9 December 2021. VCIOM presents the findings of a survey on preinstalled Russian apps in iOS.
Russian iOS users aged 18-50 were asked a number of questions on the pre-installed Russian apps on the devices purchased since the Federal law No.4250FZ was adopted on April 1, 2021.
A vast majority (80%) consider it convenient to interact with the pre-installed apps the way it is now, i.e. using a screen with 13 apps you can choose to download when setting up your phone. Every fifth Russian (20%) disagrees with them.
Three-quarter of respondents (77%) prefer to choose apps they need on their own and download them from App Store; 18% would prefer to have certain government-approved apps pre-installed on their devices as a list or icons and to be able to choose some apps in App Store at the same time.
Only 3% of respondents say they would like to have as many government-approved apps as possible before they start using their phones.
When deciding on an app, a majority of Russians pay attention to the App Store rating (44%), online opinions and reviews (41%), as well as if the app is free of charge or not (38%).
The most popular apps - Vkontakte, Gosuslugi and Mailbox Mail.ru - are installed when the phone is already being used and not when setting up the phone through a special screen: 59% of respondents install Vkontakte when they already use the phone (20% do it when setting up their phone); 62% of respondents download Gosuslugi app when they already use their phone (vs 18% of those who do it before using their phone); 56% of users install Mailbox Mail.ru when they use their phones (vs 25% who do it before they start using their phones).
A vast majority of users install less popular apps using the settings screen (primarily or in an equal share with those who install them while already using their phones): MyOffice Documents (47% vs 33%), OK Live (39% vs 38%), News Mail.ru (38% vs 40%).
Only Vkontakte and Gosuslugi apps are widely used among 13 apps recommended for preinstallation by the Russian government. Over the recent three months 79% of respondents have used Vkontakte app; and 58%, Gosuslugi. Half of those who have not installed the apps on their phones (52%) sign in to them from browsers. The remainder apps are much less popular with the iOS users than Vkontakte and Gosuslugi.
VCIOM survey was commissioned by Wanta Group and Grayling and conducted November 18, 2021. A total of 2,000 of Russian iOS users (who purchased iOS devices after the Federal law no. 425-FZ on the preinstalled software was adopted on April 1, 2021). Survey method: quantitative online panel (of up to 15 minutes). The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%.
The law on the pre-installed apps can be implemented in a number of ways. Currently the list of government-approved apps comprises 13 apps for iOS: MyOffice.Documents, Yandex Browser, Marusia Voice assistant, ICQ, Mailbox Mail.ru et cet. Today users can use a special screen with 13 apps to choose from when they set up their phone. Is this way of implementing the law satisfying for you, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents ) | |
| Total |
Completely satisfying | 33 |
Likely satisfying | 47 |
Unlikely satisfying | 15 |
Completely dissatisfying | 5 |
Think of the apps you have on your iPhone and remember how you got them. What is a more convenient way for you to choose apps you use? Choose the most suitable option (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents ) | |
| Total |
I like it to choose ALL the apps and download them from AppStore on my own | 77 |
I like it when certain government-approved apps are pre-installed as a list or icons and to be able to download certain apps from App Store | 18 |
I like it when I have as many preinstalled apps recommended by the government as possible | 3 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Please try to remember what you pay attention to when deciding on an app for your iPhone. ( open-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents) | |
| Total |
Rating in App Store | 44 |
Online reviews | 41 |
Fee | 38 |
Theme/main function | 32 |
Advice of my friends, relatives, colleagues | 30 |
Paid functions/ in-app purchases | 29 |
Technical characteristics (storage, etc.) | 28 |
App Store reviews | 25 |
Recommendations of bloggers, experts, celebrities | 24 |
In-app ads | 22 |
App ads | 16 |
App developers | 15 |
Manufacturing country | 11 |
Other (specify) | 0 |
I do not download apps on my own | 0 |
Don’t know | 3 |
Please have a look one more time at the list of apps below and try to remember how you got them. (closed-ended question, one answer, in each column, % of total respondents) | |||||||||||||
Yandex browser | Yandex search engine | Yandex maps | Yandex disc | Mailbox Mail.ru | ICQ | Marusia voice assistant | News Mail.ru | OK Live | Vkontakte | Odnoklassniki | Gosuslugi | MyOffice Documents | |
I chose it from the list of apps while setting up my phone | 38 | 37 | 30 | 29 | 25 | 26 | 36 | 38 | 39 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 47 |
I chose it in AppStore and downloaded to my phone on my own | 49 | 49 | 52 | 49 | 56 | 48 | 46 | 40 | 38 | 59 | 54 | 62 | 33 |
I chose it in App Store and downloaded to my previous phone and transferred it to the new one while setting up | 10 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 13 |
Don’t know | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
Among these apps are there any you have used at least once in the recent 3 months, or not? If yes, which ones? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents) | |
| Total |
Vkontakte | 79 |
Gosuslugi | 59 |
Mailbox Mail.ru | 42 |
Yandex.Browser | 32 |
Yandex.Maps | 31 |
Yandex search engine | 27 |
Odnoklassniki | 21 |
Yandex.Disc | 17 |
Marusia Voice assistant | 5 |
News Mail.ru | 4 |
MyOffice Documents | 4 |
ICQ | 3 |
OK Live | 2 |
None of them | 4 |
Don’t know | 0 |
You have said that currently you do not have the following apps on your iPhone, Why? (closed-ended question, one answer in each column, % of those who report not to use the mentioned apps) | |||||||||||||
| Yandex Browser | Yandex search engine | Yandex Maps | Yandex Disc | Mailbox Mail.ru | ICQ | Marusia Voice assistant | News Mail.ru | OK Live | Vkontakte | Odnoklassniki | Gosuslugi | MyOffice Documents |
I use this service through a browser on my smartphone or PC | 41 | 37 | 34 | 27 | 39 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 12 | 52 | 19 | 52 | 15 |
I do not use this app/service at the moment | 58 | 63 | 65 | 72 | 61 | 85 | 85 | 80 | 87 | 48 | 80 | 48 | 84 |
Another reason (specify) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |