New Report Reveals Real-World Performance of iOS and Android Devices

Blancco Technology Group today announced its latest State of Mobile Device Repair and Security report, designed especially for mobile processors, call centres and resellers. With new research revealing the refurbished smartphone market reached close to 140 million units worldwide in 2017, the report provides insight and best practices for companies processing these devices.

The findings are based on internal mobile diagnostics and mobile erasure data collected from iOS and Android mobile devices that were brought into hundreds of mobile carriers and device manufacturers in North America, Europe, Asiaand Australia from January 1, 2018 to March 30, 2018. Mobile retailers and processors can leverage this information to provide a better customer experience through a better understanding of common issues experienced on Android and iOS handsets.

Key highlights from the Q1 2018 trend report include:

• Although the Number of Android Devices Running on Outdated Operating Systems Has Decreased, It Continues to Lag Behind iOS Devices, Continuing to Raise Security Concerns – Approximately 20.5% of Android devices that underwent the Blancco Mobile Device Erasure process in Q1 2018 were running Android versions from 2013 or earlier, before encryption of deleted data was included as a standard feature. This is a 10% decrease compared to Q4 2017 but continues to highlight how secure erasure with software-based overwriting will still be required for the foreseeable future.
• Android Customers Have More Complaints than iOS Users – Android phones still dominate the market with over 60% penetration, yet they demonstrated higher failure rates than their iOS counterparts. Customers in Europewere most likely to experience problems with their devices, with over 30% of tested handsets raising issues.
• Failure Rates for iOS: iPhone 6 & 6S Continue to Disappoint – For the fifth successive quarter the Apple iPhone 6 & 6S demonstrated the highest failure rates of all iOS devices. To meet customer expectations these models may required additional attention before they are processed and resold.

“In today’s highly competitive marketplace, mobile resellers, processors and call centers must deliver maximum value to their customers across every channel,” said Russ Ernst, Vice President of Product Management for Blancco. These insights, combined with the appropriate use of our mobile erasure and diagnostics software, can assist with maximizing resale values, reducing customer complaints and minimizing the number of returned devices.

Other findings highlighted in the report include the most common Android and iOS software issues, specific model performance, and information about how failure rates vary across different devices and regions.

For further information, and to download the full report, please visit  https://www.blancco.com/resources/rs-state-of-mobile-device-repair-security/