A Comparative Analysis of Consumer Preference among Leading Smartphone Brands Using ANOVA
Author : Miheer Hegde
Introduction
The global smartphone industry plays a crucial role in modern communication, digital connectivity, and economic growth. Rapid technological advancement, increasing internet penetration, and rising consumer expectations have intensified competition among smartphone brands. Leading manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Vivo compete by offering differentiated features, pricing strategies, design aesthetics, and brand positioning.
Understanding consumer preference among these brands is essential for marketers and manufacturers to strengthen competitive advantage. Statistical tools such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) help determine whether observed differences in consumer ratings are statistically significant or occur due to random variation.
Objective
The objective of this study is to analyze and compare consumer preference among selected smartphone brands and to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in their average preference ratings using ANOVA.
Literature Review
Literature Review 1
According to Counterpoint Research (2025), statistical methods such as ANOVA are frequently used in consumer electronics research to compare brand perception and customer preference across multiple competitors. Rating-based surveys provide reliable insights when supported by hypothesis testing.
Literature Review 2
Jo and Park (2024) state that smartphone purchase decisions are influenced by brand image, perceived quality, innovation, pricing, and after-sales service. Comparative studies help firms understand consumer loyalty drivers and competitive positioning in saturated markets.
Data Collection
Data Analysis
A Single Factor ANOVA test was applied to examine whether there is a statistically significant difference in the mean ratings of the four smartphone brands.
ANOVA Table
Source of Variation SSD DF MS F-value P-value F critical
Between Groups 40.28 3 13.43 1.57 0.20 2.66
Within Groups 1335.70 156 8.56
Total 1335.70 159
From the ANOVA output:
• F value = 1.57
• P value = 0.20
• F critical = 2.66
Since the calculated F value is less than the critical F value and the P value is greater than 0.05, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. This indicates that there is no statistically significant difference in the average consumer preference ratings of Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Vivo.
This suggests that consumer preference among these four smartphone brands is relatively similar, and variations in ratings are likely due to random factors rather than strong brand dominance.
Conclusion
The ANOVA results indicate that there is no significant difference in consumer preference among Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Vivo. Hence, all selected smartphone brands are perceived similarly by consumers, and none of the brands shows dominant preference over the others within the scope of this study.
References
Counterpoint Research. (2025). India Smartphone Market Share: Quarterly Analysis Q3 2024 – Q1 2025. Counterpoint Technology Market Research.
Jo, H., & Park, D. H. (2024). Exploring loyalty drivers for smartphone and mobile carriers. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1).
Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire through an online survey. A total of 40 respondents participated in the study. Respondents were asked to rate four smartphone brands—Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Vivo—on a scale of 1 to 10 based on their overall preference. The collected data were analyzed using a Single Factor ANOVA technique.