ipad opinion profile by mytype (july 2010)

The Personality,

Values and Demographicsbehind Consumer Opinions of the iPad

iPad Opinion Profile

July 2010www.mytype.com © 2010

http://www.mytype.com


Executive Summary 4

.......................................................................................................................Introduction 4

..........................................................................................................Other Key Findings 5

.............................................................................................................................iPad Ownership 5

.................................................................................................................................iPad Criticism 5

.............................................................................................................................iPad Awareness 5

About MyType 6

..........................................................................................................................Overview 6

.............................................................................................................................Contact 6

Breakdown of iPad Opinions 7

....................................................................................................................Ten Opinions 7

..........................................................................Report Focus: Three Opinion Segments 8

iPad Owners 9

..........................................................................................................................Overview 9

.................................................................................................What the Numbers Mean 9

.....................................................................................................Personality and Values 9

.............................................................................................................Other Highlights 10

............................................................................................Actual vs. Planned Owners 11

i

Contents

iPad Critics 13

........................................................................................................................Overview 13

..................................................................................................Personality and Values 13


Unaware of What the iPad Is 16

........................................................................................................................Overview 16

..................................................................................................Personality and Values 16


Opinion Segment Graphs 19

...........................................................................................................................Gender 19

.................................................................................................................................Age 20

..........................................................................................Personality Traits (Plasticity) 21

............................................................................................Personality Traits (Stability) 22

...................................................................................Personality Traits (Stability) cont. 23

............................................................................................................................Values 24

....................................................................................................................Values cont. 25

.....................................................................................................................Biggest Sin 26

..........................................................................................................................Location 27

.........................................................................................................Household Income 28

..............................................................................................................Education Level 29

.................................................................................................................Primary Race 30

........................................................................................................Number of Children 31

........................................................................................................Political Orientation 32

.......................................................................................................................Religiosity 33

..........................................................................................Preferred Operating System 34

ii

Methodology 35

........................................................................................................................Overview 35

......................................................................................................Question Refinement 35

...............................................................................................................Data Collection 35

....................................................................................................Sample Normalization 36

..........................................................................................Opinion Segment Formation 36

..........................................................................................................................Analysis 37

iii

Avg Population Selfish Elites Independent Geeks

33%

4%

11%

4%

18%

3%

Executive Summary

INTRODUCTIONMyType, a personality-typing application for Facebook users, surveyed over 20,000 people about Apple’s iPad to reveal the personality traits, values, demographics and interests that drive differences in opinion about the new tablet computer. Of the five distinct opinion segments that emerged, two had the most striking profiles: the owners and the critics. iPad owners are best characterized as selfish elites. Wealthier, older and more educated, they are sophisticated, highly value power and achievement, and are not very kind or altruistic. iPad critics, on the other hand, tend to be independent geeks: self-directed young people who look down on conformity and are interested in video games, computers, electronics, science and the internet. These results suggest that the iPad is seen more as a power tool for elites than as the newest gadget for technology geeks.

www.mytype.com © 2010 | 4

INTERPRETING THE DATA

Roughly 18% of selfish elites are iPad Owners, making them up to 6 times more likely to own an iPad than the average person. Independent geeks are up to 3 times more likely to be a critic of the iPad.

Prevalence of iPad Owners and Critics by Psychographic Segment

*Respondents who indicated a certain, near-term intent to purchase an iPad were counted as Owners. For rationale, see the methodology section.

iPad Owners*iPad Critics



OTHER KEY FINDINGS

IPAD OWNERSHIP

Though the iPad is billed as a leisure and entertainment device, people interested in business and finance are significantly (greater than 50%) more likely to be owners of the iPad than those interested in movies, music, books and literature, the arts, the internet, video games, shopping, food & drink, and/or nightlife.

People who plead guilty to sins of indulgence are more likely to own an iPad. Those who identified lust as their biggest sin are 70% more likely, while self-professed gluttons are 88% more likely.

People in their 40s, the oldest age bracket in our sample, are two times more likely to be an iPad Owner than those in their late 20s.

IPAD CRITICISM

Macintosh users are more likely to be iPad Critics than Windows users. They’re also more likely to be Owners. Windows users are more likely to simply not be interested.

