iPhone vs. Samsung UX Case Study In terms of popularity the iPhone is the clear winner. But is the iPhone really as user friendly as widely assumed? eye square performed a comprehensive usability assessment to find out more about the performance of the iPhone 4 in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S II.

1. iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy
A User Experience Case Study

2. The Study
Set Up & Test
phones
User Experience Evaluation using Eye Tracking, i² BrandREACT and an online survey.
Sample: N=20; Age: 25 – 45
• 10 ordinary mobile phone users (non smartphone users)
• 5 iOS (iPhone) users
• 5 Android users Eye Tracking
Test Design: Within Subject Design - each respondent evaluates both smart phones.
Simulation of a daily situation to compare the user experience of the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Task Scenario
Apple iPhone 4
You have received a missed call from an
unknown number.
Please save this number as a new contact,
„Peter Schneider“.
Samsung Galaxy S2
Apple iPhone 4 Samsung Galaxy S2
2
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3. Key Takeaways
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4. Strong brand image of Apple distorts real product experience.
Samsung Galaxy definitely catches up with Apple.
Consumer awareness of the iPhone’s success and its reputation for usability makes users explicitly state that the
iPhone is easier to use and more attractive than the Samsung Galaxy S2.
On an emotional, implicit level users are stimulated by a straight forward and powerful brand image. They associate
positive items faster and more often with the iPhone than with Galaxy S2.
But: Eye tracking data reveals that the real user experience is not always like users say or think it is!
Eye tracking and interaction tracking show scattered attention on the display. Users do not focus on the correct
icons/buttons to solve the task and perform more false interactions than with the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Performance data pronounces a lower success rate for the iPhone.
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5. The Study
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6. Toolset
Methods:
Ratings
Interviews
Explicit
Methods: Methods:
ACTION BrandREACT
Eye Tracking
Behavioral
Monitoring
EEG Signal Implicit
EDA
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7. Explicit: Evaluating user experience through Interviews,
Thinking Aloud and System Acceptance Ratings
Interview = Opinions, problems and needs of the target group are analyzed. Users are addressed
on an individual level.
Thinking Aloud = Users directly or retrospectively (retrospective thinking aloud) comment on their
own usage behavior. This way the user’s thoughts become more comprehensible and usage
behavior can be reflected and understood easily.
System Acceptance Ratings = Evaluation of the acceptance of product features using semantic
differentials and rating scales.
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8. Implicit: Measuring the unconscious using the i² BrandREACT.
Stimulation / Power / Balance
i² BrandREACT = Reaction time based tool
Respondents are asked to associate certain adjectives (based on 3 emotional need dimensions)
with a product/brand.
Compliance rate and reaction time are measured.
The need for STIMULATION
entertaining dominant
playful powerful
superior The need for joy & curiosity.
young
modern convincing Willing to discover and to learn.
exciting strong
The need for BALANCE
The need for stability & safety.
Avoiding risks.
BALANCE The need for POWER
The need for distinction & superiority.
Striving for status and autonomy.
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9. Signal: Assessing attention and interaction behavior with
Eye Tracking
Gaze heatmap & Reach attention
interactions
To find out…
To find out…
• What percentage of the
• if attention is focused target group have
on the correct areas actually seen the
area/button/icon
• To find out where users
interacted and how • What are the dominant
(tap, slide, hold, etc.) mental models in the
users minds
Interaction shares Time to first contact
To find out… To find out…
• How many interactions • How early a certain
were there with a area/icon/button is
certain area/icon/button perceived
• Which interaction type • If an icon is intuitively
is mostly expected designed and easily
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10. Results
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11. Explicit: iPhone strong in all categories, especially aesthetics
Please rate the smart phone you just used for the following dimensions on a scale from 1 to 5. „1“ means
„not at all“ and „5“ means „very much“.
SystemAcceptance The iPhone is considered to be especially...
• Aesthetically attractive
• Comprehensible
4,2
Aesthetical quality
3,4
Users show high acceptance levels and state
3,8 their willingness to re-use the iPhone.
Utility
3,6
3,8
Comprehensibility
Re-use & Recommendation
3,5
48%
Recommendation
48%
3,6
Acceptance
3,3 54%
Re-use
45%
1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0 4,5 5,0 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
iPhone Samsung Galaxy S2 iPhone Samsung Galaxy S2
N=20 „How likely is it that you would recommend/reuse this smart phone on a scale from 0 –
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12. Implicit: Faster & more positive associations with the iPhone.
Samsung not convincing.
14,12
The iPhone performs better than the Galaxy
12,71 in all 3 categories.
Respondents associate more positive
adjectives faster with the iPhone.
9,24
• The iPhone is especially strong in the
power dimension: It is convincing, strong
and secures social status.
5,00
• The Galaxy S2 mostly fulfills the need for
balance: associated adjectives are:
STIMULATION
3,09 cautious, robust and correct.
2,66
BALANCE
BALANCE
POWER
POWER
LATION
STIMU-
iPhone Samsung Galaxy
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The higher the value, the more positive associations have been selected and the faster the reaction time. Negative values show negative associations. N=20

13. Signal: iPhone not intuitive
Correct interaction:
Tap small arrow
• Attention is rather scattered • Users mostly accidentally • Correct Icon is perceived
N=20 rather late (after 12.6s)
No clear focus on arrow.. call the number.
• Many users fail/struggle • Only 18 correct interactions
14/11/12 because of tapping the 13
number

14. Signal: Samsung Galaxy convinces with user-friendly interface
Correct interaction:
Tap the number of missed call
• User attention is • Users intuitively perform the • Correct screen element
N=20 concentrated on the phone adequate interaction. They (phone number) spotted
number. choose the phone number. instantaneously (after 0.6s)
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15. Signal: Greater overall success rate with Galaxy
Success Rate
iPhone:
100% 0%
More than the half of the users struggle or fail.
10%
90% 40% succeed.
35%
80% Galaxy:
Android seems to be easier to use:
70%
50%
65% succeed, nobody fails totally.
60%
Fail/Timeout
50%
Struggle
Success
40%
65%
30%
20% 40%
10%
0%
Task 1 - iPhone Task 1 - Galaxy
N=20
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16. Signal: Galaxy S2’s Android interface easier to use for all user groups
Galaxy:
iPhone:
• Common cell phone users often struggle. • Feature phone users show greater success rate.
• iPhone users succeed. • iPhone users mainly succeed.
• Android users tend to face problems as well. • All Android users directly succeed.
N=20
All smartphone users succeed with the type of interface they already know!
iPhone users are better in handling the Android phone than Android users are with iOS.
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17. Your contact:
Carina Lehne
UNIT LEAD | Senior Research Consultant
+49 30 69 81 44 28
lehne@eye-square.com
eye square GmbH
Schlesische Straße 29 – 30 (Aufgang F)
D – 10997 Berlin
Fon +49 - 30 - 698144-0 | Fax +49 - 30 - 698144-10
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