones are too small) 4. Doesnt like Apple as a company 5. More features than the iPhone 6. Likes Samsung Android over HTC Android phones Question 4: How do you feel the experience can be improved in your phone? Overlap 1. Better battery life 2. Stronger screen 3. Pre-loaded apps you cant delete should be able to be deleted Android 1. Wants speakers like the front facing ones on the HTC One 2. More storage 3. More user friendly 4. Better phone service iPhone 1. Verizon wont unlock phone. Needs different phone when abroad 2. Too many firmware updates 3. Cursor is annoying to control when typing 4. Better speakers 5. Better camera 6. Ability to use FaceTime with everyone (included non-iPhone owners)

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Question 5: If the features you enjoy the most on your smartphone were present in other smartphones, would that have possibly changed your opinion of which phone to purchase? Android 1. Yes, because most Android owners are getting iPhones 2. Will get whatever is cheapest 3. No, because of certain hardware features that Apple doesnt do (such as expandable memory) 4. Only if it doesnt contain software additions from the manufacturer 5. No, loyal to Samsung 6. No, because everyone has an iPhone 7. No, because iPhones are too expensive 8. No, because Nexus 4 looks prettier than other phones

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iPhone 1. No because used to Apples layouts 2. No because of loyalty to Apple 3. No because of look of iPhone 4. No because iPhones are user friendly 5. No because owns other Apple products. 6. No because of great customer service from Apple

Windows 1. Maybe. Just needs to function well

Question 6: Do you see yourself ever switching phones that run different software, such as going from an iPhone to an Android device or vice versa? iPhone 1. No. Loves it too much 2. Maybe, if devices/services can still integrate with each other in an easy way 3. Yes, but only if there is some familiarity to iOS. 4. Unsure 5. Depends on price 6. No, Apples products are reliable and easy to use. 7. No, too used to Apples system. 8. No, doesnt want to complicate life by switching to something new. Android 1. No, too big of a switch 2. Yes b/c all Android users are getting iPhones 3. Would like to try Ubuntu in the future, but wants to stick with Android 4. No, iPhones are overrated. 5. No, first smartphone was Android. Android is easier to use than iOS 7. 6. Yes, just switched from an iPhone to Android. Enjoying it more. Windows 1. Will try Android, but will probably still use Windows 2. Wont use the iPhone b/c of dislike of design Question 7: What features within your phone do you use the most? Android 1. Google Now 2. Touchless screen controls (exclusive to their Android devices)

IRESEARCH MOBILE iPhone 1. Music 2. Camera Windows Nothing that doesnt overlap with iOS/Android Overlap 1. Navigation 2. Alarm (with Windows) 3. Email (with windows) 4. Texting 5. Voice to text 6. Calendar 7. Notes 8. Internet browsing 9. Phone calls

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Question 8: What features within your phone do you use the least, or not at all? iPhone 1.Passbook 2. Stocks 3. Compass 4. Siri 5. Game Center 6. Face Time 7. News Stand Android 1. Voice recorder 2. Google Shopper 3. Hangouts 4. Play Magazine 5. Google Plus 6. Carrier apps 7. Music 8. Radio 9. NFC 10. Talk 11. ChatOn (Samsung software) 12. Game Hub (Samsung) 13. QR Code reader Windows

IRESEARCH MOBILE 1. Wallet Overlap 1. Almost every pre-installed apps the user cant get rid of Question 9: Is it difficult to switch from one smartphone to another? Android 1.Yes, still uses iPhone for music 2. Yes. Enjoys Android more than iOS, but took time to adjust 3. No, all smartphones are similar 4. Its only difficult to switch brands 5. Yes, it feels weird. iPhone 1.No, its easy. 2. Yes, still learning iPhone stuff. 3. Switching from iOS 6 to iOS 7 was difficult Windows 1. Took some getting used to, but caught on.

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Question 10: How would an ideal smartphone work? Android 1. All phones should look the same. A standard look for all. 2. More storage 3. Good signal 4. Never have to manually close an app iPhone 1. Better camera 2. Interface of an iPhone with functionality of an Android 3. Touchless controls Windows Didnt mention anything that wasnt already mentioned Overlap 1. Delete pre-installed apps 2. Indestructible 3. Better battery life (crossover with Windows)

