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Group thinks iPod no longer cool

The power of the iPod`s "cool factor" in driving new purchases appears to be waning. According to "Understanding iPod?s Dominance: A Consumer Perspective", the reasons most often cited for purchasing an iPod have more to do with the interface and brand familiarity than enhanced social status or "coolness."

Apple`s dominance of the portable digital music player (DMP) market has led pundits and competitors to try and deconstruct the iPod`s "special sauce" - in other words, to identify what specifically continues to make the iPod so much more successful than other MP3 players.

"Understanding iPod`s Dominance: A Consumer Perspective" provides a detailed analysis of MP3 player users in general and iPod users in particular, including why they purchased the device, how they use them, and their proclivity to switch brands on their next purchase. The data featured in this report was derived from an August 2005 survey of more than 2,000 US Internet households.