The latest 2009 JD Power Consumer Smartphone Satisfaction Study numbers are in. And the winner is … the iPhone. Apple’s device nearly swept every category, with top marks in operating system, features, ease of operation, physical design and overall satisfaction. In fact, the only device it didn’t receive the highest marks in was “battery aspects.”
Looking at the chart, all of Apple’s rivals in the smartphone field were middling. HTC, Motorola, Palm, RIM and Samsung had mostly 2 or 3 stars across the board where Apple had 5. LG faired second best with 4 stars across the board expect for operating system, where it got 3.
Palm should feel okay knowing that early reports on its upcoming Pre device have it battling the iPhone in design, operating system and features. Perhaps next year, Apple won’t sweep so easily through the field. Of course, its weak spot, battery, may be improved shortly with the launch of the next version of the iPhone, which may happen this summer.
Speaking of battery, that’s the only category RIM did well in. And according to the consumers surveyed, that was the least important feature (in terms of this survey) of the device. That can’t be good new for the BlackBerry-maker, as consumers largely viewed its devices as “meh.”
Overall, Apple scored 791 on a 1,000-point scale. LG was second with 772 and Samsung third with 759.
First post????
Yawn…wake me up when the iHype actually has hardware that’s not from 2007.
The hardware is only half the picture (if that). Ease of operation, features, and operating system are all software-dominated characteristics. It’s a platform as well as a device.
I also find your comment odd. If the iPhone is such antiquated hardware, why isn’t it being trounced by the competition?
Not you Erik – that was for d4.
where does iph stand when comes to video recording? that is not considered a mobile’s job??
They why the f*k are you even reading this?
WOW that was SO unexpected. I m flabbergasted!
iphone has no competitors.
… yet
I totally agree with the fact that the battery life sucks on the iphone. It really sucks on mine, compared to the other smart phones i had.
What is odd is that real world testing has the battery in the iPhone beating out every other smartphone except for a couple Blackberries standby and talk on CDMA2000 (3G) networks, but just barely. And that is only because CDMA (2G) is more advanced than GSM (2G) in that it can allow you to be on low power CDMA for calls while maintaining a CDMA2000 connection for data.
But, the anecdotal evidence always points to the iPhone having a crappy battery because it’s so damn useful. I even say this and I know the reason why. I really hope Apple gets some longer life in it as I use the hell out of mine.
This kind of had to happen. Even though these are varied devices they end up using the same OS’s. I wonder under which manufacturer the Google G1 is listed. I wonder of its listed under the HTC?
I’m assuming HTC would cover the G1 phones since they make them.
You would assume correctly.
This is the case in the north east anyway:
iPhone/ATT User: ooooh look I can touch my screen and download all kinds of useless apps!
Verizon User: I can make phone calls.
iPhone/ATT User:
Maybe in the North East of Maine I could see having a problem. I’m in the Boston area and haven’t had a single problem making calls or playing with my ‘useless apps’.
Someone needs a diaper change.
Agreed. Here in SW Connecticut, my home and office are both on the edge of Verizon’s range, while AT&T is fine. Elsewhere, they’re mostly the same with Verizon having fewer dead zones.
What happen to Nokia
they’re not in the smartphone list (which this is) but they are on the regular phone list (though near the bottom)
Why is LG on the list and not Nokia; I can only think of about 2 LG Smartphones
The thing that most people don’t get, is that the iPhone actually has acceptable battery life if your use is like that of an average phone.
But because you actually USE/play with the iPhone more than an average phone, the battery never seems to last long enough.
Exactly. Well put.
Yeah, you know I’ve made that point before Michael
I didn’t know it would get the top spot :0
Nice
So which HTC phone does that include? I can’t find where they say what actual phone is reviewed… or are they lumping everything in together?
Yeah, they lump them together — including the G1.
They left out one category, the keyboard….
Blackberry 5stars
Iphone 0 stars
I love the iphone but for god sakes it sucks when you have to use it to type a proper email!
Actually, I type faster on my iPhone than on a real keyboard. I used an app called The Thumb to practice and test myself.
I do too. Keyboards are a waste of space.
I concur
In fact I type much faster in portrait mode.
so you are replacing your desktop keyboard with a touchscreen.?
you may type faster, but I find messages from iPhone users contain more typos than from BB and other keyboard phones.
“so you are replacing your desktop keyboard with a touchscreen.?”
when a good one becomes available – absolutely.
I’m surprised to see that RIM got such comparatively low marks when the anecdotal evidence I’ve seen is very good. While this info is pushing me closer and closer to getting an iphone I’ve got to agree with Michael/Jeremy/MG about the keyboard. Come on apple, is a slide-down keyboard really that difficult of a change? At the same time I find it kind of hard to believe that Apple would ignore the large amount of people wanting keyboards, so it must be a strategic decision not to have it – or maybe iphone 4 will?
Come on Apple, please don’t even think about adding a slide-down keyboard.
Please use that space, weight and cost on other features. My virtual keyboard is just fine.
Wasn’t Nokia on the match or what? …does anyone smell bias here?
this is the smartphone list. nokia is on the regular phone list (though near the bottom)
So Nokia is not considered a producer of Smartphones? That’s simply retarded.
This is JD Power. If it were a European-based comparison the iPhone would be pretty low in many areas and Nokia would probably at or near the top. RiM would be about where they are now.
So people can’t put down their iPhones and find that their battery drains more quickly than other phones? SHOCKING
Would’ve loved a comparison with the Nokia E71
I’d much rather see a survey of phones rather than phone manufacturer’s.
Phone manufacturer’s what?
I stopped taking JD seriously when they rated Ford and GM higher quality than Toyota.
IPhone is so much fun to use that I’m typing this on it right now!
Thanks to a killer App called “Typing Genius”, I’m now @ 72 char per minute. Thanks to my “InCase” battery pack, my battery lasts all day!
And thanks to the iPhone, I’m experiencing tremendous growth & development through fun, play & ease.
Was anyone surprised the iPhone was top choice across the board. With the arrival of the new iPhone just a few months ago, I can definitely see a repeat in the making. Competition just really can not stack up to them, all they are doing right now is trying to mimic the phone in every way possible.