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A combination of faulty mobile devices and ineffective care would cause 31 percent of mobile users to switch to different mobile carriers and another 33 percent to change their device manufacturers, a new study indicates.
In a global survey of more than 1,400 mobile users, Blancco Technology Group found that nearly half (49 percent) said they would seek help within the first three days of experiencing device issues.
Nearly four in 10 (38 percent) cite battery life as the most common type of device issue they experience, while 13 percent say frozen/crashed apps occur most frequently, according to Blancco Technology Group, a specialist in mobile device diagnostics and secure data erasure.
“I was surprised, maybe even a little pleased, to see the replacement cycle for mobile devices shortening,” Amit Mahajan, chief technology officer of SmartChk by Xcaliber Technologies, a division of Blancco Technology Group, told eWEEK. “The largest percentage of respondents, 35 percent, opt to wait two to three years to get a new device, instead of giving in to normal wear and tear. I would have believed the fear-of-missing-out mentality to have the next best device would have yielded a higher percentage. But only 9 percent said they purchase a new model when it arrives in market.”
For 26 percent of respondents, a physical report displaying all diagnostics tests that run on their device would have a 100 percent effect on their satisfaction and loyalty with their mobile carriers and device manufacturers.
Plus, it would factor into the overall satisfaction of 31 percent of respondents, the survey found.
“You might be surprised, but despite our selfie-obsessed culture, camera and video quality and storage space rank fairly low among consumers’ priorities. A mere 2 percent are bothered by their poor camera or video quality, and only 8 percent are frustrated by lack of storage space. I like to think of my phone a lot like my house; as the years go on, you pick up certain items for decoration,” Mahajan said. “But after a while, you run out of space and don’t know where to put them. Mobile devices are the same way.”
Only 2 percent of respondents cite poor camera/video quality as the most frustrating fault with their devices, despite a commonly accepted selfie-obsessed culture. Meanwhile, just 8 percent are bothered by insufficient storage space.
“We use mobile devices for pretty much anything and everything and gladly pay for the privilege,” Mahajan said. “Our eyes—and our heads—are perpetually programmed to look down at our devices, no matter where we are. And consumers expect even more from mobile carriers and OEMs after they’ve been sold the device—in the form of optimal device performance, skilled customer service and effective repairs.”
He noted this falls in line with the findings of their own research, which found that 49 percent of respondents would seek help within the first three days.
“Plus, another 9 percent of respondents are so addicted to their devices that they’d seek help in less than three hours,” he noted.