Two weeks ago, Chitika Insights investigated the adoption rate of iOS 5 following the October 12th release. Using this study as our base, we wanted to further specify iOS 5 adoption, this time breaking it down across Apple’s product mix (iPhone, iPad, and iPod). To quantify these differences, Chitika Insights analyzed iOS traffic from October 22nd to October 28th, to determine which Apple product users were more willing to update; with a paid fee.

According to our data set, 38% of iPhone users had already updated their mobile devices to the latest version of iOS.

The iPad came in second in our study with 30% of all users updating to or already using iOS 5. This is an interesting statistic as it illustrates the similarity of the iOS version distribution of both the iPad and iPhone.

The iPod registered the smallest count of devices updated to iOS 5, with only 12% of users choosing to upgrade. This demographic is made further evident by the portion of devices running on older versions of iOS, with almost 80% of consumers using iOS 4.

3 4 5
iPad 6.5% 63.2% 30.3%
iPhone 3.2% 58.7% 37.7%
iPod 8.8% 78.3% 12.2%

Evidently those using the iPod aren’t interested in upgrading to the latest software, most likely because their iPod’s are mainly used for media or on the go purposes. While the iPad is functionally similar to the iPod, consumers appear to truly care about having the latest software. This could be attributed to iPad users desire for greater utility and have a more frequent and open interaction with the device’s UI. The iPhone 4S sold over 4 million units in the first weekend, so this certainly contributes to the heightened volume. However, this could be compounded by the fact that many consumers use their cellphones as their primary mobile device, and update it as necessary due to its great utility.

It’s difficult to make statements about a specific market. Just by looking at this data sample, one might think that iPhone and iPad users are innovators or early adopters; however there is considerable overlap across Apple’s product lines. Apple users are known for their loyalty, and many are guilty of owning multiple devices.

Why does this matter? Despite some functional similarities, this data shows the differences across the demographics of each device’s respective user-base, and a consumer’s propensity to spend and the behavioral patterns behind it. Additionally across all markets it’s important to recognize the differences between iOS versions so business owners can adequately reach their target markets.