Overall satisfaction among smartphone customers increases significantly as manufacturers continue to improve styling, feature sets, usability and software, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study–Volume 1 and the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study–Volume 1, both released today.
The studies measure satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets and smartphones among customers who have used their current mobile device for less than one year. Satisfaction is measured in several key factors. In order of importance, the key factors of overall satisfaction with traditional mobile phones are performance (29%); ease of operation (26%); physical design (24%); and features (21%). For smartphones, the key factors are performance (33%); physical design (23%); features (22%); and ease of operation (22%).
The Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study finds that satisfaction among smartphone customers is 796 (on a 1,000-point scale), an increase of 22 points from 2012. This improvement is likely due to a growing array of new features and services being offered that are providing a seamless product experience between the operating system functions and third-party apps. While satisfaction in all factors of the smartphone customer experience increases from 2012, satisfaction has increased the most in performance (26 points), as a few key attributes, such as operating system reliability, processing speed and video/camera picture quality, have improved significantly.
“As the capabilities of wireless phones and their applications continue to expand, and as customers grow more reliant on their device, handset manufacturers have an opportunity to further shape the customer experience and impact satisfaction with better integration of services and more communication options, such as video chat,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of telecommunications services at J.D. Power and Associates. “It is important, however, that manufacturers meet the expectations of those customers who take advantage of such offers by ensuring the features are intuitive and, ultimately, rewarding to them. Providing an easy-to-use, yet powerful operating system with the ability to customize applications to suit individual needs is essential to providing a high-quality and rewarding wireless experience.”
Among traditional mobile phone customers, overall satisfaction has remained virtually unchanged during the past two years. However, among the 42 percent of traditional handset customers who indicate they are likely to purchase a new mobile phone in the next 12 months, 76 percent say they “definitely will” or “probably will” upgrade to a smartphone.
“Satisfaction remains relatively unchanged among traditional mobile phone customers, likely as a result of heightened awareness of advanced services available on smartphones and the lack on new device offerings with upgraded feature sets,” said Parsons.
For the ninth consecutive study, Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones in customer satisfaction. Apple achieves a score of 855 and performs particularly well in physical design and ease of operation.
The 2013 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study–Volume 1 and the 2013 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study–Volume 1 are based on experiences evaluated by 9,767 smartphone customers and 6,759 traditional mobile phone customers. Both studies were fielded between July and December 2012.
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
MacDailyNews Take: Total domination.
Related articles:
J.D. Power: Apple iPad ranks highest in tablet customer satisfaction – September 13, 2012
J.D. Power: Apple ranks highest in smartphone customer satisfaction for 8th consecutive time – September 6, 2012
J.D. Power: Apple ranks highest in smartphone customer satisfaction for 7th consecutive time – March 16, 2012
J.D. Power: Apple ranks highest in smartphone customer satisfaction for 6th consecutive time – September 8, 2011
Could it be that users of Android are oblivious to the insecure nature of the OS? Is it possible that they really don’t care? I understand that this is not one among the set of criteria, but shouldn’t it be? Isn’t it about time someone educated the consumer in this regard? “How secure is your phone?” “Oh, I don’t know, why, is that important?”
At this moment, the number of new malware for Android is on an EXPONENTIAL acceleration curve, well into the hundreds in total.
Malware for iOS? Zero.
(Although there’s a new iPhone Lock Screen bypass bug! Not good. Ahem Apple).
So enjoy Android kids! Oh I forgot. As J.D. Power pointed out, you’re NOT enjoying Android. 🙁
A lot of Android phones are really feature phones use used by people upgrading from older models. These people generally did not want a smart phone but since models of their older phone were not available they grudgingly upgrade and donor use all the features of a smart phone. These Luddites are generally not going to be affected by the insecurities on Android OS because the concept of apps, paid or free, are not their main reason for getting a feature phone. Cost and basic utility are their main concern, note the models behind offered by AARP and AAA. Some of these people still have beepers for cryin’ out loud.
Doomed!
We keep pointing out Apple’s quality factors to the unwashed masses and J.D. Power keeps confirming the facts!
So come on trolls! No brain dead retort lines to make everyone feel miserable? Maybe you’re out of a job. 😀
“I know you are, but what am I?”
Um, OK. I’m bounce, you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks on you!
I’m reminded how, in our modern era of incoherent and self-destructive bizTards, ‘professional’ biznizz people will play these games at one another. I cannot comprehend why except possibly it’s the height of their intellectual attainment. Kinda sad.
Anyway, I have a long and joyful history of taunting and trampling trolls. IOW: I enjoy making misery mongers miserable. And they like it too, no doubt. 😉
They aren’t here now, but they’re out there, lying in the weeds, true to their nature, waiting for a slip-up. Be ready.
I have my IR goggles at the ready. 😉
Clearly another sign of Apple’s lack of direction, leadership, innovation, cool-factor, it-factor, creativity, genius, outsider-status, insider-position and synergy and irrefutable harbinger of Apple imminent demise.
Especially since Jobs is gone.
And Cook is in charge.
Kindly remove your tongue from your cheek… it looks funny there
Funny how well you can hear the crickets when a story like this is posted.
The chart above shows that only Apple is above average. Everything else is subpar.
But in Lake Wobegon, all the children are above average.
Since everyone else is below average, does this talk to the fact that Apple sells more smartphones than any one of their competitors?
In other words, Apple alone is dragging the average up, and doing it on market leading volume.
Do you think the BBC will reprint this?
And in other news today, Samsung announced it was buying J.D. Power and Associates…
But, but, but . . . All the pundits say that Samsung is the new king and Apple isn’t any good. Could they possibly be wrong or even biased?
Admittedly, it’s hard to fathom that the industry’s best and brightest expert analysts might have faltered in their noble attempts to expose an impudent, geriatric, maddeningly impassive Apple, due to mere…facts.
If only the facts could be convincingly recast as evidence of failure or malfeasance, then journalists, bloggers, and analysts would stand to benefit greatly from increased recognition (or appreciative Korean donations, at the very least).
As to your point about the possibility of their being wrong or biased? Unthinkable! Poppycock! Clearly they are altruists to the core!
It would be nice to see the iPhone compared to Samsung’s Galaxy line instead of all of its smartphones. That would be a more meaningful comparison … more useful feedback for Apple and more useful for me as an AAPL investor.
I would love to see Apple or its PR team (?) jump all over BBC, samdung and whoever handles their PR.
Without control, power is nothing.
Why does the performance criteria receive more importance than ease of use ?
I guess it’s the only way to place the Android phone at 3 circles and have the non-iPhone look better than crap.