back to article Why is the iPhone so successful? 'Cause people love 'em

Apple's iPhone may have its detractors, but they don't appear to include many folks who actually own one – yet another survey has shown that Apple's überpopular handset is beloved by a strong percentage of its users. "For the eighth consecutive study, Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones in customer …

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  1. Shagbag

    but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

    I'm confused by this article. I've just read somewhere else that Samsung sells more phones than Apple. Weird.

    1. Sean Timarco Baggaley

      Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

      Ford sell rather more cars than Bentley do, but the latter beats the former in customer satisfaction.

      Customer satisfaction isn't an indicator of market share. It's an indicator of how people feel after they've made their purchase.

      1. JEDIDIAH
        Linux

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        Apple is no Bentley.

        You would think that this "satisfaction" thing would drive market share. This is certainly true considering that there are few barriers to either enter or exit a mobile platform. These phones are all equally well subsidized.

        Perhaps non-Apple users are just more demanding.

        It's easier to be disappointed if you set your standards higher.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          @JEDIDIAH "Perhaps non-Apple users are just more demanding."

          Absolutely not. And the objective measure is resale value. The iPhone simply has a proportionately higher resale value than any Android phone period. By proportionately I mean it loses a far lower percentage of it's original retail price during any given period of ownership.

          Source:

          http://priceonomics.com/phones/

          Same applies when you check out the lost resale value of the Samsung SIII, which is actually greater than the average given in that blog post. So let's be clear, people who have bought and lived with one for any length of time who decide to sell are prepared for a greater loss than the average to shift it.

          People who are more demanding are prepared to pay more to get specifically what they want. Trying to spin that any other way simply doesn't stand up.

          1. JEDIDIAH
            Linux

            Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

            Oh great... the "resale value" argument.

            Just about the most worthless thing that an Apple fanboy can say.

            If you have to drone on about that kind of camel trader stupidity then you've already run off the rails and lost the point of owning things (tech or otherwise) in general.

            You should realy concentrate on the reason why YOU would want to want something rather than coming up with lame reasons to try and impress total strangers just to convince yourself you make the right choice. You must have a really low opinion of your own decision making ability.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

              "Oh great... the "resale value" argument.

              Just about the most worthless thing that an Apple fanboy can say."

              He, he, twisting and flailing you've just frothed yourself into a corner there and now are approximately 1 step from total loss of argument. You, by saying what you have said you have made, as a matter of definition, me right and your wrong.

              Think about it before making your usual reply with bile and spite. The argument I have made is *all* about worth and all about people putting their money where their mouth is. The worth of the argument is *actually measurable.* There is a subject called computer science for a reason. We are scientists and engineers. But where you say "Just about the most worthless thing that an Apple fanboy can say." You are contradicting an actual, measurable, real monetary value. One that proves all that jumble if thoughts you have in your head doesn't accord with reality and proves your use of the word worthless is, well, worthless. Yep, your froth flecked invective shows you are on the first step to reality twisted nutterdom and this argument just moved from check to checkmate.

          2. Trevor Marron
            FAIL

            Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

            I went to that site and stopped reading when I got to

            "Car buyers know that depreciation matters. Some cars lose much of their value the second you drive them off the lot. Others cars you can sell after a few years and recoup most of your initial payment. Cars with high resale value have strong demand, high reliability, and happy owners. A high resale value is the market telling you, “this is a good car.”"

            Because many of the prestige cars (like those in the £60K bracket) often have a resale value of £15K or less when second hand at 3 years old.

            So anyone comparing the economics of cars to the economics of phones should be avoided.

          3. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

            "The iPhone simply has a proportionately higher resale value than any Android phone period."

            This is true but it simply underlines how lacking in discernment Apple users actually are; they'll even pay over the odds for old tat, not just new underpowered overpriced tat.

            There is no reason to buy Apple products except fashion. As products, usable reliable dependable products that have a purpose they fail across the board.

            If they were half the price they would be about the right price but ironically they'd sell less well.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @JEDIDIAH

          You need to grow up. And be less stupid. And less of a stereotypical bitter, mindless, ideological-driven, pseudo-ethical, resentful, and dishonest Linux/FOSS evangelist.

          Okay?

          1. JEDIDIAH
            Linux

            Re: @JEDIDIAH

            I need to grow up? I'm not the one that needs to conflate my phone with a Ferrari. I'm not the one that needs to validate my choices with the crowd. I'm not the one that needs to impress random strangers.

            I am more demanding. I'm probably about 5 or 10 years ahead of the average Apple user. This is epecially true for the ones that like to fixate on music when the question of DRM comes up.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: @JEDIDIAH

              Ah yes, But you're the one who needs to tell everyone else they are wrong.

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: @JEDIDIAH

              " I'm probably about 5 or 10 years ahead of the average Apple user."

              Yes, you're great. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandiose_delusions

          2. Gio Ciampa

            Re: @JEDIDIAH

            Says the AC thrown generic insults... grow up yourself!

      2. hplasm
        Meh

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        I agree- but I'm fucking sick of having to keep charging the battery on my Bentley, and my iPhone only does 2 mpg.

      3. Mark .

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        Bentley may beat Ford, but Apple don't beat Samsung.

        And if the issue isn't about sales, why does the article talk about that issue at all? If you want to claim "The Iphone isn't as successful as other platforms, but the few who buy it like it more", then sure, that's it up. But I'm part of the majority of people who love and use other platforms.

        The article puts forward the (poor) logic of "Iphones sell a lot, because people like them" - well sorry, people like Android, Samsung and Nokia even more so, which all sell more than Iphones.

        Also next time an Apple fan points out that Apple sell more 10" tablets, I'll point out that therefore they're like Ford. People might buy more Ipads, but that doesn't mean they are satisfied by them - by your own logic.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          OK People buy iPhone because they don't like them.

          Doesn't really work does it?

    2. Marty
      Coat

      Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

      Samsung do sell more phones than apple.... but Samsung sell different model numbers each phone unique... Apple only sell iPhones....

      My personal opinion is that I hate apple products. But that is because of my own view of the technical side of actually owning one.... for the less technical savvy person they are great... very little to get confused with. It does what it does very well in a simple way.

      The problems start with a iphone when a user gets one but they really want an android handset. so long as you are happy to play in a walled garden they are fine... and to be honest, most iphone users don’t even notice the wall...

      also, as you have to pay a premium price for any apple product, you have to justify the price you paid. Telling everyone how wonderful it is is part of the mantra you adopt in being a apple customer.... Myself I cant justify the cost. Not when a new macbook pro costs £1800 and for £1000 I can get laptop with the same hardware specs. and hack a version of osx on it. Performance and stability-wise its exactly the same... but I cant justify £800 on it looking pretty...

      but what do I know... my 16 year old daughter says she never wants any other phone than a iphone !

      now where did I put my galaxy note !!! I lost it in my pocket again !!

      1. Jonathan White
        FAIL

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        'But that is because of my own view of the technical side of actually owning one.... for the less technical savvy person they are great'

        I do love this attitude - 'Everyone would agree with me... if only everyone was as damn smart as I am'.

        It's the kind of thing that makes us all so popular at parties.

        1. Marty

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          "I do love this attitude - 'Everyone would agree with me... if only everyone was as damn smart as I am'."

          that is far from what was said or even implied.... typical fanboiisam

          I dont want everyone to agree with me... I don’t think an android handset or a iphone is right for everyone. I don’t assume or even think I am smarter than everyone or anyone else.

          I have requirements from my phone that a iphone just cannot provide therefore I choose a android handset. I do believe I have better technical skills than most people in my circle of friends, but probably a lot lower than a lot of people that play the dick waving contests on the comments sections of the register...

          and for clarity, my primary reason for my choice of android handset is that I wanted to produce an app that would only be of use to my and my business. It would cost me £100 to buy the apple SDK that would enable me to install my app on my phone. If I needed to roll out the app to other users, this would mean submitting it to the app store or jailbreak the iphone.... the SDK for the android platform is free and I can install apps from any source. For some people this would be very undesirable but for me essential.

          It is a statement of fact that apple make products that are easy to use and allegedly "just work" including the iphone, so does that not suggest they are ideal for the less tech savvy?

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          I just couldn't help myself ...

          Some people have made the mistake of seeing Shunt's work as a load of rubbish about railway timetables, but clever people like me, who talk loudly in restaurants, see this as a deliberate ambiguity, a plea for understanding in a mechanized world. The points are frozen, the beast is dead. What is the difference? What indeed is the point? The point is frozen, the beast is late out of Paddington. The point is taken. If La Fontaine's elk would spurn Tom Jones the engine must be our head, the dining car our oesophagus, the guard's van our left lung, the cattle truck our shins, the first-class compartment the piece of skin at the nape of the neck and the level crossing an electric elk called Simon. The clarity is devastating. But where is the ambiguity? It's over there in a box. Shunt is saying the 8.15 from Gillingham when in reality he means the 8.13 from Gillingham. The train is the same only the time is altered. Ecce homo, ergo elk. La Fontaine knew his sister and knew her bloody well. The point is taken, the beast is moulting, the fluff gets up your nose. The illusion is complete; it is reality, the reality is illusion and the ambiguity is the only truth. But is the truth, as Hitchcock observes, in the box? No there isn't room, the ambiguity has put on weight. The point is taken, the elk is dead, the beast stops at Swindon, Chabrol stops at nothing, I'm having treatment and La Fontaine can get knotted.

        3. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple. @Jonathan White

          being smart does not mean being technically savvy,

          what I assume the poster means is that if you are technically savvy, you'll find the walled garden of the iPhone limiting and need something like an Android phone...

          There is some overlap of buyers, but in general I notice media types buy iPhones and Techie types by Android...

          I am of the techie type, I've owned only droid phones..

          yet my sibling is definitely a media type, owning both ipads & iphones...

          Personally I don't get men buying the iPhone, it is not a very manly phone... actually looking at most men I know who own an iPhone, they are not very manly either...

      2. Big-nosed Pengie

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        "My personal opinion is that I hate apple products. But that is because of my own view of the technical side of actually owning one.... for the less technical savvy person they are great... very little to get confused with. It does what it does very well in a simple way.

        The problems start with a iphone when a user gets one but they really want an android handset. so long as you are happy to play in a walled garden they are fine... and to be honest, most iphone users don’t even notice the wall...

        also, as you have to pay a premium price for any apple product, you have to justify the price you paid. Telling everyone how wonderful it is is part of the mantra you adopt in being a apple customer.... Myself I cant justify the cost. Not when a new macbook pro costs £1800 and for £1000 I can get laptop with the same hardware specs. and hack a version of osx on it. Performance and stability-wise its exactly the same... but I cant justify £800 on it looking pretty..."

        Nailed.

        Oh - and "snuck"? Jezuz krise - I hate what some Americans do to the language I love.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        I really don't understand this line,

        "The problems start with a iphone when a user gets one but they really want an android handset. "

        Why didn't they buy an android in the first place?

        1. Mr_Blister

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          ...for fear of being branded a weirdo / loser / geek / anti-social........you get the point.

        2. AlbertH

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          Why didn't they buy an android in the first place?

          Simple - the shopkeepers get a massive financial incentive to push the Apple things. The shop workers are quite poorly paid, so any subsidy they receive will persuade them to push the Apple iTrash.

          It's really telling that there's a bigger percentage mark-up on Apple products than there is on most illicit drugs! The ex-factory price of an iPhone 4S is ~$25.... That's a fabulous profit for Apple!

