Though Android Continues To Climb, Millennials Are Looking To Apple

While Apple mildly beat analysts’ expectations on Tuesday, looking forward into Q2 it appears that the tech giant’s road won’t be getting much easier to travel.

Among consumers planning to purchase a mobile phone in the next three months (April, May, or June), more than half (54.6%) are considering an Android device, while fewer (41.5%) are mulling over an Apple iPhone. Further, the disparity between the two brands has grown from 4% in April 2012 to a current 32% gap – bully for Android.

I know, I know. Perhaps this isn’t quite such a fair comparison because it’s comparing one Apple to a basket of Android-powered oranges, including Samsung, HTC , and Motorola. The iPhone’s positioning among consumers in the marketplace is still very strong, but the Android collective is rapidly growing as a part of consumers’ mobile consideration set.

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 debuting imminently – and likely fueling some of the Q2 consideration growth for Google 's Android – a quick temperature reading on this specific device versus the iPhone 5 via our “Hot or Not” feature also reveals some interesting insights. Among consumers overall, the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5 are cooking on even heat with each of the devices rated as “hot” among 58%, closing a slight gap seen last month when we compared the iPhone 5 to the Galaxy S3 model. But let’s add the spice to this test kitchen with a reading from the real trend spotters – Millennials.

Among those born between 1983 and 1995, nearly seven out of ten (67.6%) are turning up the heat on the iPhone 5, while their gauge on the Galaxy S4 is somewhat cooler (61.9%). The devices are more evenly matched among Gen X-ers (1965 to 1982) and the Silent generation (pre-1946), while Boomers (1946 to 1964) look like they’re leading the charge for the Galaxy S4. These results are a bit of a reversal from last year’s Android/iOS match-up where the Android operating system pulled preference among the younger generations.

With Apple enjoying Millennials’ good graces currently, it seems that some of these warm wishes may pay off in the near term. Among Millennials planning a mobile purchase in the next three months, they are nearly 20% more likely to be thinking about an iPhone (49.2%) compared to shoppers overall (41.5%), while their consideration for Android-powered device (55.4%) is relatively flat with average (54.6%).

But that’s just the short term. Can Apple sustain this goodwill? With loyalty shifting as rapidly as the wind blows these days, perhaps this is the question we should be asking ourselves: Can Apple deliver the next best thing?

Connect with me on Twitter: @PJGoodfellow. Check out this month’s Consumer Snapshot and discover more: Prosper Insights & Analytics™.