In their independence and geekiness, Critics are like early technology adopters. They lack, however, the early adopters’ trendsetting characteristics. Critics are less imaginative, enthusiastic and extraverted than the average person.

Teenagers are over 4 times more likely to be critics than adults in their 40s.

IPAD AWARENESS

People with kind, humble personalities are unlikely to know what the iPad is.

The more children a person has, the more likely he/she is unaware of the iPad. Although among those who are aware of the iPad, parents are much more likely to be owners, and less likely to be critics, than non-parents.

People interested in sports, business and/or news and current events are very likely to know what the iPad is, while those interested in dance, nature and the outdoors, pets and animals, and/or religion/spirituality are not.

Of all levels of religiosity, from non-religious to devoutly religious, devoutly religious people are surprisingly the most likely to be aware of what the iPad is. Non-religious people are the second most likely.

Ethnic minorities in the US are in general much more likely to know what the iPad is than whites. Koreans and Chinese in the US are over 8 times and 5 times more likely, respectively, and US residents of both Middle Eastern and African descent are more than twice as likely.




About MyType

OVERVIEWMyType provides personality and other psychological surveys for Facebook users, making it fun and easy to share and compare results with friends. In the future MyType will make it possible for these users to share their personality with other sites on the web, enabling anything from personality-driven book recommendations to personality-based job matches.

MyType’s unique methodology for developing opinion profiles is based on our ability to survey thousands of psychographically profiled people every day. Contact us for a custom opinion profile for your organization.

CONTACT


[email protected] Leo PlaceWayne, NJ 07470



Breakdown of iPad Opinions

TEN OPINIONSThe more than 20,000 person sample is weighted to be representative, in terms of age, gender and personality, of the general internet-using population living in the United States between the ages of 13 and 49. The following chart shows the breakdown of opinions about the iPad:




REPORT FOCUS: THREE OPINION SEGMENTSThis report focuses on the three opinion segments defined in the table below.

SEGMENT SIZE HOW THEY ANSWERED

iPad Owners 3% Already bought onePlan to buy one

iPad Critics 11% Think itʼs a silly product

Unaware 6% Donʼt know what the iPad is




iPad Owners

OVERVIEWWhen asked about the iPad, these respondents answered that they already bought one or have a certain, near-term intent to buy one. These iPad Owners are best characterized as selfish elites. Wealthier, older and more educated, they are sophisticated, highly value power and achievement, and are not very kind or altruistic.

WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN

PERSONALITY AND VALUES


MOST LIKELY TO BE OWNERSMOST LIKELY TO BE OWNERSMOST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS

Income $200,000+ 3.97

Preferred OS Macintosh 3.08

Ethnicity Other Asian 3.05

Ethnicity Vietnamese 2.93

Ethnicity American Indian 2.72

Income $100,000-$199,999 2.14

Education Level PhD/Post-Doctorate 2.04

Education Level Graduate Degree 1.94

Biggest Sin Gluttony 1.88

Politics Moderate 1.83

Education Level Master’s Degree 1.70

Biggest Sin Lust 1.70

Interest Business 1.69

Ethnicity Black or African American 1.66

Preferred OS Multiple 1.61

Values Low self-direction 1.52

Age 40-49 1.52

As can be seen in the second row of the table to the right, the affinity between iPad owners and Macintosh users is 3.08. This means that Mac users are 3.08 times more likely to be iPad Owners than non-Macintosh users. The affinity between iPad Owners and Linux users, on the other hand, is only 0.71, meaning that Linux users are only around two thirds as likely to be iPad Owners as non-Linux users.

iPad Owners are more likely to have the personality traits and values of the elite. Sophisticated people are 36% more likely to be an iPad Owner. People who highly value power and achievement are also 46% and 36% more likely, respectively.

Selfish people are more likely to be iPad Owners: people who do not value benevolence are 39%



MOST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS (CONT.)MOST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS (CONT.)MOST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS (CONT.)