          1. Ivan Headache
            Thumb Down

            Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

            You obviosly haven't seen an Apple wholesale price list.

        3. illiad

          @AC 01:38 GMT Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          ...because they believed the people who said it was good... and then found their music is locked, the apps are limited, they have found the existing model a bit cramped...and there is little or NO upgrade path...

          How about it, Apple??? why not an 'economy' model, a 'power user', model, a 'HD multimedia/ HIFI nut' model, a 'slimline' model, a 'photo expert' model????

          These are provided by other manufacturers, why cannot apple do this?? If Nokia had not made such *really* bad decisions in the past year, and embraced Linux, big resolutions and screens, we would be talking about them, not samsung and android....

      4. dssf

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        As for those who dropped and shatttered one or more faces of their iPhones, I wonder how satisfied they are. They, too, probably cannot justify $800 on pretty. It seems they cannot even afford nor justify *$200* on cosmetic or physical repairs on their phones. But, to be fair, I do not know for how long they tolerate or let their phones remain shattered. I might see they are broken, but in reality they might fix them within 2 weeks or even sooner. But, if it looks fairly dirty or very scratched on the sides, too, I could presume a clumsy owner, maybe a lazy one. Still, it is quit a premium to pay for pretty.

        Despite my vitriol toward Apple, I STILL find the 17-inch MacBook Pro to be the sexiest laptop out there, but the combination of price and of Apple's aggressiveness in trying to cripple smart phone makers is utterly galling. So, it would be very difficult for me to buy an Apple product and very difficult to logically separate out Customer Satisfaction from personal and group politics. Besides, I (and I cannot remember for certain), I need my up/down, left/right arrows to have separation from other keys, purely for tactile reasons when speed typing, and I need number keys separated, too. The HP Envy looks nice, too, but that damned 3-inch straight power pin as with all HP power adaptors and other sheepish companies' straight-pin power adaptors will prevent me from buying any model with such a power pin. They could force that reticent, resistant, control-freak-it-seems manufacturer (whoEVER it is) to change the pins, but for cost reasons, nobody will. Too much inertia and intransigence are in the way. I wonder what that would do for a customer satisfaction survey.

        As for the walled garden, I wonder whether the survey asked whether the owner has hacked or rooted his or her phone or knows anyone who has, and how their emotional state impacted their satisfaction. Of course, Apple could always rest on the reports that no non-rooted phone to date has had virii or Trojans or "pawned" phones surface to date. Not sure of what could be claimed about Android-based phones.

      5. rvt
        WTF?

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        "Telling everyone how wonderful it is is part of the mantra you adopt in being a apple customer...."

        So, what you are saying is that this (properly anonymous survey) is false and that everybody says that iPhones are great because they paid a lot of $$$ for it?

        I don't think it's true, sure if you ask the individual you might get a biassed answer. But these surveys are not false in there outcome, of course they might also not 100% correct, but it will for sure not put any Android phone on top just people bought a expensive gizmo.

        It's pretty well know that for the last couple of years people that buy apple products are fairly satisfied so I don't think in this casethe outcome is incorrect.

      6. Grant Mitchell
        Pirate

        Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

        But 800ukp is about 16 hours for a contractor, so the extra time taken to install on non-supported hardware (say a couple of hours), plus subsequent OS releases (my macs have taken around 4 OS releases on average), means that 800 goes quickly goes on new os releases alone, if we have patches that upset hackintosh, add on some more hours.

        Although you can hear arguments to both sides, my experience of apple support has been excellent, so that has a value in and of itself.

        The (_reaslonably_ certain) security of knowing that your device will be upgradable to the next few OS releases, thus adding to it\s longevity is nice as well, and by nice I mean has some value.

        And there are ascetics and design. Yes, they're not worth 800, but by my calculations with all else taken in, you're not paying 800 for them.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: but I thought I just read that Samsung sells more phones than Apple.

          £800, that would be 8 hours I think you'll find! your forgetting the hefty agency cut!!!

      7. Ted Treen
        FAIL

        Re:@Marty

        Here we go again...

        "... for the less technical savvy person they are great... very little to get confused with. It does what it does very well in a simple way..."

        Utter tosh. I (and all of my IT department at work) have an iPhone. So does my Nephew, who's a Senior Analyst/Developer IT Infrastructure for a national organisation.

        Do I assume that your car has a starting handle, carburettor tickler, manual advance/retard, manual choke, crash gearbox and acetylene headlamps - as those are the sign of the "technically savvy"?

        Or is it the usual intellectual snobbery showing?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: @Ted Treen

          Exception to the rule,

          In my 3 years contracting (which covers 7 companies), only one place had a high percentage of iPhone owners, and that was because it was a Media company where everyone used Macs.... The contractors in there all used Android phones, and we were brought in to do what the perms can't....

        2. HandleOfGod

          Re: Marty

          The two are not mutually exclusive. I agree that an iPhone IS a better device for the technically less (or non) savvy for all the reasons listed. However that does not by any means imply that ONLY non-technically savvy users will like it and I don't believe the poster you are replying to implied that.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Customer satisfaction......

      Apparently most of those that rant about Apple don't own or have never owned an iPhone.

      Now that's telling.....

      1. Sarah Davis
        Coat

        Re: Customer satisfaction......

        most people who rant about suicide haven't tried it - what's your point here ?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Customer satisfaction......

          Hi Sarah! Nice to see that you have brought your own special kind of, errrr, insight, to the discussion.

      2. dougal83
        Gimp

        Re: Customer satisfaction......

        Don't own/never owned an iPhone... Likely someone they know showed them their amazing phone can store music on it and play games... and realised they can get the same from a choice of other handsets that could be perceived as being better value for money. The rants at Apple IMO are more directed at the mainstream dumbasses that own the iPhone for the shiny factor. Not anyone reading this forum of course! ;)

        *shakes fist @ anonymous coward.

        P.S I've never owned an iPhone and have refused to have one for work in favour of a humble Nokia (yes to make phone calls).

        1. Ted Treen
          Trollface

          Re: @Dougal 01:11 Customer satisfaction......

          "...and have refused to have one for work in favour of a humble Nokia.."

          Intellectual snobbery at work here?

          Along the lines of "I'm too damned cool and too smart to have what you perceive as consumer-oriented

          Thy name is Ozymandias...

      3. John Bailey
        Gimp

        Re: Customer satisfaction......

        Apparently most of those that rant about Android don't own or have never owned an Android.

        Now that's telling.....

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Flame

          Re: Customer satisfaction......

          Ask an iPhone user what phone to buy, they will tell you why they like the iPhone and recommend it.

          Ask an android user what to buy, they spend the time telling you why you shouldn't buy an iPhone.

          And that is most definitely telling.

          1. My Alter Ego

            Re: Customer satisfaction......

            "Ask an android user what to buy, they spend the time telling you why you shouldn't buy an iPhone."

            Maybe you just know a lot of assholes. I use an Android phone, but when my mum asked what phone to get I recommended an android, but also said an iPhone might be better as more people were familiar with it, and therefore help her.

            The way I explain it is that an iPhone is more polished, and the vast majority of people are happy with that. Because I'm a techie I want to be able to use my phone the way I want, and write apps for it with the computer I want, and without an annual fee.

        2. GitMeMyShootinIrons

          Re: Customer satisfaction......

          "Apparently most of those that rant about Android don't own or have never owned an Android."

          Problem here is people seldom rant about Android. Android users are happy with Android, and iOS users aren't interested enough in Android to be bothered.

          Some Android users rant about Apple simply because something about Apple (as a business) gets their goat. Still, their choice - freedom of speech and all that.

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: That's telling

        Telling what? That we don't want the Apple experience or that we do want something else. Either way, our reasons are not invalidated by not trying the iPhone.

        To those of us that live outside the contract world of regular low-cost upgrades, a smart phone is one of our more expensive possessions. It's not like, hey, Samsung yesterday, I'll try Apple today, Nokia tomorrow; not if we want to do stuff like afford to eat as well. We have to make one decision, and, for better or for worse, stick with it for two or three years.

        So no, I haven't ever owned an iPhone, and I almost certainly never will. Part of that is that I've never owned any Apple product and almost certainly never will. However, I heartily wish I'd bought shares in the company back in the days when I didn't agree with everyone who was predicting their imminent demise.

      5. NogginTheNog

        Re: Customer satisfaction......

        I tried one for a week. If you want the alarm to wake you up you have to leave it switched on all night. There's no light to spoil the 'beauty' of the design, but then you've no idea if you have any messages unless you check. So the my device makes ME go to IT. And to turn the Bluetooth on I need to navigate through 4 menus.

        All fails, to name just three.

        1. Ivan Headache

          Re: Customer satisfaction......

          I'm not sure I'm understanding this.

          "If you want the alarm to wake you up you have to leave it switched on all night. There's no light to spoil the 'beauty' of the design, but then you've no idea if you have any messages unless you check."

          An alarm has to be switched on otherwise it wouldn't work. If you mean he phone has to be switched on - then yes it has Just like my clock-radio has to be switched on - it's an electrical device.

          If you mean you have to have the screen lit up - then that is plain wrong.

          My iPhone is now my alarm-clock. I set it by selecting one a several preset I have already created and then I switch it off using the power button (Not completely offf (se above) but just off witch a single press so that it goes dark. It will still ring if someone phones. it will still go bong if an email comes in and it will still warble when a text arrives. - often I hear those before the alarm goes off in the morning!

          How would you know on any other phone if you had messages unless you check? - you get an audible of some sort then you look at the phone - you still have to go to it or pick it up to read them - the phone won't come to you - unless Android means something completly different.

          1. Dan 55 Silver badge
            Happy

            @Ivan Headache

            Granted a phone is never really off but just running another program, albeit a pretty boring one (display a battery charge icon if it's charging), but if you turn Symbian phones 'off' you still get alarms and calendar events and accepting them will turn the phone 'on'. You may not want to be woken up by spam messages or calls at 4am.

            A notification light somewhere on the phone tells you if there's a message or missed call waiting to be read. You don't have touch the screen to check if you've been out the room.

            See what wonderful options await those who wonder outside Apple's walled garden?

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Customer satisfaction......

            "If you mean he phone has to be switched on - then yes it has Just like my clock-radio has to be switched on - it's an electrical device."

            The Real Time Clock(RTC) block of most mobile SoC devices is always-on.

            In many phones, the RTC block was used to wake the whole phone if an alarm or calendar notification was due. So you got an alarm sounding even if the phone has been switched off.

            Quite a useful feature.

          3. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: @Ivan

            Many Android phones have a multi-colour LED that lights up with email, charging status etc...

            The advantage is you can leave your phone somewhere and walk back, seeing if you had emails/messages to check without turning it on and looking at the screen... then again many droid phones have screens large enough to read, to me the iphone is too tiny for my hands, hence I can't consider it an option, even if I didn't hate iOS.... nowt against apple, i just can't stand iOS's bad settings design, with my android phone I can turn wifi off/on in about 2 seconds, with iOS, it takes much longer to do, plus the settings are not as extensive...

      6. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Customer satisfaction......

        Whilst the majority of iphone users have owned/do own a modern Android phone?

        Snore.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Haven't owned

          Nor have I ever actually tried sticking pins into my eyes, but I can still say with confidence that it would be a bad idea.

      7. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Customer satisfaction......

        "Apparently most of those that rant about Apple don't own or have never owned an iPhone.

        Now that's telling....."

        Only if you're able to eliminate the people who don't have a current iphone (but did have one previously) and the people who've used one (friends'/relatives' ones, borrowed one etc) and found that they dislike it.

