DigitalMR Web Listening Report on Tablet PCs — Apple iPad Accounts for Nearly Half of Negative Customer Comments Online with 46% Share

(PRWEB) January 18, 2012

The overwhelming majority of customers are highly positive in their views on tablet PCs as expressed on the internet. Social media research specialist DigitalMR measured thousands of comments for slate devices across September-October 2011. Over two thirds (68%) of all views measured were positive with only 32% negative. Apple recorded a 33% share of all positive comments but more worryingly a 46% of the smaller pool of negative ones. Next placed is Amazon with 19% of positive mentions and only 13% of negative, followed by Samsung with 15% of positive mentions and 18% of negative ones.

The high percentage of negative Apple comments is likely to be related to problems that users faced in upgrading to Apple’s new iOS 5 software in October.

Results are based on comments posted by consumers on the major tablet models made by: Apple, Motorola, Samsung, Blackberry, HTC, LG, HP, ASUS, Sony and Amazon across September-October 2011.

DigitalMR’s analysis (powered by SocialNuggets) is based on comments posted via a range of relevant websites and open access social media platforms. It measures, not only the number of comments posted by consumers on the internet, but also their sentiment – whether posts are positive or negative in nature.

Managing Director of DigitalMR, Michalis Michael commented: “Apple’s high negative score shows they may have become a victim of their own success with iOS 5. The free upgrade caused a spike in demand, leading many users to complain on forums that they kept getting error messages and that the download was taking too long.”

All the brands measured, achieve a positive Net Sentiment Score (NSS) for Sep-Oct. NSS provides an overall percentage score of net positive posts. A positive score means a tablet attracts a higher proportion of positive than negative posts.

The average NSS taken across all brands measured is 36% which is very high compared with other industry sectors. This is good news for the tablet industry as it shows that generally customers and very satisfied with their products and are happy to spread the word online.

However Apple achieves the lowest NSS of 21%, just below Motorola with 22%. The best NSS scores are achieved by newer entrants to the market achieve. Sony is top with 87% (although this is based on a relatively low number of mentions overall) followed by Asus with 73%.

DigitalMR measured thousands of customer posts across Sep-Oct regarding the features that tablets offer. The most talked about features (both positively and negatively) are “operating system” (18% share of positive comments vs 30% negative) and “application” (20% positive vs 21% negative).

Click here for more data

In their words –customer comments sample for models with the highest and lowest Net Sentiment Scores

Sony:

“I have been using my Sony Tablet S for a couple of days and it’s awesome”.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/archive/index.php/t-1243670.html

Motorola:

“This morning is the second time that my Motorola Xoom has frozen up on me since I received it back from Motorola after the 4G LTE upgrade. Has anyone else had problems with this? I never had any problems whatsoever with this tablet prior to the upgrade”.

https://supportforums.motorola.com/thread/60568

Apple:

“I agree with previous two reviewers – IPAD that worked perfectly, now doesn’t work at all since upgrade, a total waste of money. More than the money, disappointment at being unable to send photos home to loved ones.

http://store.apple.com/uk/reviews/MC531ZM/A

Click here for further customers comments and more about the web listening report

Contact

For regular reports and more information:

Michalis A. Michael

mmichael(at)digital-mr(dot)com,

tel: +44 751 571 0370

http://www.digital-mr.com

About DigitalMR

DigitalMR understands what people think and feel when they share views online. It is a specialist agency which provides a holistic approach to web based market research. It specialises in utilising social media research, especially active web-listening, and online communities to enhance its business consulting approach. The agency has pioneered new methods in online focus groups alongside tools such as video diaries, bulletin boards and online ethnography. DigitalMR is headed by founder and MD, Michalis Michael and has offices in London UK, Nicosia Cyprus, and Columbus Ohio, in the US.

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