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Apple tops J.D. Power’s 2014 survey in smartphone satisfaction across all U.S. carriers

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J.D. Power, which previously awarded the iPhone highest in consumer satisfaction for smartphones eight years in a row, today released a report that puts Apple on top for customer satisfaction by carrier. While measure four key metrics— performance, physical design, features, and ease of operation— across the four major carriers, J.D. Power found Apple and the iPhone’s overall score ranked #1 for Sprint, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. However, in most cases, it’s only beating Samsung by a small margin.

The report also shared some stats on overall satisfaction for carriers and the most requested features for new devices from consumers:

Overall satisfaction with smartphone devices is highest among AT&T customers (844), followed by Sprint (839); T-Mobile (835); and Verizon Wireless (829) customers. Overall satisfaction among smartphone owners is 837.

While smartphone owners continue to cite “features” as the primary reason for selecting their device (35%), the rate has declined significantly from the 2011 Vol. 2 study (57%)… Reasons for purchase have an impact on customer satisfaction and future loyalty. Selecting a smartphone device based on price generates significantly lower levels of satisfaction (808 on a 1,000-point scale) and repurchase rates (18%) than selections based on product-specific reasons such as operating system (860 and 35%, respectively). – 

In addition, J.D. Power’s study included some stats on the most requested features that consumers want in new devices and surprisingly the upcoming iPhone’s rumored larger display didn’t make the list: smartphone owners most often cite seamless voice control (36%); built-in sensors that can gauge temperature, lighting, noise and moods to customize settings to the environment (35%); and facial recognition and biometric security (28%). 

The study was done between September 2013 and February of 2014 and included “13,237 smartphone customers who have owned their current smartphone device less than one year and who are customers of the four Tier 1 carriers.”

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Apple has several times used studies from J.D. Power in iPhone and iPad advertising on its website and in other marketing materials (pictured above). J.D. Power has ranked Apple highest in consumer satisfaction for smartphones eight years straight since the introduction of the first iPhone, but its process was questioned recently when it ranked Samsung on top for tablet customer satisfaction despite Apple ranking in higher in most categories other than pricing.

(via TheLoop)

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Comments

  1. ikir - 10 years ago

    Blackberry is still rated high, good for them, for work i would prefer Blackberry over a crappy Android.
    Samsung points are close to Apple and i find it strange considering HTC are rated much below.
    As always, well done Apple.

    • frankman91 - 10 years ago

      This survey does not really support your ‘Crappy Android’ comment considering Samsung is less than a half a percentage point below Apple.

    • Yunhua Ji - 10 years ago

      Not strange. Think of what kind of people are Samsung customers… And what kind of people will choose HTC.

    • Yunhua Ji - 10 years ago

      HTC One is no doubt the best Android Phone last year. People who prefer android but meanwhile seek for great phones will choose HTC. However, Samsung customers… They are just samsung’s customers. Make sense LOL

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      Statistically, Apple didn’t come out on top. It’s a tie.

      I would have thought iPhone would have scored better. Or maybe the fanboys are in such a circle jerk they have lost touch with the real world?

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      Tell us about your Android experience, if you truly have one.

  2. vmax - 10 years ago

    Recent real life experience is that a lot of people are very happy about their samsung phones. But then again a lot of people are very happy with their PC.

    • Yunhua Ji - 10 years ago

      LOL can’t agree more.

    • mockery17 - 10 years ago

      Agreed. Some people just like living in hell.

      • Tim Jr. - 10 years ago

        It’s not hell if you’ve never experienced anything else.. for some.. change is hell..

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      I used an iPhone for years. Then, based on an ad touting the Samsung features, I switched.
      Unlike most here, I have used both. There’s a reason why my current phone is Samsung and why my next phone will also be a Samsung.

      • mockery17 - 10 years ago

        Unlike most here, you’re clearly a paid shill.

  3. Yunhua Ji - 10 years ago

    Samsung customers are satisfied with their phone? LOL make sense.

  4. Yunhua Ji - 10 years ago

    Samsung is 4 points lower than Apple but they both have 5 circles/stars. However, ATT average is just 2 points lower than Samsung, but the difference worth 2 circles/stars. Don’t know what to say

  5. You don’t say? You mean people actually love their Galaxy Devices? Shocker there, I guess apple fans can no longer call them crap as this is a survey based not on sales but their overall satisfaction with the device.

    • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

      Ignorance has always been bliss for Samsung.

      • frankman91 - 10 years ago

        Yeah your right. All Android users are so ignorant to the fact that they are using those terrible devices; Too busy being spoiled for choice of amazing SMS apps, helpful widgets, astonishing keyboards that are practically mind reading in their next word prediction and swipe features, their default GoogleMaps that does not send you driving in the ocean, a floating video player, integrated GoogleNow, and split screen functionality. Not to mention USB device connectivity, a screen that utterly destroys anything Apple can currently muster, longer battery life, integrated file explorer, a truly standard charger that you can find in most devices bought today, and a MicroSD card slot allowing them to add 128gigs of storage for $1.

        Feel free to have any phone preference you want, but stop acting like their are no reasons to own something else.

        Troll.

      • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

        Yes, you certainly are a troll. Thanks for telling us outright for the few who couldn’t see it, but it would have been better had you just not posted your pathetic FUD at all.

      • frankman91 - 10 years ago

        I welcome you to explain the FUD to my apparently uninformed self so I can see the errors in my comments.

      • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

        Everything in your post is either a lie, proven unused by consumer use recordings, or irrelevant to the discussion at hand.

        WordPress apparently doesn’t allow actual conversation threads, so if you want to keep replying down the chain, you have to do it from the Reply dropdown in the top bar thing.

      • frankman91 - 10 years ago

        I won’t wast my breath. Carry on with your blanket statements.

      • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

        Okay. They apply perfectly.

  6. rogifan - 10 years ago

    But I thought everyone hated iOS 7?

  7. “J.D. Power’s study included some stats on the most requested features that consumers want in new devices and surprisingly the upcoming iPhone’s rumored larger display didn’t make the list”

    That doesn’t surprise me. Call me crazy but this whole two sizes thing reminds me a lot of when everyone was certain Apple was going to release the 4s and 5 at the same time and then they didn’t.

  8. Apple Deaf News - 10 years ago

    Reblogged this on Apple Deaf News.

  9. herb02135go - 10 years ago

    Statistically, Apple didn’t come out on top. It’s a tie.

    I would have thought iPhone would have scored better. Or maybe the fanboys are in such a circle jerk they have lost touch with the real world?

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.