Recently, I gave my iPhone 3 to my younger brother, thus, I needed a replacement for it. It was a little difficult decision this time because unlike when I bought iPhone 3, the number of reliable alternatives has grown significantly in terms of value. I have heard good things about Samsung Galaxy from many people and some even give high marks to Nokia Lumia that has Windows mobile operating system.

As I started the evaluation process, security was big on my mind. I did research on internet and talked to people who own smart phones. Apple had many things in its favor in this regard. For example, Apple uses its own operating system which is closed as opposed to Samsung Galaxy’s Android which is a third-party system. Another thing in Apple’s favor was the word-of-mouth marketing. More people I talked to who owned iPhone said they will remain loyal to Apple as opposed to those who owned a model from another company. I may have owned Apple iPhone in the past only but this told me the experience of others was probably not as good as those who owned iPhone. Since I expected to own the next smart phone for at least two years, I didn’t want to take a chance.

As I evaluated different smart phones, I also paid attention to their interface and design. IPhone 5S was sturdier than other smart phones and its operating system was also more user-friendly and intuitive. Similarly, Apple’s complementary products such as apps in the iTunes store were not only greater in number but also of higher quality. I also noticed that many app developers first target iPhone users and then other operating systems such as Android.
I have a busy lifestyle and I use smart phone for productivity purposes also. Thus, being able to take advantage of productive capabilities of my new smart phone in a short period of time was also a priority for me. As I played around with Samsung Galaxy and Nokia Lumia, they appeared to be confusing at times. I calculated it will take me about a month to be as comfortable with any other operating system as I am with Apple’s operating system. Since a smart phone’s productivity capability is important to me, internet speed was also important to me.

Brand was also important to me. I own a number of Apple’s products including iPod, iPad, and Powerbook. All of these products have met or exceeded my expectations and have strengthened my loyalty towards Apple. Moreover, Apple is seen as a market leader. Even though Apple’s products have become more competitive in terms of price, other brands do not have the luxury perceptions that Apple has even though some like Samsung have significantly improved. The brands I use also reflect my lifestyle, thus, iPhone 5S had an advantage due to being from Apple.

As far as customer profile is concerned, iPhone 5S appeals to those who believe in Apple. Customers who are concerned with security and quality of apps may also be drawn to iPhone 5S because Apple is probably the only company that develops its own operating system. IPhone may also be a choice for those who have been using iPhone since its first model and see no reason to try a new product. Customers who want to be seen as cool will also go for iPhone because Apple is seen as hipper than other brands. Customers who mostly use smart phone for productivity may also be drawn to iPhone because there are more productivity apps for iPhone than for other operating systems.