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

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. 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 for 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. Keep reading...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
amazon black friday

Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More

Sunday November 23, 2025 7:12 am PST by
Black Friday deals have begun, and Amazon is one of the best places you can find steep discounts on numerous products this week. We've already collected all of the best Apple-related deals you'll find at Amazon (and other retailers) in our Apple Black Friday Deals post, so below you'll find other discounts on devices like Anker accessories, Beats headphones, video games, TVs, and more. Note:...