iPhone Users Are More Likely Female And Extroverted Than Android Users, A Study Reveals

Dec 05, 2016 09:00 AM EST

A recent study revealed some personality differences between iPhone and Android users. Researchers from University of Lincoln, Lancaster University and the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom have asked 500 participants about themselves and their attitude towards their smartphones. The data also showed that iPhone users are more likely to be female compared to their Android user counterpart.

In the article published on Liebert Pub entitled "Predicting Smartphone Operating System from Personality and Individual Differences", researchers discovered that the type of mobile OS you are using reflects your own personality. iPhone users are not only younger but they are also "increasingly concerned about their smartphone being viewed as a status object". Those who use Apple's flagship smartphone display lower levels of honesty and humility. In addition, they are also more emotional and extroverted.

Contrary to iPhone users, Android phone owners are more likely to be male, older and less interested in wealth and social status, according to Medical News Today. They are also more honest and have a higher level of agreeability. Unlike those who use iPhone, they are less likely to break rules for personal gain.

One of the authors of the study Heather Shaw said, "It is becoming more and more apparent that smartphones are becoming a mini digital version of the user, and many of us don't like it when other people attempt to use our phones because it can reveal so much about us."

In order to determine the accuracy of their data, the researchers used a test where the computer predicted the owners of the smartphones based on their individual differences. This model proved to be "above chance level".

This is not the first time that differences among smartphone users are known, according to KTAR News. Slash Gear reported back in 2011 that online recommendations search engine Hunch had analyzed data from more than 700,000 users. It turned out that iPhone users tend to be more optimistic. Your mobile OS also suggests the shows you want to watch. For instance, Android users like "The Walking Dead", Comedy Central, ESPN and Discovery Channel compared to iPhone owners who prefer Bravo, BBC and HBO, according to the Business Insider.

Based on Gartner's data, when it comes to mobile operating systems, Android has a global market share of 80.7 percent to Apple's 17.7 percent. Android tops iOS in the US, European countries like the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, as well as in China, according to Venture Beat. One of the reasons is the fact that most Android phones cost a lot less than iPhones. Consumers have a number entry-level and midrange options. It also helps that they can be as powerful and as innovative as the Apple device.