Analysis

IRESEARCH MOBILE Question 1 Analysis

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Android and iOS users in almost every focus group started with similar answers for Question 1 before giving explanations that are exclusive to their own operating system. It was essentially about information. Users were attracted to their phones because of what they could do without having to be at a computer. What was mentioned the most by iPhone users as to what attracted them to their phones was that everyone else had one. Purchasing an iPhone was more about fitting in with others than the device itself. Social reasons led to users purchasing their devices. However, many of the iPhone owners also own a MacBook. Another reason many users wanted an iPhone was because it would allow for different data to sync across devices with ease. Without specifically asking about mobile software, the ability to sync data cross devices was the first software-related reasoning for purchasing an iPhone amongst participants. Some Android users felt similar to those purchasing an iPhone to fit in, but could not get one due to different circumstances. Some Android users could not afford one while other Android users purchased their device because it was the cheapest they could find, or it was free with a contract. Aside from cost, personalization was a large reason for Android users to prefer the mobile platform over iOS. Participants felt that users could make their devices stand out from iOS users. Without specifically asking about mobile software, personalization was the first reason that was software-related which pleased Android consumers. The participant with Windows Phone disliked Apple. The participant also wished to be different from others. Windows Phone was also attractive to the participant because

IRESEARCH MOBILE of its level of personalization. Similar to Android users within the study, the Windows Phone user wanted to make their device different. Question 2 Analysis

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The purpose of Question 2 was to ask a question, which was similar to Question 1, but to get more results that may not have surfaced in Question 1. Rather than asking what attracted each person to their phone, the question was tweaked to ask why they chose their device over another. The Windows Phone participant gave a similar response. She disliked Apple as a company, and she wanted to be different. The main common response from both iOS and Android users was pricing. Android users felt that their devices were priced well, and so did iOS users. There was no common reasoning in regards to software though. Participants with iPhones gave similar responses to Question 1, but with more reasons. Social interactions and the ability to have software sync with other devices were reiterated. iOS users also felt loyal to Apple. However, simplicity within the mobile operating system was a large reason. Participants felt that the iPhone is easy to operate when compared to other mobile platforms. iOS participants also felt that Android had a lot of bugs in it, and would not function well. Android is also too complicated to use, according to many iPhone users. Android users felt attracted to their phones for social reasons as well. Many participants felt that too many people had iPhones, and they wanted to be different. Purchasing an Android device over an iPhone gave them the ability to stand out. Some Android users had physical keyboards on their phones, and they enjoyed the ability to

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press physical keys. Participants also felt that Android had more functionality than other mobile platforms. Navigation was also well liked by Android participants as they used the GPS functionality when driving. Software was a large factor in purchasing an Android device, but social reasons and hardware (such as the physical keyboard) was emphasized more than the appreciation of software. Question 3 Analysis When asked about what participants disliked about competing phones, many participants also included reasons as to why they disliked certain aspects of their own devices. iOS users disliked that certain apps such as Stocks, News Stand, and Compass could not be deleted. They also felt that iPhones were expensive. One participant explained that she bought an older iPhone model because the newest model was too expensive. iOS participants disliked Android though because they felt that Android devices were too big when compared to the size of the iPhone. They also felt that Android phones crack easier. Another common response was that they purchased an iPhone because they didnt know anything about competing phones. By not knowing anything about competitors, it was not that they were disliked, but it was because they only knew positive aspects about the iPhone. With keeping software in focus, it was apparent that nothing within the software was a contributing factor to purchasing an iPhone over an Android device. While iPhone users felt that Android devices crack too easily, many Android participants felt that iPhones crack too easily. Android users also, like earlier, felt that iPhones are too expensive. Participants felt iPhones are also too small. Some Android

IRESEARCH MOBILE participants do not like Apple as a company. They also felt that Android devices have

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more features than the iPhone. Some Android users like specific brands over others. One user likes Samsung devices over HTC devices because of the overall user interface. Software was not a large factor in these responses either. However, some Android users like specific Android phones over other Android phones. No iPhone users mentioned enjoying a specific iPhone over another iPhone model. In regard to software, Android users mentioned that their devices had more functionality over an iPhone. Android users, like iPhone users, also disliked a lot of pre-installed software on their phones. According to participants, carrier software (such as Sprint or Verizon applications) could not be uninstalled. Both iPhone and Android users disliked that they did not have control over some of the applications installed on their devices. The applications were different, but the reasoning was the same. When asked if any participants use the carriers software that comes pre-installed on Android devices, no participants said they did. With iOS, some participants used apps such as News Stand. However, most did not and wanted to remove them. An application that all iOS participants did not use was the Stocks application. All iOS users within the focus groups wished they could uninstall the Stocks application. Question 4 Analysis Android users did not have any suggestions for software improvements on their devices with the exception of wanting the system to be more user friendly. While it was not emphasized, it was mentioned in several focus groups. Better phone service, better speakers, and more storage on Android devices were also common responses.

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Participants with iPhones also did not have too many improvements they wanted to see within their phones in regard to software. Some users complained of too many firmware updates, and many users wanted to have the ability to utilize Apples video calling service (Face Time) with non-iPhone owners. Participants also wanted a better camera, speakers, and even complained about Verizon not allowing their phones to be used abroad. Both Android and iOS participants wanted better battery life. This was the mostdiscussed improvement from both iOS and Android in all focus groups. Battery life was highly emphasized. Having a stronger screen was also heavily emphasized. In terms of software though, both iOS and Android participants want the ability to delete preinstalled applications. According to participants, neither mobile platform allows for this. Question 5 Analysis Almost every iPhone user within the study would not be willing to switch to another mobile platform. Familiarity, brand loyalty, and customer service were the reasoning. Some participants said that they would consider looking into some Android phones, but would most likely not switch. Software was not a major factor as to why users would not switch. However, familiarity to Apples system was a contributing factor to the small possibility of a switch to another platform. Most Android users would not switch either. One participant felt too loyal to Samsung to switch to another brand. Another user felt that the cost of Apples iPhone would also prevent them from switching. In one focus group, three Android users were planning to switch to the iOS platform because they felt that everybody was getting an iPhone. Similar to previous questions, software was not a major component as to why

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consumers purchase certain phones. It is more about social factors that push consumers into purchasing a certain phone. Price is also another factor. Some Android users said that they would purchase the cheapest phone they could, regardless of the platform. The participant with Windows Phone was open to any platform other than iOS. She said that as long as the phone functioned well, it could be a potential device. As long as the software worked well, then she would be open to it. Question 6 Analysis Question 6 was meant to be similar to Question 5. Both ask if participants would be willing to switch mobile platforms. Many responses were similar. However, some iOS users discussed the possibility of switching if their services could easily sync with each other like their iPhone and MacBook. Another factor into switching is familiarity. The iOS participants did not want to have a completely different system, and they would switch if there were some familiarity to iOS on Android. Most Android users also would not be willing to switch. However, some were open to the idea. One participant wanted to try Ubuntu, another operating system, in the future. Similar to iOS users though, most Android participants felt that switching to another platform would be too much of a change. The participant with a Windows Phone said she would try Android, but most likely stay with Windows Phone. She also dislikes the design of the iPhone. With software as the focus, services and familiarity are the two largest factors for users to switch platforms. iOS participants want the ability to have their devices sync easily. Both Android and iOS would want a sense of familiarity when changing platforms too.

IRESEARCH MOBILE Question 7 Analysis

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The responses to this question had a lot of overlap across mobile platforms. iOS, Android, and Windows users all use the software within their phones to accomplish similar tasks. Despite complaints of how the differently the operating system works, they are all used by the participants for similar purposes. Not every participant uses all of the features mentioned in the results, but multiple participants from differing mobile platforms suggested they use the same tasks. This shows that regardless of the mobile platform being used, most users are going to do the same tasks with their devices through different software. Question 8 Analysis Participants all mentioned features on their specific mobile platform that they dont use, but its also all similar between responses. It is about pre-installed applications. Whether it is Passbook on the iPhone or any of the carrier applications on Android, users are frustrated that they cannot remove different features from their phones that they do not use. The Windows Phone participant did not mention many features she did not use, but she said there was an app called Wallet that she did not use. She also could not uninstall it. Question 9 Analysis Many opinions varied. Some Android users felt it would be easy to switch platforms while others felt it would be difficult. Participants using iOS also had varying opinions. There were no large themes within this question that appeared. Each participant either felt it was easy or that it was difficult. The participant with Windows Phone

IRESEARCH MOBILE explained that it took some time to adjust to Windows Phone, but she managed to learn how to use it over a few days. Question 10 While all three mobile platforms have their differences, there were three items that were discussed for an ideal platform. Participants on Android and iOS want the

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ability to delete pre-installed applications, want a phone that wont break, and want better battery life. The Windows Phone user agreed with wanting better battery life. With the exception of having the ability to delete software, there were no shared views among platforms as to how an ideal smartphone should work. However, neither iOS or Android participants emphasized changes to their mobile operating system. Having a better camera, more storage, better signal, and other enhancements were discussed. However, the operating system itself was fine for everyone. One iPhone participant felt that having better control over a phone by speaking to it, such as the Moto X phone that it was compared to, would be a great feature for iOS. However, iOS users, Android users, and the Windows Phone user seemed satisfied with how the phones already operate within their systems. One iOS participant mentioned that she wished she could have the functionality of an Android device with the user experience of an iPhone, but the other iPhone owners in that focus group disagreed. Conclusion Pre-installed software has does not have a large effect on consumer smartphone purchases. Android and iOS participants in this study used their phones for mostly the same tasks. Android users generally enjoyed having more personalization than iOS users, and they purchased their phones to be different from consumers purchasing iPhones. The

