Apple Tops U.S. PC Customer Satisfaction Survey for Eighth Consecutive Time

[*LTD*]

That's simply wrong - HP stopped the WebOS hardware operations, but is keeping the WebOS software as a software-only enterprise.

Alright, but this software-only enterprise seems to be undergoing a transition. Either "trimming the fat" or "beginning of the end."

Which one? We've heard a lot of "commitment" talk before from different companies about different products. That is, before the axe fell and the product was abandoned entirely or just allowed to fizzle out and die.

http://www.neowin.net/news/hp-confirms-webos-based-layoffs

HP confirms webOS-based layoffs

Employees who are part of HP's failed webOS hardware division will be getting some bad news this week. AllthingsD.com has confirmed that HP will lay off a number of workers associated with that section of its business. The company issued a statement on Monday that said as part of its recent business decisions:

... the webOS GBU is undergoing a reduction in workforce. Today’s actions are part of this initiative. During this time, we stand by our commitment to our webOS customers and will work to ensure that support and service for customers are not adversely affected. HP is exploring ways to leverage webOS software.

The story claims, via unnamed sources, that HP could lay off as many as 525 employees from the webOS division this week, but the company has yet to confirm specific layoff numbers.

HP shut down production of future webOS-based hardware devices back in mid-August, due primarily to the sales failure of its heavily hyped HP Touchpad tablet. However, HP will create one final production run of the TouchPad later this year. This was due to HP cutting the price of the tablet drastically, and as a result sales of the device finally took off.

HP has already hinted strongly that it is looking to license its webOS operating system to third party companies. HP purchased the webOS division as part of its acquisition of the Palm company back in April 2010, but failed to release products that generated a lot of interest from the public.

 

[AidenShaw]

Alright, but this software-only enterprise seems to be undergoing a transition. Either "trimming the fat" or "beginning of the end."

Which one? We've heard a lot of "commitment" talk before from different companies about different products. That is, before the axe fell and the product was abandoned entirely or just allowed to fizzle out and die.

http://www.neowin.net/news/hp-confirms-webos-based-layoffs

HP confirms webOS-based layoffs

Employees who are part of HP's failed webOS hardware division will be getting some bad news this week.

....

Didn't you read the first sentence of your quote?

 

[gkarris]

Alright, but this software-only enterprise seems to be undergoing a transition. Either "trimming the fat" or "beginning of the end."

Which one? We've heard a lot of "commitment" talk before from different companies about different products. That is, before the axe fell and the product was abandoned entirely or just allowed to fizzle out and die.

http://www.neowin.net/news/hp-confirms-webos-based-layoffs

HP confirms webOS-based layoffs

Who didn't see this coming?

I saw Android Tablets from Acer and others go for $399...

Too bad - WebOS was pretty cool trying it out at the store.

Poor HP... RIM next...

 

[*LTD*]

Didn't you read the first sentence of your quote?

Why should anyone take an official statement (that is, boilerplate intended to save face) from the likes of HP (especially HP!) seriously?

That's why I asked the question in the beginning of my previous post.

Wait to see what they do with WebOS. For now, for all intents and purposes it's dead.

 

[ChrisA]

yea, overpriced hardware manufactured buy $0.80 per hour sweatshop chinese labor.

People say this but if you go to China and ask the people where they would prefer to work, few would move. And then on the over priced front what of comparative quality is low priced?

 

[*LTD*]

yea, overpriced hardware manufactured buy $0.80 per hour sweatshop chinese labor.

If you typed that from a computer or mobile device you made your contribution to that $0.80.

It's virtually inescapable in today's tech market. Some part in your device was made in China and/or using cheap labour.

As far as the "overpriced" argument goes (which is by now old, tired, and refuted long ago), Apple charges whatever the market will bear. Like anyone else. And the market bears Apple's prices pretty damn well (especially in a recession.)

Seems consumers (or a certain segment of them) can recognize a real value proposition for what it is.

 

[pgiguere1]

That's simply wrong - HP stopped the WebOS hardware operations, but is keeping the WebOS software as a software-only enterprise.

Well, if they don't put WebOS on any new hardware, which they will probably do at this point, all that means is that they will continue to offer updates/bug fixes to existing WebOS devices until they stop being used.

I wouldn't expect a completely new redesigned WebOS version for existing Palm/TouchPad users in the future.

 

[AidenShaw]

Think differently....

Well, if they don't put WebOS on any new hardware, which they will probably do at this point, all that means is that they will continue to offer updates/bug fixes to existing WebOS devices until they stop being used.

I wouldn't expect a completely new redesigned WebOS version for existing Palm/TouchPad users in the future.

But what about WebOS for the Ipad 2?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1215199/[/url

 

[JHankwitz]

.
But where is iPhone5??

What's wrong with the iPhone 4? It works great!

 

[soccer100]

Its not ASCI, its ACSI.

 

[JHankwitz]

Ha, yeah I just like taking jabs at people who think they are better than others because they own a Mac (seeing that a few people I know who buy Macs have issues with paying +$10/month rent).

