Apple has topped the J.D. Power 2013 Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study, landing above competitors like Nokia, Samsung and Motorola. In fact, Apple is so well regarded that it is the only smartphone maker with a ranking above average.

The study measured satisfaction among 9,767 customers who had used their current smartphone for less than one year, and looks at performance, physical design, features and ease of operation. The firm said Apple "performs particularly well in physical design and ease of operation."

Skitched 20130321 110822

The Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study finds that satisfaction among smartphone customers is 796 (on a 1,000-point scale), an increase of 22 points from 2012. This improvement is likely due to a growing array of new features and services being offered that are providing a seamless product experience between the operating system functions and third-party apps. While satisfaction in all factors of the smartphone customer experience increases from 2012, satisfaction has increased the most in performance (26 points), as a few key attributes, such as operating system reliability, processing speed and video/camera picture quality, have improved significantly.

Apple also led the rankings in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and it is the ninth consecutive time that Apple has led the biannual ranking. Apple links the survey prominently on its 'Why iPhone' page.

Top Rated Comments

Shrink Avatar
165 months ago
Not everybody buys one, but those who do have an iPhone seem to like it.

Of course, that excludes most of the posters on MR's iPhone Forum!:p

:rolleyes:
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
baryon Avatar
165 months ago
Strange that despite all the "lack of innovation" (and lack of a 27 inch screen) people are still the most happy with iPhones!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jm001 Avatar
165 months ago
This study was obviously done before the S4 unveiling :D

Yeah I thought Samsung's approval rating was a bit high.

----------

maybe the people that didn't like it have gone elsewhere?

----------



the reality is most phone buyers of all brands aren't techies and their phone whatever it is, is sufficient and if you don't care too much about features then the iphone prob is best option.

Quite true. A colleague of mine was an iPhone user and then switched to the GSIII. She told me when she saw my iPhone 5 that she wishes she hadn't switched. I truthfully told her that I had heard very good things with the GSIII and Android and was puzzled why she wanted to switch back. She said that yes it was a good phone, BUT, for her, it was complicated to use especially with the Samsung UI. She missed the simplicity of iOS. She also missed the iOS keyboard because she explained that her GSIII, even with the 3rd party keyboards was still not as intuitive as the iOS keyboard.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QCassidy352 Avatar
165 months ago
I don't get it. I've been reading the iPhone forum, and I thought iOS was 10 years out of date, and the iPhone was useless because it's 2" too small. Now I see this result, and I gotta tell you, it makes me question whether the random anonymous trolls in the MR iPhone forum really have a good grasp of the market - as crazy as that might sound.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
baryon Avatar
165 months ago
Thus the reason for the iphone 5s. The average user does not care. And the Apple fan will buy regardless. Apple essentially created a cult of followers.
I would not be surprised if iOS remains basically the same because of this recognition. Why change something if people don't complain?

The vast majority of people who use iPhones aren't Apple fans at all, they're regular people who don't really know the difference between iOS and Android, they just got an iPhone because of a friend or they just liked how it looked. These people aren't "loyal" and won't be happy regardless of what Apple does. If they're not happy, they'll get something else next year.

Innovation has to be ahead of people's needs somewhat, but just throwing in useless features is not innovation. You have to wait for a logical, good idea to come along. I have yet to hear any such ideas that the iPhone really needs. Sure, there will be some new things soon, but I doubt they'll change the world, since the world doesn't need changing (yet). Maybe in a year it will make sense to introduce new groundbreaking features again. Maybe right now, there's no such need other than plain boredom.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SILen(e Avatar
165 months ago
1. Good for Apple

2. I still think it should become a crime to make graphs with scales that don't start at zero
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Announces Launch of U.S. Passport Feature in iPhone's Wallet App

Wednesday November 12, 2025 9:15 am PST by
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need: An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on An Apple Account ...
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
Tesla Charging

Tesla Working to Add Apple CarPlay Support to Vehicles

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:31 am PST by
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...