        Basically it's only a telling phrase when it's people who've had no exposure at all to an iphone and still bitch about it. I disregard their rants (just as I disregard the rants against Windows Phone from people who've never used one).

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Some people

      Some see a Ferrari and say 'that's cool'

      Some see a Ferrari and say 'look at that wank** driving that Ferrari.'

      Some see a picture of a lottery winner and say 'well done good luck lucky sods.'

      Some see a picture of a lottery winner and say 'why should that bas***d win, it should be me.'

      Some see an iPhone or iPad and say 'nice design looks great'

      Some see an iPhone or iPad and say 'look at that tw*t with the iPhone'

      It's just envy, but some people live their life by it..... Personally I think that is very sad.

      1. Ben Tasker

        Re: Some people

        Some people drive a ferrari and enjoy the drive

        Some drive a ferrari, talk about it at every opportunity and drive like they own the road

        Some win the lottery and do something good

        Some win the lottery and make pillocks of themselves

        Some buy an iPhone/iPad and just enjoy using it

        Some buy an iPhone/iPad and feel compelled to brag about how great it is

        The thing about status symbols, is it isn't always jealousy driving the criticism (sometimes it might be), it may instead be that the person with said symbol feels superior and wants to show the 'plebs' how great they are by showing it off at every opportunity. Or it may be a simple case of not liking something someone else thinks is great.

        Feeling the need to lord it over others, especially over a piece of electronic tat is just as sad as living an envious life IMHO

        1. JeffyPooh
          Pint

          Re: Some people

          "...The thing about status symbols..."

          Viewing an iPhone as a 'status symbol' is utterly pathetic. Seriously.

          [I'll truncate the post here. It would only get worse, and it's not my intent to be nasty. But seriously...]

          1. Ben Tasker

            @Jeffy Re: Some people

            "...The thing about status symbols..."

            Viewing an iPhone as a 'status symbol' is utterly pathetic. Seriously.

            Given that the OP had listed it amongst things which could be considered status symbols (Ferrari, Lotsa cash etc) I worked on the assumption that s/he also viewed the iPhone as a status symbol. The sad fact is, a lot of people do though.

            Personally, I consider it about as much of a status symbol as shopping at Waitrose instead of Tesco's is: it really isn't, but some people feel it is ;-)

            1. JeffyPooh
              Pint

              Re: @Jeffy Some people

              @Ben Tasker

              I agree with you. If one wishes to be careful with their money, then a perfectly function 2nd hand iPhone can be arranged for about the same price as a newspaper subscription. Anyone holding, or lusting after, an iPhone that believes it's a status symbol needs to consider the wise words of Jeremy Clarkson, " Your aspirations are pathetic man!"

              Even Bentleys can be more of a brave lark than a status symbol. I was recently half-seriously considering buying a nice used one, but I decided instead to shingle the roof and take a trip for about the same total dollar amount. It could have gone either way. I've seen Kia brand cars (new) in the exact same price range as a low mileage Bentley Arnage.

              Cheers.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Some people

            "Viewing an iPhone as a 'status symbol' is utterly pathetic. Seriously."

            Seeing down votes for this comment. I wonder what that says about the voters?

        2. Jean-Luc
          Trollface

          Re: Some people

          >Feeling the need to lord it over others, especially over a piece of electronic tat is just as sad as living an envious life IMHO

          Well said. But it applies regardless of which particular brand of mobile pretty one owns.

          What we see here all the time is 'mine is better than yours'. For any definition of 'mine' and 'yours'.

          Live & let live, eh?

          p.s. One thing I found quite interesting is the HTC vs. Samsung ratings. Pity no one's chimed in.

      2. Eddy Ito

        @AC 23:08

        Wow, it must suck to be you. A whole world of color and you're stuck with a B&W TV or perhaps since you only see envy it's an old P1 phosphor screen. Either way, I see a Ferrari and think 'why?' I see an iPhone and think 'why?' I see a lottery winner and I think, 'who?' You see to me cars and phones are tools and as long as they can efficiently do the job, I'm happy. A car that passes everything but a gas station doesn't impress and I don't want it, likewise a phone that has to be plugged in every day instead of every other week doesn't work for me. Further, I can't imagine why I would know any given person won the lottery although I did have a friend that did although you would never know it over a beer at the pub and he was great bridge partner to the point where it really isn't the same game now that he's passed.

        That said, let me turn the tables on you and ask;

        Some see a person who owns an AR-15 and say 'can I try that.'

        Some see a person who owns an AR-15 and say 'what a crazy nutter, those things should be banned.'

        Is it just envy? Or do some people aren't bothered by what others do, some are open to try new things and others pass judgement based on their personal prejudices. But you're right, it is very sad in the last case.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Some people

        i can get an iphone at half price because the company i work for designed part of it and will subsidize the cost. but I just don't like being told what i can or cannot do with my phone. I understand that there are a lot of people who like apple phones and good for them.

        it did make want to laugh though when a friend who bought an iphone wanted to share some photos from his phone using bluetooth. not sure if apple now allows you to share your own photos or not. maybe i set my standards too high when i feel the need to share photos with another phone over bluetooth.

        1. Grant Mitchell
          Alert

          Re: Some people

          Apple has always allowed you to share your photos since day one. Send them as email. Sure, bluetooth support is less capable (though I believe the new IOS version may rectify some of those issues), but for a lot of people, bluetooth is an edge case, email is something I believe people are more familiar with, so they did an 80/20 type decision and picked the more realistic and future proof transfer mechanism. There will _always_ be differences in phone capabilities, and if the new iPhone 5 supports NFC, will you argue against phones (and there will be a lot of droids) that you can't bump to send your pictures to?

          Different phones do different things and support different standards. Research a phone first, and if it doesn't fit your needs, move onto the next one. Even with all that research, you'll find a feature (e.g. bluetooth picture sending) your phone won't do. As you didn't rule the phone out initially for not doing that, we might be right in assuming it's an edge case. You can still be entirely happy with a phone even if it doesn't do all your edge cases.

      4. Desktop Mobile
        Gimp

        Re: Some people

        See 1 Ferrari people do look at the Novelty & say Wow

        See 1000 Ferrari's and the novelty aspect fast disappears and you fast become one of the crowd.

        Put my iPhone down recently at a fiends & had to check which was mine as there were mostly fruity products.

        My Galaxy S2 always has had more requests to be checked out though and the 2 are VERY similar hence the court cases.

        Intriguing as to why such a discrepancy in the satisfaction for products so similar. Maybe those marketing guys do earn their corn?

      5. JEDIDIAH
        Linux

        Re: Some people

        They guy with the Ferrari is trapped in traffic like the rest of us.

        You on the other hand are just some loser that thinks that overpaying for a cheap trinket makes you like that Ferrari driver or that he or you are any better than the rest of us. You are a stupid annoying moron. THAT is what tends to get people riled.

        An Apple product is nothing to envy. Especially not heavily subidized mobile devices.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @ JEDIDIAH

          Big chip on little shoulders.

      6. Mark .

        Re: Some people

        Most of the time, it's Apple users who make it an issue - either bragging about them having an Apple logo (even though the rest of us don't care, and prefer using more popular platforms), or even criticise other people for using something different. I once had strangers butt into our private conversation in a pub and go "Oh, we don't care about your open source OS, we've got Iphones". Sorry mate, we don't give a shit.

      7. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Some people

        I see a Ferarri and think they look ugly, aston martins are much nicer looking, and fast enough for our roads!

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE EL REG

      could you have an age limit to access this site, it's begining to be dominated by large numbers of pubescent underage teenagers.

      1. Tom 7

        Re: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE EL REG

        A bit unfair locking out most iPhone users?

  2. M Gale

    Apple's iPhone may have its detractors, but they don't appear to include many folks who actually own one...

    Because I often buy things I don't want.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @M Gale....

      only a apple fanboi could down vote your comment... as they often buy things they dont really want.... usually the new pretty box that apple tells them they want...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: AC @M Gale.... 21:12

        You have an enormous chip on your shoulder, did mummy say no when you asked for an iPhone for your birthday?

        You know, and I know you a suffering penis, sorry iPhone envy.

        1. feanor

          Re: AC @M Gale.... 21:12

          You realise that all you are doing is confirming to everyone the growing stereotype that Apple fanboys are complete arseholes?

          Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Pratt.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: AC @M Gale.... 21:12 @feanor

            @feanor

            Sweeping statement you make there, but hey let your immaturity hang out.

    2. Henry Blackman

      What a silly thing to write. If you actually understand simple English, you'll know that people who buy iPhones are happy with them. People who buy Samsung phones (etc), not so much. The implication is that whatever phone you have, and it's clearly not an iPhone, you are less happy with it than I am with mine. That must really comfort you.

      1. M Gale
        Trollface

        "The implication is that whatever phone you have, and it's clearly not an iPhone, you are less happy with it than I am with mine. That must really comfort you."

        Clearly.

        Now if you don't mind, I have to go check the torrent that's running on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S in the window. The one that's also being my access point. The one which has an awesome camera, and lets me put music and videos on it by plugging it into just about any computer running any operating system and using drag+drop without having to install some awful bloatware. The one which has voice recognition that makes Siri seem like a deaf retard. The one that's already had two updates since I've had it. The one with the eye-searingly bright screen. The one with the supermodel-thin design. The one that syncs nicely with the Transformer Prime I also own, that isn't made by Sony Ericsson. The one which I can toss away and get another model by another manufacturer and still keep all my apps, if for some reason I felt the need to. The one I can transfer files to any other phone on the planet with via Bluetooth.. oh... unless it's an Apple phone.

        Yeah, I really don't like my phone, as you can tell. I'm obviously way down there on the customer satisfaction chart. I suppose I will have to be comforted with how happy you are, since you evidently took time out of your busy life of gazing lovingly at your own phone like it's the one thing that validates your entire existence.

        Oh, I can hold mine however I like. It still works. Just thought I'd let you know (insert "that's what SHE said" here as appropriate, or entirely inappropriately).

      2. Richard Jones 1
        Happy

        Mobile Telephones Anyone?

        Well I am very happy with my Nokia 6230i and have been for quite a few years, I am sure how long, lets say 6~8 years. Sure now the battery needs feeding every 3 days rather than every week so perhaps I might mark it down over that, but heck 6~8 years battery life is not that bad. I believe it could store music on it, but why would I do that? It does not 'do' e-mail even if it might have been possible to set it up, frankly I do not care. As I use it mainly when out of the house and frequently while doing something else, e.g. driving, dog walking, shopping, taking sick relations for treatment, etc. why would I need mobile internet?

        To me ANY phone that cost a fortune and then apparently needs a second mortgage spent on extras was defective on delivery.

        Oh and for the record I have used Apple portables, perhaps the slowest, most unstable things I ever used. They had them at work, it used to cost me 25% of my working day, yes its sad I know but I kept a worksheet for a while as I needed something to do while it struggled to load or crashed and tried to recover. Windows and even DOS were a pleasure compared to that set of problems.

        Sadly all such surveys say is that people who bought something expensive are pleased with the purchase. Those who bought a lower priced item feel free to think about striving for something more in the future, or in my case not!

        1. Graham Dawson Silver badge
          Thumb Down

          Re: Mobile Telephones Anyone?

          Great job, Richard! You found the phone you desire!

