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
166 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
166 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
166 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
166 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
166 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
166 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

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...