14 DAY TRIAL // Toluna QuickSurveys has released what it considers to be the first reliable consumer reaction to the launch of the iPad mini and the iPad 4 via an online survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers.
The company found that nearly half of the respondents were upset with Apple for making their relatively new iPads obsolete months ahead of the expected annual refresh.
45% of iPad owners reportedly feel disgruntled that Apple has released a fourth-generation model only seven months after the release of the iPad 3 or, as the company called it up until this week, “the new iPad.”
Conducted online within the United States on October 23, 2012 among 2,000 adults aged 18 and over, the survey revealed a positive reaction to the iPad mini.
14% of respondents said they will “definitely buy one,” and about a third said they’d “probably” pluck out the $329 when it arrives in shops.
Asked to choose from the iPad Mini, Kindle Fire and Nexus 7, most respondents chose the Kindle (46%), followed by the iPad mini (40%), leaving the Nexus at a distant 14%.
Asked about the most impressive features they look for in a tablet, customers noted size, speed and performance, and battery life (in this particular order).
Asked about their general attitude toward Apple, “more than 1 in 4 (26%) believe Apple's reputation has been tarnished by the iMaps fiasco following the iPhone 5 release, and nearly half (45%) believe Apple is an inferior company since current CEO Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs,” notes Toluna QuickSurveys.
Those who already own an Apple tablet are (obviously) the most inclined to purchase the iPad mini, with 30% saying they will "definitely" buy it, and 39% saying they will probably add it to their shopping list.
The survey also found that the cellular versions are marginally more popular than the Wi-Fi-only version, and that many believe the iPad mini will be a hot gift for the holidays.