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iOS participants were loyal to Apple, enjoyed having their Apple products sync together, liked Apples simplistic operating system, and purchased iPhones to fit in with others. It was interesting that both iOS and Android participants responses supported each other in terms of social differences. The results support themselves because Android users purchased their phones to be different, and iOS users purchased their phones to be like others. Rather than software, it was the social aspects of smartphone ownership that pushed many participants to purchase the phones they did. The users feel a sense of belonging, depending on which smartphone they purchased. They are also treated as intimate items. In one of the early focus groups, two participants had a Samsung Galaxy S IV smartphone. When they both realized they shared the same phone, they talked to each other a lot throughout the focus group. Together, they worked as a team to make their phones appear better than everyone elses through Samsungs Android features. In several other focus groups, it was almost a battle to make the other mobile platform appear worse than their own. In one of the focus groups, an iOS user explained that Android phones break too easily when dropped. Immediately after that, an Android user said the same thing about iPhones as a counter point. In some focus groups, participants occasionally apologized before saying a negative statement about the other platform to make sure no one would be offended. One participant said to me at the start of one of the focus groups that they were going to only say positive things about Apple. It was as though this participant came to my focus group to win a battle for Apple as opposed to helping the legitimate research this study seeks to gain.

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Unfortunately, the sub research question was not answered in this study. Android users did not discuss much of the features specific to their Android device. That could imply it does not matter what features each Android device has because Android users just want an Android phone. However, that inference does not have much support, and more research is required to support that possibility. The sub research question was not answered. Limitations Demographics were not ideal for this study. They were included within the results because they are worth taking them into consideration for gender roles and which platforms males and females are each more likely to use, but the demographics left a lot of questions unanswered. Different topics and points of interest may have been brought up if more users of other mobile operating systems were present. That is why demographics were not discussed in the analysis of this study. With only one Windows Phone user, most of the study was centered around Android and iOS. If there was more variation in the mobile platforms, the results may have been very different. Due to the social issues that arose during the focus groups, the outcome of the results may have changed. Focus groups with only Android users and only iOS users may have given different results than having focus groups with mixed platforms. Due to the nature of how users were being careful not to offend others or to make their phone seem better than others, different focus groups with various platform configurations may have not only better answered the research question, but open the opportunity for more research.

IRESEARCH MOBILE If the focus groups were varied, such as having a focus group of all Android

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users, then the sub research question could have been supported. Due to the focus groups having both iOS and Android (and one focus group having a Windows Phone user), focusing on the Android users to answer the sub research question would have made the researcher appear to be biased towards Android devices. To avoid the appearance of personal bias, all participants needed to have equality in regards to what questions were asked. In some focus groups, participants were friends. They felt comfortable talking to each other. This may have alienated other participants that were not friends with the other participants. The social issues may have also affected what participants were saying or how they did it based on their comfort level. While no discomfort was visually apparent, it is possible that certain individuals did not speak out of fear of a group of other participants attacking them. Suggestions for Future Research The limitations of this study held the results back, and its correctable through future research. Focus groups should be conducted with various methods. A focus group of all iOS users, a focus group of all Android users, and a focus group with both Android an iOS users could have very different results than the results of this study. Having focus groups with specific platform demographics opens the opportunity to have research conducted for individual platforms. Research could be conducted on all Android users for one purpose, and a study on all iOS users could allow researchers and mobile companies to recognize the ways consumers think on a platform-by-platform basis.

IRESEARCH MOBILE Having more mobile platforms is crucial. It does not matter if the platforms are not considered to be as big compared to platforms like iOS and Android. Having more

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mobile platforms could show why some participants choose a platform that most people do not have, and it also allows for more points of interest to be raised in focus groups with large amounts of platforms as opposed to having two or three mobile platforms. Social complications were not expected to be a big problem with this study, but they may have been. Research on the way people interact with their phones, why they interact the way they do, how they interact with others using the same mobile platform, and how they interact with others using different mobile platforms are all areas of interest. Despite having possible negative effects in this study, future research may benefit from researching into these topics.

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Appendix Appendix A Table 1

Table 2

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Table 3

Table 4

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Table 5

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