          But what does that have do do with the price of fish? Many people, such as myself, want a device that can do a lot more than just make phone calls. Many people require a device that allows them access to things that a dumb phone cannot provide. Some do in fact need mobile internet for their work or for something to do on a break, or perhaps they just want it. And they're willing to pay extra to get it. They may choose an overpriced piece of tat or they may make a sensible buying decision. They pick a device that they want and they spend their money on it.

          You have the phone you want. Great! You spent your own money on it. Fantastic! But now you're proclaiming yourself superior because of that choice. You're just as smug as all the fanbois and fandroids and fan...whatever it is they call windows mobile users these days.

          If there's one thing I hate, it's smug.

      3. illiad

        ROFL..

        the person who buys a simple ford car is happy with it, it does what he wants... just like the standard IPhone buyer... they do not want all the tech stuff, just a reliable phone...

        The person who buys a fancy sports car wants something that will do a whole lot more than just travel a few mile to the shops every day!! and then he will complain about mileage, etc, etc...

        Just like the more demanding mobile phone buyer, who is usually expecting something as capable as his home computer!!! dream on..... :/

        Please wake up, and realize the massive difference between the capability & upgrade ability of other phones..

        Apple has a total of 4 actual phones, the latest is almost a year old... plenty of rumors, but no *touchable* version 5 yet...

        Samsung has *seventeen* 'coming soon' phones, nokia has 8... Come ON, apple, spend some of your lawyer money on getting your phones more versatility and choice!!!

    3. JEDIDIAH
      Linux

      Been there,done that...

      Me and the missus both ditched our iPhones for Androids.

      A 7 inch Android tablet was what really pushed her away from Apple.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @JEDIDIAH - and M. Gale, and Marty etc

        @JEDIDIAH

        Who really fucking cares about you and your missus? The original story is about customer satisfaction, and you and some other idiots seem to think that you can invalidate the original survey by telling us how much you love your non-Apple products.

        Assholes like you, M. Gale, and Marty are worse fanboys than any Apple users that I've seen in years.

        1. Marty
          Stop

          Re: @JEDIDIAH - and M. Gale, and Marty etc

          at least we have the balls to put our names to our posts.....

          and i stand by my comment that if you willingly overpay for re-badged 2 year old, crippled technology then you are going to defend your purchase..

          one thing I will say positive about the iphone is that they hold the 2nd hand value very well. My daughter has a 3GS that since the day she got it was placed in a hard case and a screen protector. She now wants a new iphone 5 when it comes out. The 3GS still has the original box, all the packing, brand new ear buds & charger, not a single scratch on it anywhere. I expect to get a more than reasonable price for it.

          my daughter is a very happy iphone user.....

        2. JEDIDIAH
          Linux

          Re: @JEDIDIAH - and M. Gale, and Marty etc

          > Who really fucking cares about you and your missus?

          Every fanboy like you foaming at the mouth that criticism is not allowed because we haven't even owned or used the product.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: @JEDIDIAH

            Sadly there is no point making a reasonable argument to JEDIDIAH over this.

            He will not listen, as a pubescent teenager that he is he will stamp his feet, scream, stomp and keep saying the world is so unfair.

            Going through his teens is not easy for him.

            We should show sympathy.

        3. M Gale

          Re: @JEDIDIAH - and M. Gale, and Marty etc

          Assholes like you, M. Gale, and Marty are worse fanboys than any Apple users that I've seen in years.

          So first I state that I don't often buy things I don't want, then I give a short list of things I like about my current phone. Sure, a slight dig at Apple over the complete lack of bluetooth OBEX capabilities, and Antennagate. I even managed a jab at Mr Smarmy up there, but you're lumping everyone into one group and acting like I've just called every single owner of a type of phone an arsehole.

          Now come on, even in my wildest, I-hate-Microsoft rants, I don't go accusing every Windows victi^Wuser of being some kind of sheep. Nor do I compare them to body parts.

          You on the other hand, appear to have some real phone-based insecurities. You should check that.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Been there,done that...

        "Been there,done that...

        Me and the missus both ditched our iPhones for Androids.

        A 7 inch Android tablet was what really pushed her away from Apple."

        My guess is Jedidiah's missus is an intelligent woman, loves iOS, but will purchase whatever gives her a quiet life.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Try it you might like it. I've used both and if you want something that works, is easy to use and you can get loads of accessories for it - get the iPhone. My car takes a replaceable cradle - available for iPhone but all those other smartphones - nope. 3rd party vendors just do not want to support these other makes.

      For a single manufacturer they have done fantastically well - it's easy to count Android numbers when they are given away as 'free' contract upgrades or Amazon put the OS on a kazillion of their devices (not that many people would even know it was Android).

      1. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
        Boffin

        @AC 07:41 Cradles

        Well, yes, I can see how your retarded phone might need a cradle. My various Android devices all talk to my car systems via Bluetooth, stream phone calls, music, audio books, text messages, and acting as an Internet access point so the car can update mapping information, speed cameras, traffic information, weather, and so on in real time.

        Come on and join us in the 21st Century, it's very nice.

        GJC

        1. Stuart Castle Silver badge

          Re: @AC 07:41 Cradles

          "My various Android devices all talk to my car systems via Bluetooth, stream phone calls, music, audio books, text messages, and acting as an Internet access point "

          Presumably all while using electricity from their own, limited batteries while you are sitting not two feet away from a machine that is perfectly capable of providing an effectively unlimited supply of electricity? I say that because as soon as you plug in a cable, you lose the primary advantage of Bluetooth.

          1. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
            Boffin

            Re: @AC 07:41 Cradles

            Cables? Well, yes, I do occasionally need to plug it into a USB cable for charging, until the inductive charging pad is released for it this month. Then I won't have to bother.

            GJC

  3. MIc

    Break down by OD

    I'd like to see a breakdown by OS of customer sat.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Break down by OD

      Do you think most Andoid users have the slightest idea of what an OS *is* let alone what version they are running?

  4. unwarranted triumphalism
    Thumb Down

    Proves nothing

    It's not a popularity contest. Wake up, sheeple.

    1. TheOtherHobbes

      Re: Proves nothing

      But it is a popularity contest.

      Which is the problem.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Proves nothing

        I don't know.

        Which is the problem?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    "10 million in the first week"

    The fact that so many iPhone owners are so keen to buy the latest and greated iteration each time indicates to me that they're not *that* satisfied with their current phone.

    If I find a phone that I really like, I tend to want to stick with it.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Alternatively

      That so many people are prepared to jump to the new iPhone suggests they're happy to keep buying Apple products.

      And that's their choice, personally I dumped iPhone because they've all been mediocre phones with poor reception and call quality.

      1. Philip Lewis
        Holmes

        Re: Alternatively

        Interestingly, I have never *personally* heard even one person complain about call quality on their iPhone (from the 2G to the 4S). The 3GS I have seems to work admirably in that department.

        From this, I conclude that I live in city that has better quality, higher availability cell tower infrastructure.

        YMMV

    2. Paw Bokenfohr

      That's kind of the point I think...

      ...when you have an iPhone x-1 and x+1 comes out (seems like a lot of people miss x, keeping their iPhones for a couple of years at a time) you've been happy with your iPhone x-1 and the iPhone x+1 has a familiar user interface, runs all the apps you've bought, but has a better camera, runs faster, has a better screen, and a sprinkling of new features that you can use or not as you see fit.

      So, it's like sticking with your phone, only it gets better and faster (for a price).

      I'm not judging whether Apple is innovative or a leech on the backside of Samsung/RIM/HTC etc, just pointing out that people who own iPhones are happier with them than any other brand (per this survey) and so keep coming back because they trust that the new iPhone will be as good, do all it did before, and have new things they want.

      No conflict really.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @skelband "10 million in the first week"

      When an Android fan sees iPhone selling 10 million in the first week, it tells him the iPhone sucks because all those people want to abandon their iPhone for a newer model.

      When an Android fan sees Galaxy S3 selling 10 million in the first month, it tells him it is an awesome phone, and people are finally starting to realize iPhone sucks and Android rocks.

      I'm sure you also have a good explanation for why Apple is at the top of customer satisfaction stats and Samsung rates below average.

      1. Manu T

        Re: @skelband "10 million in the first week"

        Actually what is more intertesting to know is, how many of those SGS2 owners are out there that DIDN'T upgrade to the SGS3. Compared to the iPhone 3/4 owners that Upgraded to the 4S.

        Also tables like these mean nothing. I'm sure that e.g. certain Nokia models are more 'popular' then other Nokia models. The same for Samsung. Iis perfectly normal that if a company with a large portfolio of products will have less overall satisfaction than in this case Apple who develop only 2 devices each year.

        What devices have been used for this poll? And who the fuck is J.D.Power? Another company that produces nothing but meaningless papers? Oh dear.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @Manu T

          Why do I get the feeling that if this survey showed Samsung ahead of Apple you'd be screaming about it from the rooftops as proof that Apple owners are idiots, but since it doesn't show what you wish it would show, you are attacking JD Power (who has been doing customer satisfaction surveys for longer than either of us has been alive) and attacking the methodology.

          It is interesting that you claim that having more products should lead to lower satisfaction. If that is true, then why doesn't everyone adopt Apple's strategy of having one or at least fewer products? I think you should consider that with a large product line, it is much more likely that someone buying a Samsung product gets exactly what they wanted, whereas when you buy from Apple's much smaller product lines this is less likely.

          It is like comparing two ice cream shops, one has 31 flavors and the other has two. The one with 31 flavors should theoretically please more people, because not everyone likes having chocolate and vanilla as their only choices. But if the one that has only chocolate and vanilla has really damn good ice cream, people will still go there and leave satisfied even if they still wish they could have raspberry.

          1. Philip Lewis
            Happy

            Re: @Manu T

            DougS

            Reasoned and rational - setting a new tone for The Reg!

    4. Chris_Maresca

      Resale value

      One thing that drives new adoption is resale value. Apple products have huge resale value. Amazon is currently offering $350 for used iPhone 4s. If you have a subsidized phone that you pay $300 for, you can actually make a little money by upgrading...

      And it's not just phones, I sold two 4 year old MacBook Air for 60% of what a new one costs, and an iPad 1 for 90% of what an iPad 2 costs...

      I suspect that a lot of the Apple marketplace is driven by these dynamics, which are unique in the computer world. Most other brands loose all their value after 12-18 months.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "performs well in all factors, particularly in physical design"

    Bullshit... sorry, but the iPhone 4 is a rectangle, there is no physical design. I think there are a lot of people who could do with taking off the rose-tinted glasses and actually look at it. It's dull, boring and unimaginative. The iPhone is to attractive phone design as the Lada Riva was to nice looking cars...

    Downvote away, iPhone owners.

    1. Tim 64
      Stop

      A little harsh

      The Lada Riva would have been a Sony Ericson shurely?

    2. ThomH

      Either materials science doesn't exist or you have a point.

      I'm one of those people that has dropped an iPhone down the side of a boulder (albeit only a couple of metres; being no great athlete I was merely scrambling) without any ill effects. I seriously expected the back to be smashed, or at least scratched, since it's glass and I'd dropped it onto rock.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      So dull boring and unimaginative

      that Samsung had to copy it?

      1. dougal83
        Facepalm

        Re: So dull boring and unimaginative

        Hmm. Any man on the street can see that the iPhone design was not copied. If I'm not mistaken a recent court judgement confirmed this? Dirp!

    4. /dev/me
      Coat

      May I compare thee to a nice looking car...

      Except that the Lada Riva wasn't designed and marketed as beautiful. It's sole purpose was not to break down and strand it's occupants somewhere on the Siberian tundra at -40C because they would suffer the cold and die.

