According to a new study, employees who use iPhones are statistically wealthier, younger, and more productive at work that their counterparts who use other smartphones. 32,000 people were surveyed and placed into categories based on the type of mobile phone they own.
They were then evaluated based on income, the cost of their monthly cell phone bills, how often they use their phone access the internet, their age, and a number of other metrics.
According to the study, iPhone users are more likely to remain connected to their employers’ networks, leading researchers to conclude that this population is more productive.
Regardless, buying an iPhone won’t make you a better person, nor will it directly increase your income. I find it hard to believe that owning an iPhone, or any other device, would be a trigger to move an individual from one demographic (lazy, low-income, old) to another (productive, wealthy, young). The study only looks for correlations, so it could easily be that wealthy individuals are more likely to spend more money for a more expensive device.
Unfortunately, the details of the study are accessible only after paying $750, something I am not prepared to do for a survey that might not have any solid conclusions anyway.
Photo credit: John Larsson
New study shows iPhone users to be in a class by themselves, Neil Hughes, Apple Insider, June 12, 2009
Working iPhone Owners Tap The Mobile Internet, Ted Schadler, Forrester, June 11, 2009
Published or updated June 15, 2009. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
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Luke Landes founded Consumerism Commentary in 2003 and has been building online communities since 1990. Luke, also known as Flexo, has contributed to PC World Magazine, US News, Forbes, and other publications. 
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I know people driving Lexus are richer than people driving GM. I’ll only charge my report for $100.
Well, it’s a good thing that I’m getting an iPhone on Friday! Too bad that I don’t fit the “younger” part of the profile though!
Don’t worry, it will make you younger.
hee hee…thanx nickel!!
Dang! The Jesusphone reverses time? Sign me up!
FWIW, Correlation does mean Causation. Signing up for a $300 phone with an $80 monthly plan is a self-selecting group so it’s already going to skew towards people who can afford that on a monthly basis.
Now what the study may tell you is that many of these folks have their plans paid for by work and it would be interesting to see the compensation adjusted for that fact and then chew on the results.
Chances are those who carry an iPhone get it from work and its paid for by work. My husband is a physician and the smart phone of choice in his company is the Blackberry. Its the phone of choice cause that’s the one the company pays for. Does that mean this network of over 1200 doctors are dumber than their counterparts who carry iPhones?
“Chances are those who carry an iPhone get it from work and its paid for by work. ”
Highly doubtful, unless the company is in the business of making iPhone apps. The younger generation wasn’t about to wait forever for their boss to get them an iPhone. I know tons of iPhone users and we all paid for them out of our own pockets and get a lot of use out of them.
Just goes to show you that you can’t take all studies as gospel. there are many factors not mentioned.
I just got a Palm Pre. Where does that put me?
Staying connected to your employer’s network doesn’t mean you’re more productive. It means you’re anal.
I’ll finally be getting one at the end of the month and we’ll see what happens. I’m expecting a 10% raise on the first day back to work ;) If I get it, I’ll buy you a beer….or 10 of them.
Hey Flexo,
Very interesting post. Which study is this? I’m very curious. Thanks!
- Chelsea, Quicken
Chelsea: The data come from research by Forrester. I included some links below the photo in the article.
Ah nice, thanks Flexo! Missed those links, which I now see are pretty clearly placed :)
Chelsea