89% of Brits say smartphone battery life more important than brand or 4G
Battery life is considerably more likely to be rated as important by phone buyers than other features such as a fast processor, a high quality camera, a large screen or 4G capabilities, according to new research.
Apple's iPhone 5s
The study, carried out by GMI, a Lightspeed Research Company, found that 89 per cent of Brits quoted battery life as a leading criteria when buying a new phone, with touchless payment technology and 4G the two features most likely to be rated as ‘not important’ by 53 per cent and 31 per cent of respondents respectively.
When asked about their current model, 70 per cent of respondents said that battery life was an important consideration when they made their purchase decision.
The data also revealed that in addition to playing a key part in the purchase decision, battery life also influences the way people use their phone every day. 12 per cent said they run out of charge on their phone at least once per day and then have to wait to recharge it. A further 17 per cent said this happens every few days.
Ralph Risk, marketing director, GMI, EMEA, commented: “The fact that a long-lasting battery is the leading criteria when buying a new phone may come as a surprise. Whilst consumers are still concerned about getting the basics right, innovative features and ground-breaking apps still help to differentiate the products in a very competitive market.
“Drilling further into our data helps to understand how much impact battery life has on the everyday use of a mobile phone - the majority of people have to recharge their phone at least once per day and a significant number regularly run out of battery whilst using their phone. A strong reliable battery life is definitely still a focus both for consumers and for manufacturers who are constantly working on improving the autonomy of their devices.”
The survey, which was conducted on GMI’s UK online panel across 1,000 UK adult respondents, also found that men are more likely to rate technical features like a large screen more important, while women prefer a high quality camera or well-known brand name.