Experian Marketing Services data shows that iPhone 5s received 4 times as many online searches than iPhone 5c

Among accessory searches, cases come out on top

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The energy and excitement of the Apple launch events never fail to create a buzz amongst consumers, technologists and marketers alike and the most recent launch on September 10^th was no exception.Experian Marketing Services, a global provider of integrated consumer insights, targeting, data quality and cross-channel marketing, analyzed the consumer search behavior post launch to see how consumers have reacted. The full analysis is available at ex.pn/1f6iJDa.

Looking at online consumer behavior using Hitwise data, interest and speculation over the latest Apple product release started slowly in March as rumors of the next iPhone and iOS started. There was a further lift in search activity in June around the time of the iOS7 beta release as Apple developers and enthusiasts scrambled to gain access to the test platform. By August, search activity was really gaining momentum with the largest peak (an increase of 212% from the previous week) during the week ending September 14, 2013, coinciding with the launch event on September 10^th.

Despite the long anticipation and demand for a cheaper iPhone, the $99 iPhone 5c failed to generate the level of search activity seen for the iPhone 5s. During the week ending September 14^th, searches[1] for iPhone 5s were 4 times more prevalent than searches for iPhone 5c.

Searches for the currently theoretical iPhone 6 were also popular. In some cases people were looking to understand whether this release was for the iPhone 6 whereas others were looking for advice on whether to buy the 5c or 5s or hold out for the '6'. Searches for 'iPhone fingerprint', which is arguably the most innovative difference between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, were the most common feature-related search.

Surprising was the speed with which the gold iPhone 5s sold out because searches for 'gold' iPhones only accounted for less than 1 percent of searches. It is also interesting to note that searches comparing various iPhone models were twice as frequent as comparisons between iPhones and Androids, which speaks to the continued loyalty of Apple fans.

The top recipient of traffic from the iPhone release search terms was Apple.com and most of the traffic was the result of clicks on paid links. The Apple iPhone product page and Apple Store were other obvious recipients of the search traffic. Many of the other sites to receive this traffic were content heavy sites such as YouTube, Yahoo and CBSNews as people scoured the Internet for news, images and video of the new phones and the launch event.

iPhone users saved their searches for iPhone accessories until the week after the launch. This is likely the result of a push by accessories manufacturers maximizing on the increased iPhone interest and relishing the fact that the specs of the new phone still align with their current inventory of cases. For those wanting to catch additional search traffic from Apple fans searching for cases, try incorporating 'covers' in to your keywords since many people search using this naming alternative.  It seems that battery extending cases are gaining in demand as users become more "fidgetal" and reliant on their phones and the instance of "nomophobia" (fear of being out of mobile phone contact) becomes more common.

Make sure to register for the Experian Marketing Services' holiday webinar on October 24^th where we'll cover similar retail trends for the holiday season.

About Experian Marketing Services
Experian Marketing Services is a global provider of integrated consumer insights and targeting, data quality and cross-channel marketing. We help organizations around the world intelligently interact with today's dynamic, empowered and hyperconnected customers. By coordinating seamless interactions across all marketing channels, marketers are able to plan and execute superior brand experiences that deepen customer loyalty, strengthen brand advocacy and maximize profits.

For more information, please visit www.experian.com/marketingservices.

About Experian

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2013 was US$4.7 billion. Experian employs approximately 17,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

[1] Searches included terms like iPhone 5s, 5c, iOS7, new/next iPhone and iPhone 6.