New Research Predicts 1 in 4 Samsung S4 Owners Will Damage Their New Phone Within 12 Months

LONDON--(Marketwired - Apr 25, 2013) - New research from SquareTrade^®, the top-rated warranty provider, predicts that 1 in 4 Samsung Galaxy S^®4 owners are likely to suffer from accidental damage over the next 12 months. The prediction is based on extensive SquareTrade research which shows that 29% of Samsung Galaxy owners in the US and UK have experienced accidental damage in the last 12 months, with £9.3bn being spent on damaged smartphones and £2.9B on Samsung alone. The study of more than over 6,500 British and US smartphone users combined the cost of repairs, replacements and insurance deductibles for broken, crashed, knocked, and water-damaged smartphones.¹

The new Samsung Galaxy S4 is predicted to sell 10 million units a monthⁱ worldwide when it launches on the 27 April. In more encouraging news for Samsung, the SquareTrade research also found that 19% of Samsung owners had switched from the iPhone^® to the Korean handset manufacturer.

"There's no doubt that many of us will flock to the shops to start our love affair with the new S4, but our research shows that months of drops and spills are likely to put that relationship in danger," said Kevin Gillan, SquareTrade's managing director, Europe. "If you buy a feature-rich phone and don't protect it, a cracked screen or hardware fault could mean your expensive purchase won't be nearly as much fun this time next year."

Data Sources:
1. SquareTrade's 2013 Future Samsung Owners Survey conducted in March 2013 using Google^® Consumer Surveys.
2. SquareTrade's 2012 Android^™ Accident Survey conducted in October 2012 using the world's largest panel provider, Survey Sampling International. Feedback was collected from 2,200 current Android smartphone users. Demographic quotas were used to ensure a representative sample of smartphone users.
3. Overall cost estimates were created using survey data and smartphone market size estimates released by ComScore in May 2012.

About SquareTrade

SquareTrade is the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers for its fast and exceptional service. SquareTrade protects mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances from malfunctions, accidental damage and life's frequent mishaps. Unlike old-fashioned warranties, SquareTrade is designed for today's consumer and uses innovative technology to deliver a zero hassle claims process. SquareTrade has more than 200,000 fans on Facebook, consistently wins industry awards and receives thousands of 5-star reviews for its customer service. Top retailers around the world offer SquareTrade, achieving a 200% increase in sales on average and happier customers. SquareTrade's rapid transformation of the warranty industry attracted one of the largest private capital raises in 2012, with a $238 million round led by Bain Capital and Bain Capital Ventures. Headquartered in San Francisco and London, SquareTrade is privately held. For more information, go to www.squaretrade.co.uk

SquareTrade is a registered trademark of SquareTrade, Inc. Google is a registered trademark of Google Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Samsung and Galaxy S are registered trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. All other company, brand and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

¹ Survey responses for SquareTrade's 2013 Samsung Owners Survey were collected from more than 900 respondents using Google's Pulse Survey. SquareTrade's 2012 Android Accident Survey included more than 2,200 participants and was conducted using Survey Sampling International. Demographic quotas were used to collect a representative sample of smartphone users for both surveys. Overall cost estimates were created using survey data and smartphone market size estimates released by ComScore in May 2012.

ⁱ Trusted Reviews 25 January 2013 - http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/samsung-galaxy-s4-sales-prediction-at-10-million-a-month