      Oh, and it had to be cheap as hell...

  7. Lost in Cyberspace

    It doesn't need to be exciting

    It needs to be good at what it does.

    My iPhone is great for business, easy to use, does it without crashing or needing tweaks.

    It has visual voicemail built in and working well as standard.

    I can get apps quickly and easily.

    I can replace it with a new model after 2 years and not lose a single historical text message or contact.

    It works fine for me and I'm happy with it regardless of any perceived limitations it's accused of having.

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge
      Trollface

      Re: It doesn't need to be exciting

      Why don't you ditch your iPhones and switch to Blackberry then?

  8. sisk

    Having had to use a few iOS devices I have to say I'd be downright angry had it been my money that had been spent on them. The Woz had it right: someone who's willing to learn how to use a device won't get near as much out of an iPhone as they will from an Android, but the ones who don't want to bother with it will be happier with an iPhone.

    I'm far happier with my Android devices than I would be with anything Apple has to offer, but I know people who wouldn't give up their iPhones for anything. To each their own I say. Just don't try to force me to use an iPhone. I'd hate it.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Iphone @sisk

      Used one and you hate it? You'd be angry if it was your money being spent to buy one?

      For gods sake get a life, grow up a bit it's only a phone, you are expressing yourself like a 12 year old and you should be embarrassed. If there are technical feature you don't like then fine then say what they are, but stop stamping you feet like a child having a tantrum.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Iphone @sisk

        Yes, because the 'Grown up, Adult way' to react on spending a large pile of cash on something that you hate using would be to smile and say "Oh well, such is life."

        P.S. Didn't see any feet stamping in the original post. A bit sensitive, are we?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          FAIL

          Re: Iphone @sisk

          "Yes, because the 'Grown up, Adult way' to react on spending a large pile of cash on something that you hate using would be to smile and say "Oh well, such is life."

          P.S. Didn't see any feet stamping in the original post. A bit sensitive, are we?"

          No. The 'Grown up, Adult way' is to not judge people on the choices that they make as a consumer. It's their money and they are entitled to spend it as they see fit. The 'Grown up, Adult way' would be to not feel the need to impose your petty technological ideologies (yes, that's aimed at both sides) on all and sundry. The 'Grown up, Adult way' would be not to have a tantrum because a survey contradicts your own cognitive biases.

  9. Bunglebear
    Stop

    For a large proportion of the non-tech savvy population the word "iPhone" is synonymous with the word "smartphone", and Apple's marketing does well to encourage this. A more interesting breakdown of this satisfaction survey would be how many iPhone users have used another smartphone? Not many I imagine, other than perhaps a work Blackberry which is hardly an optimum experience.

    As for the Android users, exposure to the ubiquitous iPhone is likely, and also likely to have had another Android device in the past. They are therefore basing their satisfaction on what else is out there together with the pretty shiny thing in their hand.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Actually

      I have had mobile phones since 1995 in this order, Nokia, Phillips, Ericsson, Ericsson, Seimens, Nokia, Nokia, Motorola, Nokia, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Nokia,HTC, HTC, HTC, iPhone.

      I have tried Symbian, the N95 great, N96 crap, Android 1.6 through to ICS but got fed up with the poor quality and lateness of promised updates. Now I have the IPhone 4s and have had no issues or problems from day one. Will I buy the iPhone 5? If it serves my needs and proves to be reliable then why not, Even though I am technically minded and i love gadgets I just want the thing to work without having to jump through hoops.

      I employ 120 people, 30 of them are out and about on a daily basis, armed with company issued iPhones and iPads.

      Why?

      Because they are compatible with each other, they work without fuss, and are interchangeable at any time, get updates at the same time and are less likely to be infected with some Android malware menace.

      .

      With iOS6 we may even get FaceTime out in the sticks.

      No other phone except possibly RIM can offer this and Rim does not have the flexibility.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Actually

        " I just want the thing to work without having to jump through hoops."

        two people i know, while travelling (separate people, separate destinations,separate moments in time), the os on the iphone has bugged out.. any other phone it would just be a matter of pulling the battery out and then restarting the phone.... data may have been lost, but at least you have a working phone.... with the iphone it needs to be plugged into the pc. not having it with them, they had to wait until they got home two weeks later....

        the whole idea to a smartphone was that you don’t need to carry a laptop on your travels, you can get by on a pocket sized device

        "With iOS6 we may even get FaceTime out in the sticks."

        most modern phones have done this for years... its called video calling... i think it was 2003 when my nec 313e could do this.... its nothing new, apple, like most of the technology employed in the handsets is old hat & re-badged.... but that said, only on iphone do you have "facetime"

        "infected with some Android malware menace."

        i have used an android handset for the last 18 months now and not once have I been infected with any malware... if you play outside apples walled garden with your i device then you are at risk as much as everyone else.... and to be honest, anyone that wants to jailbreak a iphone should not be allowed to own one. They really need a rooted android device.

        "Because they are compatible with each other,"

        my android is compatible with more devices than your iphone. Apple have gone out of their way to make sure that integration and interoperability between all i devices is as seamless as possible. Why? so that people like yourself goes out and buys 30+ iphones and ipads and are now locked in. It will take a big wrench to prise you away to another platform now even if you want to. I know that I can switch platform from one android handset/tablet to another brand as and when I see fit. I get to keep all my contacts and apps too... your apple i device may at any time block access to an app or service you use when apple push an update on you...

        1. Anonymous Coward
          FAIL

          Re: Actually

          "two people i know, while travelling (separate people, separate destinations,separate moments in time), the os on the iphone has bugged out.. any other phone it would just be a matter of pulling the battery out and then restarting the phone.... data may have been lost, but at least you have a working phone.... with the iphone it needs to be plugged into the pc. not having it with them, they had to wait until they got home two weeks later...."

          Bullshit. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple logo appears, signifying that the device is booting. It's the same as taking the battery out.

          "most modern phones have done this for years... its called video calling... i think it was 2003 when my nec 313e could do this.... its nothing new, apple, like most of the technology employed in the handsets is old hat & re-badged.... but that said, only on iphone do you have "facetime""

          Wasn't ubiquitous an was prohibitively expensive and was low quality and restricted to handsets and was 3G only, so if you didn't have 3G you were (are?) SOL. Facetime isn't a panacea, obviously, and making it open would be sensible. Skype is currently a better alternative, but you seem to deliberately miss the OP's point.

          "my android is compatible with more devices than your iphone. Apple have gone out of their way to make sure that integration and interoperability between all i devices is as seamless as possible. Why? so that people like yourself goes out and buys 30+ iphones and ipads and are now locked in. It will take a big wrench to prise you away to another platform now even if you want to. I know that I can switch platform from one android handset/tablet to another brand as and when I see fit. I get to keep all my contacts and apps too... "

          Lock in? The solution clearly works for the OP, so what's *your* beef? That he doesn't subscribe to your ideology? Besides, *you* are locked into Android in exactly the same way. FTR you get to keep your contacts with iOS/iClout too! It's remarkably easy to transfer them.

          "your apple i device may at any time block access to an app or service you use when apple push an update on you..."

          Google have done this already. Your point?

          1. Tom 35

            Re: Actually

            "Bullshit. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple logo appears, signifying that the device is booting. It's the same as taking the battery out."

            No it's not Bullshit. My ipod touch locked up so bad that rebooting / power down didn't help, it just crashed again before it finished booting. I had to connect it to my computer and then turn it on to recover, and I found the instructions on Apples web site.

            And from the sales staff where I work (80% have iphones) I don't think most iphone users even know that they can turn them off.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Actually

          Maybe the reason for carrying the iPad round with the iPhone is that we can sign up customers, sign the screen please, show products, retina display, easy emailing, large screen, interchangeable, everyone knows that the phone and pad work in the same way without some sort if overlay.

          Oh and if it crashes, reset, hasn't yet though, and reboot, oh all the info is on the cloud so we lose nothing.

          Locked in? Only so long as Apple performs and when it does not we look elsewhere.

          I made a business decision, it's my money, I'm the one who pays the wages, I pay well, reward well, I'm the one who pays the bills.

          If you don't like it tough luck, oh and my staff turn over for the last three years, less than 3 percent. One person retired.

          So if I want to use istuff then so be it.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Actually

        Final rant, no one has ever turned down a job with me because he didn't like the iPhone or iPad that was issued to him!

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Actually

        @AC bit behind the times aren't you? Android devices are interchangeable, and your not locked down to one manufacturer, they also have video calls on google chat & google plus hangouts that both work well all over 3G...

        Plus you have the 3G calling if you really need it...

        I can join in a google hangout scrum from anywhere I have either wifi or a 3g signal on my phone... try that with an iPhone? oh wait you can't last time I checked...

        Plus I can carry a space battery for my devices when I am out in the field if I need one...

    2. James O'Shea

      some of have had other smartphones

      I used to have other phones, by HTC and Samsung. The HTC was big and clunky and had poor battery life. The Samsung was smaller and neater and lasted much longer. However, my iPhone 4S is simply better at what I need to do than either one. No, I will not be buying an iPhone 5, as I have a two year contract on the 4S and simply won't move to another phone in the middle of the contract, not unless the fee for changing phones is waived and maybe not even then. However, unless something radical changes between now and next year, I _will_ be getting the iPhone 6 or whatever the next one is called, when my current contract expires. Unlike the HTC or the Samsung, the iPhone has never, not even once, dropped a call. It has non-trivial apps which I actually want to use (no, not fart apps, but actually useful things like apps which can access the local weather with some degree of accuracy, apps which can access the local Dept of Transportation's system and get info about traffic conditions in time for me to make decisions as to which route to take (and which can access the DoT's traffic cameras so that I can actually see traffic for myself...) apps which can do assorted useful things ranging from accessing my bank account to accessing my Dropbox. Yes, Android can do many of those things _now_, but when I was buying the iPhone some of them were not then available, and, for example, the DoT's app on Android can't access the traffic cameras. Yes, this is because the guy who wrote the Android app screwed up, but it's still simply true that the iPhone app does things that the Android app does not. No doubt there are Android apps which do things that the equivalent iPhone app doesn't, but as I don't want to do those things or the iPhone app does all I need, then I simply don't care. The iPhone does what I want. if it didn't, then when the contract expired I'd replace it with an Android phone. I almost certainly will not be going Android.

      Now, if Android phones do what you want, then that's good. Excellent, in fact. My iPhone does what I want. That's all I need in a phone.

  10. Gob Smacked
    WTF?

    They probably forgot the Nokia N9 ...

    ...or things would have obviously looked different...

  11. Jdoe1
    FAIL

    Doesn't make sense to rate satisfaction with cheap phones compared to an expensive one.

    These results don't mean anything when companies that make many models at different prices and then get their results averaged together. Then compare them to one company that makes one model at one price.

  12. Mike Manship
    Linux

    Choice choice and more choice

    If someone buys an Android device, they have a choice of a wide range of devices and manufacturers, each with their own distinct selling points.

    If they buy an iPhone or a Nokia I have a very limited choice so probably don't know any better anyway.

    Thankfully there is still a majority of us that like to have a choice and its not just limited to our choice of phone either.

    Penguin icon because there is no sheep icon.

    1. Ivan Headache

      Re: Choice choice and more choice

      No one is forced to buy an iPhone.

      You seem to forget that people have a choice - and they choose to buy iPhones.

      1. Mike Manship
        Devil

        Re: Choice choice and more choice

        No one is forced to buy an iPhone correct, although I'm sure peer pressure, fashion statements, aggressive marketing ploys and litigation against competitors might have a little something to do with it...

