Apple vs. Android: Market Research Insights and Consumer Preferences

The assignment aims to analyze how Apple can capture more market share than Android devices. Interviews with Samsung users, who could have purchased iPhone6 or iPhone7 but chose not to, were conducted. The respondents stated that they prefer Samsung due to its multitude of features and reliability, which are lacking in Apple phones. They view Apple phones as a status symbol rather than a functional device. The study highlights the importance of features and reliability in purchase decisions, with focus group participants making an effort to prove their purchase was an informed decision.

Running Head: MARKET RESEARCH
Market Research

MARKET RESEARCH 1
The market research problem that has been picked for the assessment is given below:
How can Apple capture more market than Android devices?
The selected respondents for the interviews have been picked from the known friends. Both of
the users are using Samsung 8 which is a high end Android phone from Samsung. The focus
groups are also using high end Samsung phone.
These individuals are picked because the price in which they are using the Samsung phone, they
could have purchase Iphone6 or Iphone7, however they are using Samsung. Therefore, it has
been expected that unearthing the answer to that question may help resolve the market research
problem.
Initially none of the participants were taking the interview seriously and denied sitting for the
interviews. However, few requests helped resolve the situation. They did not allow recording the
interview. For the focus groups, four of the connections were picked the Facebook personal
connection list. All these individuals were also enjoying the Samsung phone and not Iphone
In the interview, both the respondents were male and in the focus group, two were male and two
were female. The respondents were in the age group of 20-30 years. All of these people, in the
interview or in the focus group, were heavy users of the phone. They can be found highly active
on the social media channels through their phones.
In the beginning of the interview, no stimuli were used and only the purpose of the interview was
stated. However, after a while, the respondents were shown the IPhone 7’s advertisement, that
was picked from the Apple’s YouTube channel.

MARKET RESEARCH 2
The interviews went well and both the respondents stated that they like their purchased Samsung
phone because it comes with multitude of features which is lacking in the Apple Phones. They
stated that Apple phones are good but it is more to showoff and they need phones full of features
and not a status symbol element. Therefore they purchased Samsung. The small IPhone 7 ad
shown in the middle of the interview was liked by them. But they still stuck to their choice.
The respondents in the focus groups also had the similar orientation. They stated the similar
reasons and the features of the Android phone stood at the top. The respondents were also asked
that then ‘why they have purchased Samsung only, and why not others’. Their answer was that
the Samsung phone is reliable. It has less chance of getting damaged in comparison to other
brands.
The insights obtained from the Focus group and the Interview is that the feature has been the
important element to make the purchase. Another important aspect is the reliability that exudes
from the brand. However, the focus group was bit more repulsive it looked as if they were
making effort to prove that their purchase has been an informed decision and is right.
The pros of the one to one interview are that it allows more insights into the respondents. The
reason is that when the respondents answer the questions, the interviewer gets enough
opportunity to observe the behavioral clue and make conclusions (Hollway & Jefferson, 2000).
Con is that not everyone gets ready for the same and it is time consuming.
The pros of focus groups are that that it increases the reach with the help of online medium. It is
easier to conduct at the comfort of the respondents (Ritchie et al, 2013). Con is that if there is
strong leadership then the views can be altered which was observed in the current focus group
session.

MARKET RESEARCH 3
References
Hollway, W., & Jefferson, T. (2000). Doing qualitative research differently: Free association,
narrative and the interview method. Sage.
Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., & Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2013). Qualitative research
practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage.