ChangeWave says iPhone 4 satisfaction tops Android

iPhone 4 owners are noticeably happier with their devices than owners of recent Android and BlackBerry phones, ChangeWave found in a new study. Of those asked in November, 84 percent of iPhone 4 32GB owners and 78 percent of 16GB owners were "very satisfied." The approval was only higher than for the 3GS but was eight points higher than the next-best ranking for a rival, HTC's Evo 4G, which scored 76 percent.

Motorola's Droid 2 was next closest at 74 percent. Other Android phones typically hovered in the low 70s. Research in Motion got a significant lift from the BlackBerry Torch, but at 64 percent it still trailed both Apple, HTC and Motorola. The Bold was lower still at 48 percent, and the 37 percent for "other" included devices like the Storm2.

Despite its relative ubiquity, the Samsung Galaxy S line only had 55 percent of owners saying they were very happy.

Long-term results also tended to favor Apple and created a noticeable gap, albeit with a strong result from Motorola. About 77 percent of iPhone owners who had bought a device in the past six months were very satisfied, while 71 percent of Motorola phone owners could say the same. HTC was at a middle position with 63 percent, but contentedness fell off quickly with Samsung only managing 45 percent and RIM trailing at 44 percent.

New to the research group's studies was a "buyer's remorse" look that revealed a significant number of smartphone buyers were only buying Android or BlackBerry devices because the iPhone wasn't on their network of choice. Among all Americans studied that weren't on AT&T, 34 percent would have opted for an iPhone if it had been an option. Loyalty depended on the platform. Despite low satisfaction, a relatively low 28 percent of Samsung smartphone owners would have picked up an iPhone instead while half would have stayed with the Korean company. The figure grew to 32 percent of HTC buyers and steeper 36 and 37 percent defection rates for BlackBerry and Motorola buyers.

The results suggested that the iPhone 4's antenna concerns weren't significant factors for long-term owners but also helped explain a mass exodus from the BlackBerry over the past year that mostly fueled Android. As some US customers have been unwilling to switch to AT&T no matter what device it offered, many of these may have bought an Android device to replace a BlackBerry or another phone. A Verizon iPhone or any other non-exclusive could still pose a significant threat to rivals in the country.

The study only covered 1,212 users and so isn't completely accurate but is still considered reflective of overall trends in the smartphone industry.

By Electronista Staff