        So I never said that, I simply said it was a limited choice. Android on the other hand offers lots of choice..

        And Apple it seems are hell bent on restricting choice even further.

  13. Sarah Davis
    Coat

    ooo,..

    is it for the same reason one corner of the field is favored by the sheep

    1. Dana W
      Trollface

      Re: ooo,..

      The "Its cool to hate apple sheep" Baa, baa, baa Android Baa, Baa Baa

      "In my miniscule defense I"m getting a nexus 7 for my tablet but I'm more than my os choice"

  14. Jason Hindle

    Glad to see HTC score well

    I say that as an owner of Apple, Samsung and HTC devices. I do prefer sense to wiz. However, Apple's simplicity and consistency matter a great deal to punters who've never heard of El Reg.

    As to JD power, they have form for producing surveys, and survey results, that just happen to be favourable to whoever commissioned the survey. Fanbois should consider their egos suitable stroked.

  15. Arctic fox

    These comparisons always seem to be about apples and pears.

    How about asking iPhone 4S contra Galaxy SIII owners how they feel about their phones? Ie. A direct comparison. Comparing the phones of one company who sells a (very) narrow range of high end models with companies who sell across the whole range of smartphone price points does not seem especially informative. Apple might indeed still "win" on that index but I doubt very much that it would be the apparent hands down win we see here.

    1. Lusty

      Re: These comparisons always seem to be about apples and pears.

      "Comparing the phones of one company who sells a (very) narrow range of high end models with companies who sell across the whole range of smartphone price points does not seem especially informative"

      Have you considered that it's because they sell across all price points that they have so many dissatisfied customers? I have a Wildfire S and an iPhone. The Wildfire S is not crap because it's Android, it's crap because it's cheap shoddy hardware. The iPhone may not be to your taste but the hardware is second to none for quality. The S3 is good because Samsung didn't scrimp on it. If you'd care to swap your S3 for my Wildfire I'm sure our views of Android would align quite nicely!

      1. Arctic fox
        Thumb Down

        @Lusty Re: "........that it's because they sell across all price points..............."

        The implication of your argument is that the OEMs concerned have only themselves to blame for wishing to sell smartphones to people cannot afford the likes of either the SGIII or the iPhone4S. The fact of the matter is that Apple (for perfectly understandable business case reasons) confine their production to high end phones. In saying that I am not criticising them. I am simply pointing out that comparing customer satisfaction indices between a company that supplies a relatively narrow and relatively affluent financial segment with a company that sells products that permit even the "great unwashed" to own a smartphone does not lead to anything that can be called a useful and informative customer satisfaction index.

        1. Lusty

          Re: @Lusty "........that it's because they sell across all price points..............."

          "The implication of your argument is that the OEMs concerned have only themselves to blame for wishing to sell smartphones to people cannot afford the likes of either the SGIII or the iPhone4S. "

          No, what I'm saying is that they are selling into a price point which is innapropriate for the requirements of the technology and duping millions of people into believing it might be as good as an iPhone or S3. Ford could build a car and sell it for £1000 but it would only travel at 10mph and the seats would be made of cardboard boxes - thay have chosen not to do this because they don't want the negative feedback from customers. HTC and the like don't seem to care as long as those millions of fools upgrade every 6 months in the hope that the next POC phone might be the one that works properly.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wow, so much hate for Apple in this thread. Android owners really are so insecure. Can't you just enjoy your phones without all the childish name calling? I've never seen an Apple owner in these comments sections trashing Android, and yet on a daily basis Android owners have to unceasingly whine about iOS. Can't you just grow up?

    1. M Gale

      You do realise that you are not trashing so much an operating system used by an entire armada of phones...

      ...as every single person that uses one?

      Grow up, indeed.

    2. unwarranted triumphalism

      Hate for Apple?

      I haven't even started.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

    The Yuppies and clueless typically like Apple products as they mistakenly believe these are status devices instead of over priced toys. These people need to get a life and buy a clue.

    1. ThomH

      Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

      There's as much evidence for that statement as there is for this: the pointlessly angry and the clueless typically dislike Apple products as they mistakenly believe that doing so is a status symbol rather than a totem of their lack of intellect. They need to get a life and buy a clue.

      In reality both statements are false.

      Yuppies are as likely to buy Androids as iPhones because they can waste their money upgrading to the new flagship every few months rather than every year. Contrast with normal consumers who probably upgrade every couple of years or so, whenever their contracts make it economically sensible to do so.

      The clueless are equally likely to like and dislike everything because they pick at random.

      The pointlessly angry just want an excuse to shout; they'll dislike everything that comes along.

    2. Dana W
      Trollface

      Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

      yes, they buy the phone with the biggest screen because that makes it BEST! "cough, Android cough"

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

        Exactly! "listen suX0rs my choose is the bester evah coz i can haz moar biggerer numbers!"

        1. Philip Lewis
          Megaphone

          Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

          ... and I have an amplifier that goes to 11 on the volume dial!

    3. Toothpick
      Trollface

      Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

      And you posting as an AC is certainly ignorant. Daren't you post your trolling under your real handle?

      Overpriced toys? Top end smartphones are expensive. Taking Samsung and Apple as examples: the S3 16GB and Iphone 4S 16GB both sim-free from Amazon, there is a fiver difference in price at about £480.

      Yuppies? These were around in the 80's. There is another poster on here who has a fixation with the 80's. You aren't him are you ?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

        Toothpick-

        You completely proved AC's comment and you don't even know it. How funny.

    4. Stuart Castle Silver badge

      Re: Many people wear their ignorance as a badge of honor

      I am neither a Yuppie, or Clueless. I like Apple products. Why? Because they work with little or no configuration, and generally fill my needs well.

      A feeling apparently shared by several of the professors I work with.

  18. 404

    I miss my Blackberry StormII...

    ya'll carry on... *sniff*

    Just saying...

    ;(

    sent via my Verizon Motorola Droid Razr

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    People CHOOSE an iPhone - they often get GIVEN an Android as a free / cheap contract upgrade.

    IF they were the same price / similar spend and you said to Joe Public - £25/month for same contract - which do you want I reckon far more than 50% would go iPhone.

  20. DN4
    FAIL

    Cause and effect?

    You must be a complete fanboi to shell out so much for a phone. So, of course, if you own one you love it.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    People whinged that Apple upgraded every year - I see no problem - in fact over the last 4 or so years I have seen friends / colleagues with iPhones happy to keep their 3GS, 4 etc. whereas Android users have even been forced (lack of support for their now old handset) or wanted to upgrade.

    I think Apple is expanding it's userbase by new customers and hand-me-down iPhones and I bet the average iPhone user keeps their phone longer than the average Android user.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Bi-Yearly upgrades for me, contract ends, I get a faster more powerful phone for free...

      the iPhone is too small for me though, plus I don't like iOS, its a personal choice... i still get frustrated with my iPad more than I do my SGS3

  22. nuked
    FAIL

    Confused

    Was this a hardware survey, or a catch-all software, hardware, eco-system test etc. etc.?

    Because depending on the answer, it's either totally unfair, or totally unfair AND fatally flawed.

  23. Daniel Barnes
    Happy

    I've got an iPhone (jailbroken of course), I think it's great, it does everything I need it to do. I've had several Android (rooted and custom rom'd of course) handsets, I thought they were great too.

    The way I see it is that without one, the other would not be as good. When the iPhone came out it was revolutionary, you may argue with that statement, but Apple took influence from loads of different places, tidied them up and put them all in 1 device. Which made a lot of established phone makers sit up and take notice and change direction with what they were doing (as seen in the evidence of the Apple vs Samsung trial).

    Has iOS copied some things from Android, yes, absolutely, has Android copied things from iOS, yes, of course.

    I don't care 1 bit, as long as both camps spur the other on to make a better OS/device then we are all winners.

    I Like Apples 'walled-garden' approach, it stops my Mum and other family members and friends pestering me every other day asking if this or that program is safe to install because it's asking to have access to data on the phone and I know they are fairly safe from virus or malware attack as long as they stay within those walls! Which means there's one less thing for me to worry about.

    Why can't we all just get along and stop bitching at each other? Can't we all just moan about Microsoft like the good old days?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Can't we all just moan about Microsoft

      No because Apple have become far more harmful to technology than Microsoft ever were

  24. j800rob
    Facepalm

    What if Samsung came out trumps...?

    Just curious what the responses would be had Samsung came out on top. Would we see the same groups of people wooing Samsung stating how accurate the survey was, and that it's about time the population woke up and acknowledged how they lead the way in smartphone products? Or would it be the same nay-sayers who would this time be berating Samsung in favour of HTC or some other handset manufacturer?

    I just kinda feel we're missing the point of the survey. It's result were reflecting how existing owners of mobile phones felt about their experience. Surely if owners are happy that's a good thing? Who are we to point out the error of their perception?

  25. TuxTuxGo
    Meh

    All these shiny phones miss the point for me.

    I just want a phone that can last a long weekend without needing a recharge.

    1. M Gale

      Re: All these shiny phones miss the point for me.

      The advantage of everyone's obsession with toys being that you can probably get exactly what you want for about £10 from Aldi or Lidl with a £10 top-up included.

      That or you can get a toyphone and an Energizer XPAL, like myself. 30Wh of fun, more than enough to charge my own device 2 or 3 times over.

  26. geejayoh
    Trollface

    Satisfaction or smugness?

    Or is it that iPhone owners generally exude more smugness than satisfaction with their toys?

    I mean, it's to be expected if you pay 200% more for a Fisher Price phone - you need to be happy it about it somewhere.

    I would put in a caveat but I am definitely trying to troll the fanbois.

    1. Philip Lewis

      Re: Satisfaction or smugness?

      Troll feeding time.

      I live in a country where the unemployed and homeless can afford iPhones. Don't ask me why this is the case. While not ubiquitous they are common as muck.

      I have yet to see anyone being/behaving smug/ly about their iPhone or any other phone for that matter. iPhones in the wild get treated like every other consumer device, and get rated by the utility provided to the owner.

      When the iPhone was new, they had a "wow" factor, as they were quite "revolutionary" and not exactly cheap, so they got shown around to all and sundry. These days they are just a device that only those interested in the market give a second glance. They are just a reliable, functional device which 10s of millions of people use every day without giving a second thought. They are part of the scenery.

      People still stuck in the "smug fanbois"/"status symbol"/"Yuppie" loop probably don't get out of their mum's cellar much.

    2. Dana W
      Happy

      Re: Satisfaction or smugness?

      Yes, there is nothing more repulsive than customer satisfaction!

  27. Sir Alien
    Terminator

    From an iPhone and Android user

    I used to own an iPhone and currently have a Samsung G S2 and I have used them both quite a bit and although it is still my opinion I still feel that the iPhone is "for the moment" better. The problem with Android is that there is to little control on certain aspects and to much on others making for a diverse but confusing eco system.

    I am a technically savvy person (i do some software dev work myself) but even some tech savvy users like a device to do just as advertised without tinkering with it. The iPhone I used to own was the older gen 3GS but even though it is this old Apple still seem to be sending updates for it (bar a few missing features)

    I am not an Android or iPhone fan. It is simply a device to me to do a particular task. I don't buy fart apps and expect whether it is Android or anything else to do what I need it to do. I have used both and feel I will be going back to the iPhone if Apple don't cock up the iPhone 5. Then is will be a 4S for me.