Kids 1 child 1.50

Values High power 1.46

Gender Male 1.45

Interest Finance 1.44

Ethnicity Japanese 1.43

Values Low benevolence 1.39

Politics Liberal/Progressive 1.38

Kids 3 children 1.38

Personality Sophisticated 1.36

Values High achievement 1.36

Biggest Sin Anger 1.35

Personality Imaginative 1.34

Values Low altruism 1.33

LIKELY TO BE OWNERSLIKELY TO BE OWNERSLIKELY TO BE OWNERS

Income $75,000-$99,000 1.32

Personality Extraverted 1.31

Personality Diligent 1.30

Religiosity Atheist/non-religious 1.29

Interest TV 1.29

Personality Secure 1.28

Ethnicity Korean 1.26

Location Midwest 1.25

Personality Detached 1.22

Personality Tough 1.22

Values High security 1.20

Interest Computers & Electronics 1.20

Location Southeast 1.20

Values High stimulation 1.20

Values High hedonism 1.20

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS


more likely, those who do not value altruism are 33% more likely, and detached/uncompassionate people are 22% more likely.

Extraverts are 31% more likely and secure/confident people are 28% more likely to be iPad Owners.

iPad Owners are nearly twice as likely as Critics to lack self-direction.

People who highly value security are 3 times more likely to be iPad Owners than those who do not.

The upper and upper-middle classes are clearly more likely to be iPad Owners. People with household incomes of over $200,000 are 4 times more likely, those earning $100,000-$199,999 are over 2 times more likely, and earners in the $75,000-$99,000 bracket are 32% more likely. This appears to be more a matter of affordability than class taste, however, as people earning less than $25,000 are 50% more likely to wish they could afford an iPad, and those in the $25,000-$49,999 bracket are also more likely to wish they could afford one.

Across the board, the highly educated are more likely to be iPad Owners. PhDs are over 2 times more likely and people with Graduate and Master’s degrees are 88% and 70% more likely, respectively.

Though the iPad is billed as a leisure and entertainment device, people interested in business and finance are significantly (greater than 50%) more likely to be iPad Owners than those interested in movies, music, books and



LEAST LIKELY TO BE OWNERSLEAST LIKELY TO BE OWNERSLEAST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS

Values High self-direction 0.74

Personality Unsophisticated 0.74

Politics Conservative 0.74

Personality Careless 0.74

Biggest Sin Pride 0.72

Location West 0.72

Preferred OS Linux 0.71

Personality Discreet 0.71

Age 18-23 0.70

Values High tradition 0.69

ACTUAL VS. PLANNED OWNERS


NOT LIKELY TO BE OWNERS NOT LIKELY TO BE OWNERS NOT LIKELY TO BE OWNERS

Biggest Sin Envy 0.83

Kids No children 0.82

Religiosity Devoutly religious 0.82

Interest Pets and Animals 0.82

Education Level Technical Degree 0.81

Age 24-29 0.81

Personality Compassionate 0.81

Interest Nightlife 0.81

Personality Polite 0.80

Location Southwest 0.80

Interest Books and Literature 0.80

Personality Agreeable 0.79

Ethnicity White or Caucasian 0.79

Education Level Bachelor’s Degree 0.78

Personality High benevolence 0.77

Personality Procrastinating 0.76

Interest Religion/Spirituality 0.76

Ethnicity Chinese 0.76

Politics Issue-based/non-ideological 0.75

Age 13-17 0.75

literature, the arts, the internet, video games, shopping, food & drink, and/or nightlife.

People in their 40s, the oldest age bracket in our sample, are two times more likely to be an iPad Owner than those in their late 20s.

People who plead guilty to sins of indulgence are more likely to be iPad Owners. Those who identified lust as their biggest sin are 70% more likely, while self-professed gluttons are 88% more likely. iPad Owners are not likely lazy, however: those who identified sloth as their biggest of the seven sins are only a third as likely as everyone else to own an iPad.

Macintosh users are 3.5 times more likely to be iPad Owners than Windows users.

In the US, Midwest and Southeast residents are roughly 50% more likely to own an iPad than residents of the West.

The “iPad owners” opinion segment is comprised of both actual owners and those who plan to purchase an iPad. These two groups were often, but not always, similar. Here we highlight some of the more significant differences.

People in the $200,000+ income bracket are over 6 times more likely to plan to purchase an iPad, and only twice as likely to have bought one.

Libertarians, envious people and those who lack self-direction all seem to be driven to act quickly on their desire for an iPad. They’re all very likely to have purchased an iPad and not very likely to plan to purchase one.



