An online survey conducted by YouGov in the days following the launch of Apples iPad shows that awareness of the product is high, but that there remains some confusion about its features and capabilities.
YouGov surveyed 2,047 adults between 29 January and 1 February. 70% of those surveyed, when shown an image and provided with a brief description of the Apple iPad, claimed to have heard about it. 72% of respondents recognized that the iPad has a touch screen, 68% that it can send and receive emails, and 65% that it can connect to the Internet via wi-fi.
The e-reader capabilities of the product are also well recognized with 64% thirds (64%) of respondents expecting to be able to read electronics books and magazines on the device.
Specifically and erroneously, significant numbers of respondents believed that the iPad can make telephone calls (37%); has a camera (38%); and most importantly has a fully functioning, multi-tasking operating system (54%). This figure rises to 61% among the key demographic for products of this type – those aged 25 to 44.
Marek Vaygelt, Head of Technology and Telecoms Consulting at YouGov, points out that misunderstanding of the iPads operating system capabilities is greater among existing Apple customers.
Apple customers who own three or more Apple products have a very high awareness of the iPad but are way more likely than the population as a whole to believe it has a multi-tasking operating system, he says. While this is a software rather than a hardware feature, it suggests Apples core market might want to wait for an upgraded version.
Despite this misunderstanding, while only 7% of total survey respondents believe they will probably or definitely buy an iPad, 23% of owners of three or more Apple products believe that they will do so.
With 40% of British adults owning at least one Apple product, YouGov estimates that the vast majority of iPad sales will come from existing Apple customers, with iPhone and Apple iMac customers the most likely purchasers.