    Yes I think Steve Jobs was a twat sometimes but he did make Apple into one of the richest companies so he like others (Google) must have been doing something right.

    T2 because liquid metal sounds awesomes and I want to be terminated.

    My opinions

    ----------------

    Apple are good because:

    - Easy to use and does what the tin says

    - Good after purchase support, for quite a long time

    - Good overall eco-system (iCloud, iTunes, etc).

    - Walled garden provides an extra layer of security (see bads)

    Apple are bad because:

    - Walled garden is annoying for hobby programmers who can't justify the $99 per year license. Also is not 100% fool proof as extra security layer.

    - Some bits of the eco-system is crap like the web based iCloud.

    - Paste your own comment here

    Android is good because:

    - Relatively easy to use but still behind a little, requires some tinkering to get some bits working properly

    - Flexible in that you can hobby program with the flip of an option

    - Google Apps is amazing and this is whats missing from the iPhone.

    Android is bad because:

    - Try getting support from the device maker. Not fun.

    - All device makers customise so much that its causes problems like OS updates either slow to come through or never happen

    - Less control on Android market gets more problem in more often, Google are getting better at this though.

    - My SGS2 after Ice Sandwich sometimes feels slower and requires occasional restarts

  28. Hasham
    Stop

    There is a psychological effect

    Where if you sell the same thing at two different prices, the higher priced one will be perceived as being better, tasting better etc. I'd figure such an effect is at work here.

  29. pewpie
    FAIL

    More like..

    Cus 'people' as you so genrically and yet accurately state. Are fools.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/04/antisec_hackers_fbi_laptop_hack/

  30. Bob 18

    Proud Android Owner

    Apple makes great stuff. I don't own an iPhone for one reason: their restrictive policies in which THEY reserve the right to decide what I can and cannot run on MY phone. Watching numerous iTunes app rejection dramas play out over the years has confirmed my decision to go with Android. That is far more important in the end than whether or not my Samsung phone retains its bounce-back scrolling feature.

    1. Lusty
      FAIL

      Re: Proud Android Owner

      "Apple makes great stuff. I don't own an iPhone for one reason: their restrictive policies in which THEY reserve the right to decide what I can and cannot run on MY phone. Watching numerous iTunes app rejection dramas play out over the years has confirmed my decision to go with Android. That is far more important in the end than whether or not my Samsung phone retains its bounce-back scrolling feature."

      You sir have won the contest for least informed individual. If you cound the number of app recalls carried out by apple compared to those carried out by Google you'll find only one company who have ripped paid for applications from users phones without permission.

      I'll give you a hint, it's not Apple...

  31. This post has been deleted by its author

  32. mickey mouse the fith

    When I had an idevice the experience was erm....subpar, for want of a better word.

    Crippled bluetooth, No drag n drop for mp3`s etc, no flash,no sideloading (without jailbreak) , no sd slot, and that awful, bloated thing that is Itunes.

    In the end it was Itunes that drove me away, I mean, compare and contrast adding an album to a device.....

    Android: plug in usb, mount as drive, drag album to music dir, unmount, done.

    Ios: plug in non standard usb connector, start Itunes,wait,.....syncing.....,Add album,wait.....,syncing......wait....oh look its created a phantom album because the tags wernt right, faff about, more waiting.....,more syncing......, unplug, done.

    Wtf is it doing that takes so bloody long?

    So yeah, Il stick with Android I think.

    And I havnt forgotten the os update on my ipod touch that basically made it unusable, with constant crashes and general slothness. Almost as if they did it on purpose to make it seem more obsolete thus encouraging buying a new one.

    I think, as others have said, this survey only reflects the fact that people who spend more money on a device are more inclined to ignore its failings as they want to justify the amount of money they slapped down on it.

    Im not entirely anti Apple, I think their battery tech is pretty good (would be nice if they were removable though) and Jobs was a marketing genius, even if he was probably a tosser.

  33. Richard Scratcher
    Black Helicopters

    The figures in this study might be rather skewed...

    ...because they don't include the opinions of an unknown number of people who, like me, refuse to take part in such studies and surveys**

    **Please don't quote me on this.

    1. mickey mouse the fith

      Re: The figures in this study might be rather skewed...

      Heh, I always lie on surveys, gives me a tiny ray of light in the darkness that is my life knowing that in some small way I have ruined their dataset.

  34. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    Surprisingly close

    As usual with these kinds of reports the axis has been shortened to emphasise the differences. A different interpretation is that, while Apple is clearly out in front the pack is fairly close together with a standard deviation of less than 10 % from the mean.

    That Apple is out in front is to be expected: Apple produces high quality hardware and software and, occasional hiccup aside, has excellent quality assurance. But other manufacturers are close behind which presumably means that people are happy enough with their kit - Samsung has the same satisfaction ratings as the mean which should be expected for the largest market share. Ratings like that indicate that it is unlikely that owners will actively be looking around for a new supplier. Or, for that matter, a new device. Should they be on the lookout for a new device then, while they are unlikely to want a change, unless they discover a new thing they feel they need, if they consult their friends they are likely to feel okay about checking out what the competition has to offer.

    Both hardware (battery lifetime, cameras, screens) and software (both the OS and the available Apps) have improved enormously for Android devices in the last couple of years. It would be interesting to see a historical comparison. My hunch would be Apple's lead has been eroded.

    I'm sceptic and while I expect Apple to continue to sell devices in large numbers whatever they do or don't show next week, I also expect their growth in phones to slow.

    1. Aleve Sicofante
      Thumb Up

      Re: Surprisingly close

      I'm also sick and tired of these fake graphs. Put the full scale there and you'll really see by how little Apple wins. Or in other words, how meaningless this report is. It's basically showing everyone is mostly happy with what they buy, which happens logically with almost every product in the world unless you've been practically conned. The more expensive the product, the higher the likeliness of the buyer being "happy" with it. How embarrassing would it be to accept you've spent 700 euros on something you dislike?

  35. Eradicate all BB entrants

    Thibault once said .....

    ....... "If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing"

    With that I win the interwebs

  36. JeffyPooh
    Pint

    Historians didn't see this coming...

    World War III will be the usual sort of thing, probably over some damp rock that carries a deed to energy resources under the local seabed. But if things keep going the way they're going, then WW4 is going to be all-out world wide civil war between juvenile, moronic, hater fanbois that happened to purchase into one mobile OS/ecosystem over another option that is essentially 98% functionally identical.

    I've got tree stumps on my extensive grounds that have more IQ points than the most-rabid fanbois of any camp.

    I can't wait until the 7-inch iPad comes out. I'll buy one along with an equal sized Anroid tablet and glue them back-to-back. Then I'll wander around the malls and coffee shows, happily flipping back and forth between the two, showing off ...just to enjoy watching the idiot fanbois' mouths froth as their tiny reptilian brainstems short-circuit.

    Down vote if you wish, but you should then hire a life coach.

    Cheers. :-)

    1. Adam White

      Re: Historians didn't see this coming...

      Better to glue them front-to-front or the brand logos won't be visible.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Well..

    I've got an iphone - and a nexus 7 tablet.. Like em both. The one thing that keeps me with apple is the quality of the music creation and interface software. There's nothing like it on android (that I've seen anyway). Apps like Korg Kaosillator and Animoog justify having IOS devices - having a portable outlet for that kind of creativity is brilliant (for me, personally). I do also like the feel of the interface.. it feels nice, smooth and precise (largely because it's not straining the hardware doing much multi-tasking!) - it's just very seriously outdated.

    Android is indeed excellent as well. Especially jelly bean, which does truly feel like a massive step beyond even what apple is about to release. In raw OS terms, google are leaps and bounds ahead, and I find a lot of utility and usability on my Nexus 7. It's good enough that It would possibly have me switch my iphone 4 for an android handset, were it not for the reason above. As it is, I've had the iphone 4 since launch, so It's over 2 years old. I'll be getting an iphone 5 when they release.

    1. Mark .

      Re: Well..

      It is indeed sad that companies write apps for the least popular platform - if they had those applications for Android, you'd have greater choice, you'd be able to run it on a decent sized screen, and they'd get far more of a market.

    2. illiad

      Re: Well..

      WTH are you not using an IPad, then??? this has far better screen and resolution for the job, unlike the very cramped screen of the iphone....

  38. blamblamblam
    Meh

    Myslewski on Apple is like having an ardent Catholic write about the Pope

    Saw the headline and thought "bet that article is written by Rik Myslewski".

    Imagine my surprise to find I was right.

    El Reg I love you, but you need a correspondent to balance Mr Myslewski's invariably pro-Apple pieces: it's like having an ardent Catholic write about the Pope... there is a certain lack of surprise...

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    stupid survey

    The upshot of this research is that the sort of person who buys an iPhone is not very discerning. Well duh!

  40. Unicornpiss
    Mushroom

    Not a fan

    While I respect the build quality and cuteness of these, I set these up every day for corporate users. I have to admit the more of them I deal with, the more I am extremely GLAD I did not drink the Koolade and get one. I'm quite happy with my Android devices, despite the quirks they have. At least they're not flawed to their very soul like iCrap is.

  41. ChrisB 2

    Oh good grief

    Substitute ManU for iPhone and Arsenal for Android (or vice versa) and you have the level of the pseudo-debate we see all too often here.

    I have one phone type but not the other, it suits me fine and I really DGAS what anyone else chooses to buy with their money. Until a phone manufacturer pays me to evangelise or criticise then I have no interest in doing so. And I'm really, really bored with those who do. Perhaps El Reg could consider locking all threads which descend (often very rapidly) into yah-boo-sucks mode?

    BTW I have no axe to grind about football either,

  42. Bob Hoskins
    IT Angle

    Baahhhh.....

    Sheep are entitled to their opinion I guess.

  43. Wang N Staines

    Mazda or other Japanese car, used to come top of the car version of the survey almost every year.

    However, that did not stop people from buying BMW, Mercs etc...

  44. Paul 135

    No Sony on the list

    ... Therefore an irrelevant study! :-P

    1. Martin
      Happy

      Re: No Sony on the list

      No - it's that they couldn't find a single person who had anything good to say about their Sony phone.

  45. Martin
    FAIL

    Oh, for heaven's sake....

    It's a generally well known phenomenon that the more money people spend on their purchases, the more they are likely to convince themselves that they like them. (Citation:- the wonderful book "Mistakes were made (but not by me)" by Tavris and Aronson, which discusses the whole gamut of self-justification.)

    iPhones cost more than the rest. Therefore, people are more likely to like them.

    1. Toothpick
      Stop

      Re: Oh, for heaven's sake....

      True if you compare an iPhone with a £10 PAYG with £10 call time included.

      Not true if you compare an iPhone with a premium model from another manufacturer.

  46. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Free and I still like it

    I got my 3GS for FREE, as in, someone else (employer) gave it to me without it being encumbered by a contract or any such other nonsense. Therefore, when I say I like it and it is an excellent phone and I am happy with Apple's service, I do so without any need for economics based self justification.

    I also happen to be sufficiently wealthy that the cost of an iPhone is unlikely to be noticed in my expenditures, so I wouldn't need to justify it anyway. I suspect only the poorer people need to "justify" how good something is because they spent their hard earned dosh on it. Those of us with high incomes just want something that works so we can get on with using our time making more money and taking vacations in the Caribean.

    1. Mark .

      Re: Free and I still like it

      If you think an ancient 3GS is a good phone, that shows the level of expectation that is being dealt with here.