LEAST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS (CONT.)LEAST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS (CONT.)LEAST LIKELY TO BE OWNERS (CONT.)

Gender Female 0.69

Ethnicity Filipino 0.68

Personality Temperamental 0.68

Personality Neurotic 0.68

Income $25,000-$49,999 0.67

Values Low conformity 0.65

Education Level Associate’s Degree 0.62

Education Level Some high school 0.61

Values Low stimulation 0.60

Personality Insecure 0.57

Values High altruism 0.56

Values Low power 0.55

Politics Cynical/alienated 0.55

Values Low achievement 0.51

Income Less than $25,000 0.51

Income $50,000-$74,999 0.50

Politics Libertarian 0.50

Location Alaska or Hawaii 0.46

Politics Uninterested 0.45

Values Low security 0.45

Biggest Sin Sloth 0.38

Preferred OS Windows 0.33


Macintosh users may be more patient: they are 4 times more likely to plan to buy an iPad, and only 2 times more likely to have already bought one.

Actual owners are significantly more selfish (low benevolence and low altruism) than planned owners, though both have selfish tendencies.

Actual owners are 50% more likely to value conformity, while planned owners are only half as likely.



MOST LIKELY TO BE CRITICSMOST LIKELY TO BE CRITICSMOST LIKELY TO BE CRITICS

Kids No children 2.43


Age 13-17 2.01

Age 18-23 1.84


Age 18-23 1.73

Religiosity Atheist/Non-spiritual 1.72

Ethnicity Middle Eastern 1.66

Gender Men 1.64

Biggest Sin Greed 1.61

Ethnicity Indian 1.61


Interest Video games 1.59


Personality Aggressive 1.46




Ethnicity Pacific Islander 1.34

iPad Critics

OVERVIEWWhen asked about the iPad, these respondents answered that they “think it’s a silly product.” iPad Critics are best described as independent geeks. They are self-directed non-conformists interested in video games, computers, electronics, science and the internet. They tend to be young men with no children and little interest in family.



There are several indicators of independence among iPad critics. Libertarians, those cynical of or alienated by politics, people who value self-direction and do not value conformity, people who do not have children and/or those not interested in family are all significantly more likely to be critical of the iPad.

In their independence and geekiness, Critics are like early technology adopters. They lack, however, the early adopters’ trendsetting characteristics. Critics are less imaginative, enthusiastic and extraverted than the average person.

As one might expect, stern people tend to be Critics. Those who are tough, aggressive, closed-minded and/or do not value benevolence are all more likely to be critical of the iPad.



LIKELY TO BE CRITICSLIKELY TO BE CRITICSLIKELY TO BE CRITICS



Education Level High School 1.27

Values High self-direction 1.27


Personality Unsophisticated 1.26

Age 24-29 1.26

Values Low conformity 1.25

Personality Reserved 1.24


Interest Science 1.23

Biggest Sin Pride 1.23

Personality Matter-of-fact 1.21


Interest Internet 1.20

Interest Automobiles 1.20

NOT LIKELY TO BE CRITICSNOT LIKELY TO BE CRITICSNOT LIKELY TO BE CRITICS

Education Level Phd/Post-Doctorate 0.83



Personality Down-to-earth 0.81

Personality Sophisticated 0.81

Education Level Master's Degree 0.80

Location Midwest US 0.79





Values High Conformity 0.77

Interested Home and Garden 0.76

Interest Family 0.76


Income $75,000-$99,999 0.76

Income $25,000-$49,999 0.75

Personality Agreeable 0.75

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS


Though many geeks are among the first owners of the iPad, they are disproportionately critical. Linux users and those interested in video games, computers and electronics, science, the internet and/or automobiles are all significantly more likely than the average person to be iPad Critics.

Teenagers are 4.2 times more likely to be Critics than 40-49 year olds.

Macintosh users are more likely to be Critics than Windows users (affinities of .97 and .9, respectively; not shown in table to the left). Linux users, however, are by far the most likely to be Critics (2.28).

Libertarians are 2 times more likely to be Critics than those not interested in politics.

People who identify pride as their biggest sin are 56% more likely to be iPad Critics than Owners.

iPad Critics are significantly less wealthy and less educated than Owners.



