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Thursday 2nd September

Press Release: Miscellaneous Announcements
High Awareness But Limited Understanding Of Apple iPad's Capabilities Among British Adults

Posted at 8:50PM Monday 08 Feb 2010

An online survey conducted by YouGov in the days following the launch of Apple's iPad shows that awareness of the product is high but that there remains some confusion about its features and capabilities.

More than two thirds of British adults (70%) shown an image and provided with a brief description of the Apple iPad, claimed to have heard about it.

A large majority of respondents recognized that the Apple iPad had a touch screen (72%), that it can send and receive emails (68%) and that it can connect to the Internet via WiFi (65%).

The e-reader capabilities of the product are also well recognized with almost two thirds (64%) of respondents expecting to be able to read electronics books and magazines on it.

Specifically and erroneously, significant numbers of respondents believe 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 rise to 61% among the key demographic for products of this type - those aged 25 to 44.

Apple fans may be disappointed

Marek Vaygelt, Head of Technology and Telecoms Consulting at YouGov points out that misunderstanding of the iPad's 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. While this is a software rather than a hardware feature it suggests Apple's core market might want to wait for an upgraded version."

Apple product owners the most likely customers for iPad

Despite this misunderstanding, while 7% of the survey's respondents believe they will probably or definitely buy an Apple 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 Apple iPad sales will come from existing Apple customers with iPhone and Apple iMac customers the most likely purchasers.