      So the Iphone gets scored highly by it's users either because "wow I can send an email", or they're fanatical about Apple. The rest of us realise you could do that on 8 year old feature phones, and so have higher expectations. I could pick holes in my Samsung Galaxy, but that doesn't mean I don't consider my Samsung Galaxy a far better device that anything from Apple - and it's absurd to discount my opinion, just because I'm not fanatical about it.

  47. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Psychology

    "Apple's iPhone may have its detractors, but they don't appear to include many folks who actually own one..."

    It's known as 'cognitive dissonance'.

  48. mike acker
    Flame

    anti aapl

    theres gonna be more of us as a result of aapl having become a patent troll

  49. elaar

    "Apple achieves a score of 849 and performs well in all factors, particularly in physical design and ease of operation" - and that is what it is bought for, physical design bling for the show-off factor, and ease of operation so that mum, dad, kids and grandparents use it.

  50. Mark .

    Terrible article

    If I want to know how satisfying something is, then I'll go by what *I* think - I don't give a crap about what a survey about how other people think. (Although it doesn't surprise me that sheep do think this way.)

    And if we want to know how successful companies or platforms, then sorry, all that matters is sales. Iphone "so" successful? If you say so. If being the least popular platform is successful, sure. But the number one platforms are Symbian and now Android. Android outsells Iphone 2 to 1 on Samsung Android phones alone. By company, Samsung and number one, and Nokia are number two.

    Sorry, most people prefer other products. Sure they don't own Apple - but that's because they don't want one! It's absurd logic to twist it that to say because people choose to buy platform A over platform B, that therefore we should ignore their opinion! All this shows is that Apple users are more fanatical about their products, which we already know. It doesn't make them better. It also flawed logic to say that it would make a product successful - I'm sure there are still people fanatical about their Amigas, but that doesn't make the Amiga successful today.

    This is yet another case of "hand picked stat to make Apple look best". Please take your astroturfing and free advertising elsewhere - are Apple paying the Reg for this? They should be.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Terrible article

      You mean it doesn't agree with your view of the world. Claiming that the Register is biased towards Apple is frankly ridiculous! See if you can find out why El Reg hacks aren't invited to Apple events. Here's an idea, stop reading and posting comments. Seriously. It seems to be causing you untold mental anguish that a group of people may be marginally more satisfied with their choice of device than another group. Of course you should excersize discretion when reading these surveys, but I'll add that the level of cogantive bias that you exude indicates to me that you aren't at all rational, so I'd avoid surveys that may differ from your extremely limited world view. Oh, and keep your responses to one post - it looks less like you've spent time stewing over the response.

      *Note to self: seeing as there is no editing here, make sure that you've spelled everything correctly.*

  51. Ivan Headache

    One thing that was missing.

    It would be interesting to see what the ratio of PC OS systems was with the various Phones.

    In my line of work I don't come across many PC users so all my clients will invariably have iPhone or iPads (not all but the vast majority)

    My brother (who is an out and out windows man) has an iphone and a ipad - but he's the only one I know.

    I would hazard a guess that all the linux users are Android users - but what do I know?

  52. GKP

    1st post on this site

    Looong time reader of the reg - love the humour, paris :) and all things tech.

    Apple got into the smartphone game early - I recall a mate using a 3G in 08 just after I had bought the then high end N95 8GB. I was impressed with it, but frankly I didn't really see a huge advantage over N95. I and others viewed touch screens with suspicion - 'I prefer buttons' ...or so I thought.

    The following year - August 09, I succumbed and bought a 3GS - a phone I am still using now - it does the job, bought a few apps ( which I never use ) and didn't think the '4' or '4S' was worth the upgrade. With me , If I buy something new, I want a SIGNIFICANT change in user experience.

    The Galaxy Note 2 with Jellybean looks fantastic, certainly more complex to use, but that's good - I am that way inclined. That will be my next purchase. The past 3 years has seen a meteoric rise in Android, with its various OS guises adding progressively more features and getting progressively sleeker. The sheer number of Android phones does muddy the water as well - which OS IS it that people love so much ?

    I do think a lot of people here have missed a trend over the past few years, a trend which has split a lot of people ( or at least those who care ) into one or the other camp. That trend is time - time in the public consciousness and time for IOS and its ease of use to imbed itself as the archetypal 'smartphone' that people think of when thinking of mobiles.

    An 'unfair' advantage of the Iphone is that it has a maximum of 2 different phones on sale - it is a clearly definable 'experience' - whereas , as I mentioned before, Android phones offer a disparate blur of choice that doesn't really lend itself to much loyalty.

    Slowly slowly catch a monkey though eh ? how bout a 4.8 or 5.5 inch monkey like the Samsung Galaxy Series ?, the sales figures are catching up - Samsung are offering a very different user experience , carving out a totally new (forget the Streak!) phablet market. Who knows, if the iphone 5 is not a SIGNIFICANT leap forward from the 4S, the Galaxy series could start to become top dog in the 'love' stakes simply through time on the market ?

  53. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Sounds about right

    I have both an HTC Desire HD and an IPhone 4s, both are very good phones yet I always reach for the iPhone first....

    And whilst both are capable of everything I want from a smartphone, the iPhone just seems to be easier to use.

    For instance; it shares its contacts & calendar with Outlook withouhg needing any apps unlike the Desire.

    And speaking as a 'techie', (astrophysicist & computer engineer) I want a phone which 'just works'. Why should I waste time & energy making an Android phone do what an iPhone does 'out of the box'?

    That is why the IPhone 'wins', it does what people want 'out of the box'.

    Though both are well short of the functionality of an Omni-tool......

  54. paulc
    Stop

    The only advantage that the iPhone really has...

    is the simple fact that you can go into almost any accessories shop and find something it fits in or docks to... Android phones are stuffed in this manner as they have so many different form factors.

  55. Tom 7

    40 years ago before telly really got going

    every kid at school supported a football team that they had never seen play. They supported it enough to kick the shit out of someone else who had never seen a different team play.

    I've just had a friends teenage child spend their hard earned money on an iPad. The technical reasons for this were 'It just has to be an iPad' They were fully aware that they could not justify their proposed expense but their peer group at school would only allow an iPad.

    People do not buy an Apple product for ease of use or technical reasons. But once they buy one if your not on their team...

    I wish I could generate 'iFaith' in a better product.

    1. Dana W
      Happy

      Re: 40 years ago before telly really got going

      Well actually no, their ease of use and technical reasons "build quality, support and security" are why people buy them.

      After I got converted I converted everyone else I knew. I don't have to do free service calls for friends anymore, and nobody I converted has switched back.

      Nice use of anecdotal evidence though.

  56. MrXavia
    WTF?

    Of course Apple are at the top, 2 reasons

    1) Apple users are often fanatical about apple products, they are the kind of people to buy into the fancy advertising and be very happy with an iPhone..

    2) Apple has just one well refined phone, yet the others sell phones ranging from around £50-£600 in cost, so you have people buying CHEAP phones expecting the experience of an expensive phone, i.e. they will be less satisfied...

    Personally I have a £500 samsung phone, and I'd rate it higher than an iphone, but I'd rate an iphone above a one of the lower models of samsung phones...

  57. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    JD Power survey

    100% i-Phone users raved about their phones

    100% samsung owners raved about their model of phone

    80 blackberry users were too busy so only 20 raved about their phones

    Next they'll tell us 100 lbour MP's voted labour in the last election.

    Take what you will from surveys

    they sell 300,000 fords and only 10,000 bentleys, takes less bentley owners being satisfied to make 90% happy.

    the moral is, use surveys as a guideline and go try the ones you like before buying

  58. Adam T

    Satisfaction? Confidence.

    I'm at that point where I've been using nothing but an iPhone since the very first version and, to be frank, I'm rather bored of it.

    I'd love to have a phone by another manufacturer, with a different OS to explore - I don't mind who builds it or what the OS is called, but so far there's nothing to inspire *confidence* in a switch-over. Sure the Galaxy SIII might be a great phone, but II look at Samsung and I think "inconsistent"... I look at other manufacturers and I think "struggling". I want consistency and I want the assurance of security. And I hate to say it, but iPhone is the only device that fulfils what I'm after - hell I couldn't even give two shits about the apps or the ecosystem, it's just a question of caring about what I spend my money on and what it means for the next 24 months.

    1. the-it-slayer
      Facepalm

      Re: Satisfaction? Confidence.

      Why would you get bored at making phone calls and sending messages? You wouldn't have a phone at all if that's the case. I really don't get that sort of comment. You might be bored trying to tinker with it but why tinker when it does what you want as you already said?

      Some people.

      1. Adam T

        Re: Satisfaction? Confidence.

        Good job at completely missing my point, and pretending I said something completely different, that is inferring I do nothing but "make phone calls, send messages and tinker". As it happens, I make very few calls, send almost as few messages, and don't do much 'tinkering'.

        Next.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Satisfaction? Confidence.

          So you don't make calls, you don't text, and you don't tinker. An iPhone is obviously too small to REALLY surf the web, and if you want to watch movies that would be an iPad instead of a phone.

          So by my calculations, that only leaves one reason to purchase an iPhone, despite the downvotes on earlier posters who said as much: you bought it for the status symbol.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Boredom

        Many people buy iPhones and other electronic toys because they are bored. They don't use these devices primarily as tools, mostly they used them as entertainment because they are bored. The phone companies and phone/toy makers are more than happy to tell you how much better your life will be by talking and texting 24/7, like the sheep that you are.

        1. Adam T

          Re: Boredom

          Riight, because you know me so well you know what I do with my phone, right? And saying it as an Anonymous Coward, just LoL.

  59. Sporkinum

    I really don't care. It's an appliance, and I don't pay for it. If my employer quit doling out phones, I'd probably get myself a cheap prepaid flip phone.

  60. Torquemada28

    Meaningless survey is meaningless.

    I have extensive experience with iPhones and Android and prefer Android by far. That is my opinion but it's based on my satisfaction when using both devices. How many of those involved in this survey has experience with a different phone? Most people I know who own an iPhone have never looked at a high end Android handset in any detail so their "satisfaction" is generated in a vacuum. If you ignore everything else on the market, of course the iPhone is the best phone in the Universe. In contrast, most Android owners I know have either owned, used or have been exposed to an iPhone and have made a conscious decision to buy an Android. I suspect that if all the respondents with iPhones had used a Galaxy S2 or similar phone for any length of time, their perceived "satisfaction" with their iPhone would be diminished and would be at a similar level to the Android users.

    Also, comparing the user satisfaction of people using the iPhone with the user satisfaction of someone using a low-end budget Android handset is disingenuous to say the least. How many of the Android users owned a handset with similar or better specs than an iPhone?

  61. Tom 13

    This survey is comparing apples and orange juice.

    Not even apples and oranges mind you, apples and orange JUICE. Apple don't make phones other than iPhones. And no other vendors make iPhones. Google make Android, but don't make the phones. Samsung, HTC etc don't make Android, but sell phones using the Android OS made by Google.

    JDPower surveys use to mean something. But apparently they've been bought off by Apple.

  62. Dana W
    Meh

    Cognitive dissonance strikes again.

    I love how every time I suggest people LIKE their Apple kit, and enjoy using it I get thumbed down.

    Is it really that hard to understand? Their products are reliable, easy to use, and well made. This is what people actually want.

    Its not about adverting, its not some weird propaganda magic. They make a well supported, fun to use, reliable product that INCREASES THEIR ENJOYMENT. Why is that so difficult to comprehend?

    Now watch me collect thumbs down from half a dozen bitter MCSE types.

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