LEAST LIKELY TO BE CRITICSLEAST LIKELY TO BE CRITICSLEAST LIKELY TO BE CRITICS

Interest Health and Fitness 0.74

Values Low Self-Direction 0.74

Income $75,000-$99,999 0.74

Education Level Associate’s Degree 0.72


Religiosity Somewhat religious 0.69

Age 30-39 0.68


Ethnicity “Other” Asians 0.66


Gender Women 0.61

Kids More than 3 children 0.59

Ethnicity American Indians 0.56

Kids 1 child 0.56

Income $200,000+ 0.52



Age 40-49 0.34

Parental Status 3 children 0.32




MOST LIKELY TO BE UNAWAREMOST LIKELY TO BE UNAWAREMOST LIKELY TO BE UNAWARE


Preferred OS Windows 2.29

Gender Women 2.25





Ethnicity White/Caucasian 1.42


Kids More than 3 children 1.40

Location Alaska and Hawaii 1.38

Personality Down-to-earth 1.38




Interest Dance 1.35

Values Low achievement 1.33

Unaware of What the iPad Is

OVERVIEWWhen asked about the iPad, these respondents answered that they “don’t know what the iPad is.” Many of their notable characteristics are to be expected: Microsoft Windows users, women, the less educated and the less wealthy are all significantly more likely to be unaware of what the iPad is. From a psychological perspective, however, the segment is less predictable, with kindness, humility, anger and temperamentality all appearing high on the affinity list. Overall this segment is not as cohesive as the Owners or Critics, which is to be expected given that they are defined by a shared ignorance rather than shared opinion.



Kind, humble people are particularly likely to be unaware of what the iPad is. The following traits and values have a high affinity with this opinion segment: compassionate, down-to-earth, discreet, polite, highly value benevolence, and/or do not much value power, achievement or hedonism.

At the same time there is a more volatile contingent of this opinion segment. Angry, temperamental and/or insecure people are more likely to be unaware, as well as those who are cynical of or alienated by politics.



LIKELY TO BE UNAWARELIKELY TO BE UNAWARELIKELY TO BE UNAWARE

Personality Discreet 1.30

Kids 1 child 1.30

Personality Unorganized 1.29

Religiosity Spiritual but not religious 1.28




Interest Nature/The Outdoors 1.25

Values High benevolence 1.24


Personality Careless 1.23

Personality Temperamental 1.23

Personality Insecure 1.23

Interest Pets and Animals 1.23

Interest Religion/Spirituality 1.23


Values Low hedonism 1.21

Location Midwest US 1.21


NOT LIKELY TO BE UNAWARENOT LIKELY TO BE UNAWARENOT LIKELY TO BE UNAWARE

Personality Assertive 0.83


Personality Diligent 0.82

Location Northeast US 0.81

Personality Matter-of-fact 0.81

Interest Video games 0.80

Ethnicity Pacific Islander 0.79



Values Low security 0.77

Personality Extroverted 0.77

Personality Aggressive 0.76


Income $75,000-$99,999 0.76



OTHER HIGHLIGHTS


In the US, Koreans are over 8 times more likely to be aware of the iPad than Whites. Chinese are 5 times more likely, and both Middle Eastern Americans and Blacks/African Americans are more than twice as likely.

Of all levels of religiosity, from non-religious to devoutly religious, devoutly religious people are the most likely to be aware of what the iPad is.

The more children a person has, the more likely he/she is unaware of the iPad, but, among those who are aware of the iPad, parents are much more likely to be owners, and less likely to be critics, than non-parents.

People with a household income of more than $200,000 are over 5 times more likely than those earning less than $25,000 to be aware of the iPad.

People who identify greed as their biggest sin are over 4 times more likely to be aware of the iPad than those who answered gluttony.

