Apple and Samsung were the only smartphone brands to achieve overall satisfaction scores that are at or above the study average according to the J.D. Power. Apple's iPhone and Samsung Galaxy series smartphones are neck and neck depending upon which carrier.
The J.D. Power Award Recipient is Apple's iPhone. Samsung came in second.Overall satisfaction with smartphone devices is highest among AT&T customers (843), followed by Sprint (835); T-Mobile (825); and Verizon Wireless (825) customers.Among Apple iPhone owners, satisfaction with their overall experience is highest among Verizon Wireless customers (861). Among Samsung smartphone owners, satisfaction is highest among Sprint customers (853).
AT&T rankings were:
- Apple 856.
- Average 843.
- Nokia 840.
- Samsung 839.
- HTC 829.
- LG 805.
- Pantech 799.
- Motorola 796.
- BlackBerry 778.
Verizon rankings were:
- Apple 861.
- Samsung 827.
- Verizon average 825.
- HTC 812.
- Motorola 807.
- BlackBerry 778.
- LG 769.
- Pantech 738.
Sprint rankings were:
- Samsung 853.
- Apple 849
- Sprint average 835.
- HTC 806.
- LG 794.
- Motorola 761.
- BlackBerry 722.
T-Mobile rankings were:
- Samsung 830.
- T-Mobile average 825.
- LG 815.
- HTC 806.
- Nokia 805.
- BlackBerry 794.
Smartphone models that perform particularly well across all four U.S. wireless Tier 1 carriers in alphabetical order):
- Apple iPhone 5.
- Blackberry Z10.
- Nokia Lumia 920.
- Samsung Galaxy Note II.
The primary reasons for purchasing a smartphone device differ by carrier. Sprint customers are more likely to purchase their smartphone device because of phone features, while T-Mobile customers are more likely to select their smartphone due to price.
Overall customer satisfaction among smartphone owners is 833 on a 1,000-point scale.
Ratings are different at different carriers, that suggest carriers position specific features and services on their devices influence the experience customers have with their smartphone device.
The 2013 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Satisfaction Study--Volume 2 is based on experiences evaluated by 16,421 smartphone customers who have owned their current smartphone device less than one year and who are customers of the four Tier 1 carriers. The study was fielded between February and August 2013. The study measures customer satisfaction in four factors: performance (33%); physical design (23%); features (22%); and ease of operation (22%).