Apple Edges Samsung to Top U.S. PC Customer Satisfaction Survey for 13th Consecutive Year

[djgamble]

Surprises me on tqo levels. Firstly I don't think that Apple is what it used to be. Secondly, I don't think Samesong have improved in a big way.

 

[Seraph301083]

I saw the picture and got my hopes up about new hardware only to realise it is nothing of that sort..
And to be honest I they should be beneath Samsung already so they get ther sh*t together and give the mac the attention it deserves.

 

[AmelieCofas]

is no surprise that is so close to the samsung..since all of the macs needs update..this should be tested after the holidays after the all mac event

 

[mr.bee]

Samsung consumers just love EXPLODING BATTERIES

 

[newdeal]

where is the nearest samsung store so that I can take my samsung computer in to get it repaired?

 

[kingpushup]

I wonder if that's because Apple is trying to compete more with Microsoft and the Surface which they also try to market as a laptop replacement.

This was written backwards. Article author flipped the brands. Apple introduced iPad as a device dedicated to media consumption. Samsung tablets have Windows OS as a device for work production. In this way, Samsung's vision is similar to Microsoft's tablet: all-in-one. Apple suggests all-in-one is best at none.

Just a philosophical difference, which author wrote backwards. Both devices are admirable, and competition currently helps all consumers.

 

[donpaluh]

For a minute I had my hopes up for decent Macintosh computer rumors.

I hate to admit it but I still have my fingers crossed for an updated, FRESH, 17" Macbook Pro.

(don't wake me up from that dream please!)

Hey! That's my dream!

I gotta think Apple's own engineers and designers are screaming for this too!

 

[a.gomez]

Seeing how Samsung not only makes 1K laptops - they doing a great job. Also, love how people forget that Apple wont even talk to you on the phone after 90 days unless you pay an extra 250 dollars for Apple Care. Their service is great - but I'm getting that because I'm paying for it.

"Apple continues to add laptop-like functionality to iPads" wait what?... not sure what that nonsense is about. Split-view, file system and Active digitizers were on Samsung tablets ages ago.

 

[wigby]

So you prefer heavy dialects and accents in your tech support over the crackly phone connection? On the other hand, Apple support is so friendly and supportive it's sickening and wastes my time in a different way.

"I'm so sorry to hear that about your iMac, sir."
"Let's get you up and running today."
"I can understand how much distress you must be in right now."
"I hate when my devices don't work as planned."

ENOUGH! Can we dispense with the pleasantries and condescension and just get to the problem, diagnosis and fix?

 

[Armandodj]

Samsung is the worst providing support to 4K TV's. They are horrible.......

 

[macduke]

Yeah, there is definitely something fishy going on with the Macs right now. I've written many times before that I think they might be working on gearing them up with ARM chips—especially given that Intel announced in August that they are going to begin manufacturing ARM chips. We have A, M, S, and now W chips. Perhaps they'll go with something cool, and everyone knows there is no letter cooler than X, which is like super eXtreme. I mean, the fast iPads get A_X chips, and X has had an important place in the previous Mac OS X branding for the past 15 years. Maybe they could call it the X1 Fusion chip or something.

The only problem is there are lots of Macs, with different speeds and price points, so how do you name them all? Maybe they could just list specs like they do with current Macs: "3.2GHz octo-core Apple X1 processor" for things like iMacs or "2.4GHz quad-core Apple X1 Fusion processor" for things like MacBooks. Or they could break them out into different lines, either with different letters or with different designations at the end. So maybe the MacBooks and MacBook Pro 13" get the lower tier X1 base model, MacBook Pro 15" and iMacs get the middle tier X1S, and Mac Pros get the upper tier X1X. Each tier would have a range of speed within that class meant to hit different energy and thermal dissipation requirements. Each tier could also be delineated by a different number of cores, or configured with a Fusion package to meet low power requirements.