People interested in sports, business and/or news and current events are very likely to know what the iPad is, while those interested in dance, nature and the outdoors, pets and animals, and/or religion/spirituality are not



LEAST LIKELY TO BE UNAWARELEAST LIKELY TO BE UNAWARELEAST LIKELY TO BE UNAWARE

Income $100,000-$199,999 0.73

Biggest Sin Sloth 0.72

Religiosity Devoutly religious 0.72

Politics Issue-based 0.71

Ethnicity Filipino 0.67

Interest Automobiles 0.67

Kids No Children 0.66

Ethnicity Hispanic 0.68



Personality Intellectual 0.65

Interest Sports 0.63

Interest Business 0.63

Education Level Master's Degree 0.63

Preferred OS Multiple 0.62

Interest News and Current Events 0.60

Ethnicity Middle Eastern 0.60

Ethnicity “Other” Asians 0.58

Education Level PhD/Post Doctorate 0.55

Ethnicity Black or African American 0.52

Education Level Pride 0.48

Politics Moderate 0.48

Gender Men 0.44

Preferred OS Macintosh 0.36

Biggest Sin Greed 0.33

Income $200,000+ 0.25






Opinion Segment Graphs

GENDER

Male

Female

.2 .9 1.6 2.3 3.0

Owners Critics Unaware




AGE

13-17

18-23

24-29

30-39

40-49

.2 .7 1.1 1.6 2.0





PERSONALITY TRAITS (PLASTICITY)

Extroverted

Introverted

Assertive

Discreet

Enthusiastic

Reserved

Sophisticated

Unsophisticated

Intellectual

Down-to-earth

Imaginative

Matter-of-fact

.6 .8 1.0 1.2 1.4





PERSONALITY TRAITS (STABILITY)

Agreeable

Tough

Compassionate

Detached

Polite

Aggressive

Conscientious

Careless

Diligent

Procrastinating

Orderly

Unorganized

.6 .8 1.1 1.3 1.5





PERSONALITY TRAITS (STABILITY) CONT.

Assured

Neurotic

Composed

Tempermental

Secure

Insecure

.5 .7 .9 1.1 1.3





VALUES

High Power

Low Power

High Achievement

Low Achievement

High Hedonism

Low Hedonism

High Stimulation

Low Stimulation

High Self-Direction

Low Self-Direction

.4 .7 1.0 1.3 1.6





VALUES CONT.

High Altruism

Low Altruism

High Benevolence

Low Benevolence

High Tradition

Low Tradition

High Conformity

Low Conformity

High Security

Low Security

.4 .7 1.0 1.2 1.5Owners Critics Unaware




BIGGEST SIN

Anger

Lust

Greed

Pride

Overeating

Laziness

Envy

.3 .7 1.1 1.5 1.9





LOCATION

Northeast

Southeast

Midwest

Southwest

West

Alaska and Hawaii

.4 .7 .9 1.2 1.4





HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$200,000+

$100,000-$199,999

$75,000-$99,999

$50,000-$74,999

$25,000-$49,999

<$25,000

Don't know

Prefer not to say

.2 1.2 2.1 3.1 4.0





EDUCATION LEVEL

PhD/Post Doctoral

Graduate Degree

Master's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Associates Degree

Technical Degree

Some College

High School

Some High School

Not Applicable

Prefer not to say

.4 .8 1.3 1.7 2.1





PRIMARY RACE

Prefer not to say

White or Caucasian

Other Asian

Chinese

Filipino

Japanese

Vietnamese

Korean

Pacific Islander

Hispanic

Middle Eastern

Indian

Black/African American

American Indian

.1 .8 1.6 2.3 3.0





NUMBER OF CHILDREN

No children

1 child

2 children

3 children

4+ children

Prefer not to say

.3 .9 1.4 2.0 2.5





POLITICAL ORIENTATION

Liberal/Progressive

Moderate

Conservative

Libertarian

Issue-based, not ideological

Uninterested

Cynical/alienated

Other

.1 .7 1.3 1.9 2.5





RELIGIOSITY

Devoutly religious

Somewhat religious

Spiritual, not religious

Non-religious/atheist

.7 1.0 1.2 1.5 1.7

Unaware Critics Owners




PREFERRED OPERATING SYSTEM

Windows

Macintosh

Linux

Multiple Operating Systems

Other

.3 1.0 1.7 2.4 3.1





Methodology

OVERVIEWThe MyType research team collected iPad opinions, demographics and psychographics via MyType’s psychology surveys. We then normalized the sample to be reflective of the bulk of the internet-using US population. Finally, we divided it into manageable opinion segments in order to deliver key insights. Only the critical methodological details are described here.

