The numbers couldn’t be more clear. When it comes to personal music players, Apple’s iPod dominates the market in a way that makes the Harlem Globetrotters’ relationship with the Washington Generals seem like a closely-matched rivalry in comparison.
According to Piper Jaffray’s 17th bi-annual Teen Survey, 92% of the 600 teenage students who responded own a digital media player, and of those who do, 86% owned one of the various incarnations of the Apple iPod. And when those who planned to buy a new digital media player in the next year were asked which brand they planned to buy, a full 100% said they planned to buy an iPod. That’s right—not one teen who planned to buy a new digital media player in the next year reported an interest in any other brand.
Keep in mind, of course, that this survey examines teen behavior, and teen intent—not market intent as a whole. But with teens often being technology bellwethers, this certainly comes as exceptional news for Apple, and exceptionally bad news for everyone else. After all, today’s teens are tomorrow’s smart phone purchasers—all the better for the Apple iPhone.