I'm going to be pretty disappointed if they've gone silent and just release a pathetic spec bump update. My personal dream machine would be a 16" 4K rMBP with reduced bezels around the display so it's the same footprint as the 15", OLED Touch Bar across the top, Touch ID, 12 hour battery life, hex-core or higher Apple chip, latest Nvidia graphics (is it even possible to mix that with ARM?) LTE and GPS (for locating), better FaceTime camera, 4 x USB-C/TB, and mLED (micro LED) true-tone display. It doesn't really need to be thinner and lighter, because it's a freaking laptop, but I wouldn't mind losing just a little weight if they can hit the specs above. No chance in hell of getting all of that, but half of that would be a good start. Macs have just stagnated and there's absolutely no reason to upgrade my mid-2012 rMBP 15" when you look at the current lineup. I know part of that is Intel's fault, but all the more reason why Apple should design their own chips for Macs. They even renamed it to macOS recently. It matches everything else on ARM hardware, so why not run it on an advanced version of iOS hardware?

 

[citysnaps]

I like apple, actually. When they decide to make stuff, it's usually pretty darn solid. I'd personally just like to see more than watch bands or new phone colors. Guess I'm just not the target demographic anymore.

Just new phone colors? Is that all?

You forgot about the new water resistance rating, a new display that DisplayMate rates the highest, a new dual camera system, a new processor that's 40% faster than the previous model (and 2x the iPhone 6), a new operating system, longer battery life, etc. Yes, just new phone colors.

And those watch bands! The standard go-to hackneyed tech forum meme that anyone still in junior high school can quickly trot out. Just add a nah nah ni nah, nah for bonus points and forum approval. Not picking on you, but that's standard fare, here.

Probably forgot the new improved model that's water resistance rated, with GPS, faster, brighter display, and much better OS with expanded fitness profiles.

 

[Gwendolini]

If they would stop touting their iPads as desktop replacements then I'd agree with you. But iPads do not have a practical use. If it can run Autodesk then I'd have nothing to complain about.

And everyone needs to run Autodesk products of course. What is a desktop for you does not have to be a desktop for someone else, and I say that as someone not using an iPad as desktop replacement. I have a Hackintosh for that, or the 2015 rMBP, which is quite powerful for my video editing needs (I could play back 16 tracks for ProRes Proxy material in the angle viewer, and the Library was on a measly mobile USB 3.0 HDD).

Until the iPad can do that, I have to stay away from those kinds of computers. Or are we still stuck in the 1980s, when Personal Computers were something else than they are today?

 

[Cmd-Z]

Hey look, Apple's back on top where they should be. I've never had a better customer service anywhere else. Amazon and Ebay are a PAIN, they can never understand what I say because they're usually like hardcore Indian and they have no idea what to do to help me out. Not that Indians are bad at their jobs (and I don't hate them), I just think that it's better when you talk to someone who can effectively understand what you need and help you out with it.

Donald, is that you?

Here's a tip, how about making the issue simply "communication skills" since that's really what you're complaining about, rather than calling out a specific ethnicity?

 

[kingpushup]

I don't know how they conducted their survey, but sounds like paid participants who doesn't know what computer is.

There's no way at this time that apple is still leading in pc market..including Mac pro users.
(well...i guess mbp users would help increase that)

The questions: what's the definition of pc satisfaction? Is this including everyone? or just mobile pcs?

Survey creators always tip their hat by how they frame their question.

Apple clearly is favorable by many consumers for home use laptops. But big reason for this is its streamlined/limited presentation and functionality.

For some work situations, we need a "PC" and this means Windows. However, is there any PC brand that's liked right now? Laptops, maybe Lenovo? Idk. But the category's sales are a bit low.

Lower are desktop sales. Gateway and Dell already matured that space.

So the survey crew focus where customers want to read - tablets. I would prefer if they create a new category - tablets. Separate from PCs. However that might have favored Apple's vision of a tablet as a separate device for consumption. Samsung and Microsoft and others view a tablet as a 'laptop lite.' Thus, a PC.

Survey creators always tip their hats by how they frame their question.

 

[Deep Dish]

Not surprising at all. iMac is by far the best desktop computer on the market, the MacBook is great, and hopefully new MacBook Pros will continue that trend.