QUESTION REFINEMENTFrom mid-March through mid-May over 20,000 MyType users located in the US were asked to complete the statement “When it comes to the iPad, I…” while taking one of our psychology surveys. Respondents were offered a variety of answers to choose from as well as an “other” box to type in a custom answer. Each respondent had to choose one and only one answer. After collecting the first one thousand results, we removed answers chosen by less than 1% of respondents and added answers that reflected recurring opinions typed into the other box. We repeated this process after another one thousand results, arriving at the final offering of 10 answer options. Only 1% of respondents elected to type in a custom answer, indicating that most respondents were satisfied with one of the 10 pre-defined answers.

DATA COLLECTIONThe iPad question was inserted in our psychology surveys, which also measure personality traits, values, demographics and interests. Respondents take our surveys in order to get feedback about themselves and compare to friends, meaning that they are more likely to answer all questions honestly than compensated or otherwise extrinsically motivated respondents. In addition, MyType employs a variety of methods to identify less-than-genuine survey submissions and throws them out, including: asking the respondent how truthful he or she was; ignoring duplicate submissions, which indicates an intent to game or reverse engineer the survey; and ignoring submissions with bogus answers like an extremely recent or distant birth year.

www.mytype.com | 35



SAMPLE NORMALIZATIONThe survey sample was normalized to match the gender, age and personality distribution of 13-49 year olds living in the United States. Women and young adults, as well as certain personality types, were over-represented in the raw sample. Fortunately, respondents were naturally well-distributed regionally. Thousands of non-US respondents were not included in the sample for this report. There were not enough respondents older than 49 years to justify expanding the age of the sample.

OPINION SEGMENT FORMATION For this report, we define and assess three distinct opinion segments: iPad Owners, iPad Critics, and people unaware of what the iPad is. The mapping of answers to opinion segments is defined in the following table.

SEGMENT SIZE HOW THEY ANSWERED

iPad Owners 3% Already bought onePlan to buy one

iPad Critics 11% Think itʼs a silly product

Unaware 6% Donʼt know what the iPad is

Those who plan to buy an iPad were included in the Owner segment in order to create a large sample size for that segment. Also, given the wide variety of other choices, including three options for various kinds of indecision, it seems safe to assume that a large majority of respondents who indicated that they plan to buy an iPad will in fact buy one, or at least have a strong intention of purchasing one.

Two other opinion segments were analyzed: those who are undecided (will wait for the consensus opinion; want to play with one first; will wait for later versions) and those who are uninterested (don’t care that much; like the idea, don’t need one). Though these analyses produced a number of interesting results, this report focused on the three most extreme opinions in the sample.




ANALYSISThe primary unit of measure relating attributes to opinion segments is the affinity, defined in the box below.

KEY DEFINITION: AFFINITY

An affinity is the strength of relationship between two subgroups. The affinity between iPad owners and Macintosh users, for instance, is 3.08, meaning that Mac users are 3.08 times more likely to be iPad owners than non-Macintosh users. The affinity between iPad owners and Linux users, on the other hand, is only 0.71, meaning that Linux users are only around two thirds as likely to be iPad owners as non-Linux users.

Those who try to reproduce calculations in this report should note that when comparing affinities, e.g. measuring the affinity of Mac users relative to Linux users for owning the iPad, the two pairwise affinities (3.08 and 0.71, respectively) cannot be directly divided. Instead, their self-selection ratios must be divided, which are not reported here. Whereas the affinity is a measurement of the likelihood for a given attribute in segment A compared to the likelihood among everyone else, the self-selection ratio is a measurement of the likelihood for a given attribute in segment A compared to the general population. When segment A comprises a small percentage of the general population, the two numbers are very similar. When A represents a large percentage, they can be very different.

Affinities in the iPad owner segment are a combination of the individual “already bought one” and “plan to buy one” affinities. Even though twice as many respondents chose the latter, the two opinions are weighted equally for the purpose of calculating the composite affinity. This was done in order to avoid this segment’s profile being dominated by the profile of those who plan to buy. Also, it is likely that many people who planned to buy the iPad over the past few months have already bought one.




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ipad opinion profile by mytype (july 2010)

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