I would add a personal anecdote. I will never forget when Apple replaced a two year old notebook because it broke down for the 4th time. They literally called to say "We're sorry. This isn't the kind of experience we want for our customers."

Then they asked if it would be okay to replace this machine with a brand new one - two generations ahead - and I said... Ah, yeah? Yeah, that would be fine. LOL

Same thing happened to me back in '05. My Powerbook had like 3 weeks until Apple Care was up, and OS 10.4 made my modem stop working (yeah, I still was using dialup in '05). A few days after sending it in, they said they'd have to replace the logic board and since it was so old, they just offered me the latest top of the line Powerbook.

I sure do miss that Apple...

 

[Nicksd84]

apple makes computers?

Samsung makes computers?

 

[Thunderhawks]

So tablets are now considered 'personal computers'?

A couple of naked pictures on it and is EXTREMELY personal.

Where else to put it?

Create a Tweener products category?

Then people would complain that it's more of this or more of that.

 

[LordVic]

These customer satisfication surveys are absolutely nothing more than a pissing contest.


there's absolutely NO scientific value behind them, as there is no way to do comparison. Someone who owns an Apple laptop likely doesn't own a Dell or Samsung. this is the very nature of purely unscientific questioning.

don't get me wrong, I love my Apple computer. But for some value liek this to make any sense, you would have to have the SAME person rate the different computers. By having different people rate different computers, with no overlap, you dont know if the variable is the user, or the device.

so it doesn't also take into account personal bias. The one thing I have noticed is that Apple users tend to be more "engaged" with loving their devices. More likely to want to show off the devices. More likely to want to claim its' the best thing ever. While thats not a problem to love your own products, it puts an uncontrollable variable into play, where Apple Brand name might be making up for actual deficiencies the user might have. (For example, I know someone who has bought a new MacBook Air every year since 2011. Every year it's sent to the shop. he's had 5 laptops and has sent each one in at least once. But, he will claim no matter what, Apple products are the best, and would likely have rated Apple a 10/10 in any survey.

at the end of the day though. if you're happy with the product you're using, these things are also irrelevant

 

[alexgowers]

You can see why their priorities are where they are.

I still think apple puts huge effort into iPads when they are selling less than the mac lines! Constant updates to iPads and nothing for macs! I despair. But still windows 10 will not work as well as OSX does. That is the only thing holding the likes of samsung back from better results.

 

[LordVic]

Wonder if the interviews were before or after the melting Samsung smartphone problems.

Might be a different score if recent Samsung customers were surveyed.

this is about computers, not phones. so not really relevant except to pretend to act snarky

don't forget, Apple has had laptops with melting batteries in the past too. and it didn't hurt them that bad.

 

[Windoes]

So tablets are now considered 'personal computers'?

No, only in Cupertino

 

[mildocjr]

 

[Thunderhawks]

Donald, is that you?

Here's a tip, how about making the issue simply "communication skills" since that's really what you're complaining about, rather than calling out a specific ethnicity?

What s/he is saying is that for companies who outsource their customer service, expect a crapshot experience.
Agreed, not related to ethnicity. Just a placeholder for trying to be cheap.

I have had that "they have no clue what I am talking about" experience with several companies, compared to
Apple. With one exception Apple's service was excellent. Even that exception was resolved when I asked for a supervisor.

The issue is not even the person trying to help you, it is the training.

Depending on what you ask, you hear them rifling through manuals or typing in your question to see if there is a pre-programmed answer.
Since they probably do not use your product and if you know more than they do, you will be sunk.

But, I have had bad service with US companies in US cities. Again, it's all about training.

Before I contact any customer service from any company I do an extensive google search in two languages.
80% of the time somebody else had the same problem and there is a solution.

 

[Thunderbird]

A couple of naked pictures on it and is EXTREMELY personal.

Where else to put it?

Create a Tweener products category?

Then people would complain that it's more of this or more of that.

But phones already have their own category. It's conceptually easy to have four categories: phones, tablets, laptops/notebooks, and desktop/personal computers.