Like DUH! Mac owners are better than others. They're smart enough to know a superior product when they see it, and know it will be far less costly in the long run.

Like my mother-in-law. She's owned a PC for years and has never used it because it's just too dammed complicated to setup and use. She had to call support every time she wanted to do most anything, and finally gave up on it. How costly was that computer (anchor, dust collector,desk decoration)? She could have paid a months rent for what she paid for it, and it's totally worthless as far as she's concerned.

 

[wovel]

Point of confirmation: While RIM isn't on the list, they were the biggest fish for a long time, with an excellent product, and they make everything here. I'm sure the processors and some parts are coming from overseas, but the assembly and as much work as possible is here.

Apple *could* do that. Not that anyone gives a damn as long as the end product rocks.

I am confused do you live in Hungary or Mexico?

 

[MacinDoc]

But what about WebOS for the Ipad 2?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1215199/[/url

Actually, there is probably a bigger market for webOS on JB iPads than on any other hardware. Now if only it could run Apps written for iOS...

 

[JHankwitz]

Its not ASCI, its ACSI.

Are you sure? I know that the International Organization for Standardization is ISO.

 

[rjohnstone]

HP - Forced out of the business

You seriously need help understanding how the world of business works.
Selling off a division that is still making loads of cash is hardly "forced out of business".

It's just like when IBM got out of the PC business. They weren't force out. They changed business strategy and sold the division to Lenovo (I noticed they were not even included in the survey btw).

As for rock solid reliability and customer service, I'll take my ThinkPad over a Mac Book Pro any day.

 

[Tones2]

Like DUH! Mac owners are better than others. They're smart enough to know a superior product when they see it, and know it will be far less costly in the long run.

Like my mother-in-law. She's owned a PC for years and has never used it because it's just too dammed complicated to setup and use. She had to call support every time she wanted to do most anything, and finally gave up on it. How costly was that computer (anchor, dust collector,desk decoration)? She could have paid a months rent for what she paid for it, and it's totally worthless as far as she's concerned.

Yes, your mother-in-law seems like one of those super smart Mac people that can't find a power on button and click on an icon to start a program. That superiority would have shone through much better had she owned a Mac. Great example.

Tony

 

[Bubba Satori]

Who is surprised ;-)

Owners of time bomb MacBook Pro grenades?

 

[MacNewsFix]

True, but with 76 billion dollar in CASH, Apple could make a different choice and move production to a country that respects basic labour rights.

Done.

Report: Apple Has Opened a New iPad Factory in Brazil

Brazil Facts:

• Unions represent all major segments of industry.

• Brazilian workers have had the right to strike since 1984.

• Maternity benefits include a 90-day leave for mothers and a one-week leave for fathers.

 

[powers74]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Oh look! Something that's not a blatant ad! Lol, jk, whatever...

Actully, though, it's probably not so much that Apple is THAT much better, but in reality they are better enough, and they have done a really good job of nailing down a lot of the things that annoy people that customers are less likely to report the things that do bug them. At least that's me...

 

[mouthbreather]

How does Packard Bell even get mentioned? I know there is no score, but I find it humorous. Why not Tandy Corp? I LOVED there stuff.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Apple is by far the most popular brand with high net worth individuals

Despite a deep deep global recession Apple has grown and grown and has sold high end kit like they were tins of beans so the people with money who have weathered the recession have Apple as the brand of choice, the sales figures say it all

Superior people financially yes

I think your priorities are in the wrong place.

 

[cvaldes]

Are you sure? I know that the International Organization for Standardization is ISO.

Yeah, just use your favorite search engine and query "American Customer Satisfaction Index" and you'll land here http://www.theacsi.org/ (note spelling).

If you believe Wikipedia, ISO is not an acronym, but derived from the Greek word isos which means equal (as in isosceles triangle).

 

[RMo]

Ah, but remember everyone. Macs are just the same as PCs. They're all made out of the same parts. This whole "customer satisfaction" thing is purely subjective and just a way for all of us to feel better about paying the Apple tax.

I do have to say, I wonder how the results would compare if manufacturers like Dell were rated only according to their "Apple-quality" products, by which I mean the Optiplex and Latitude lines and not the Inspirons (and maybe not the Vostros....I'm not really sure where they fit).

For those who don't know, the ones I'm referring to are the business-class machines, which means that parts are standardized (e.g., no swapping out a component for something cheaper at random) and long-term support options are available. I'd consider these comparable in terms of hardware and support to most Apple products. I don't think Apple would ever sell anything like an Inspiron, and that's part of why their prices appear to be higher. Compare like with like and you'll be a bit closer.

Of course, that couldn't possibly be the last word in customer satisfaction (because, for example, customer service presumably plays an important role there ), but I can't help but wonder how much it would help. And of course, it's their choice to sell whatever products they like...

 

[powers74]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Like LTD said part of it is windows, but the other thing about the boutique PC makers is that most of the people who buy those are techies and basically are their own IT & tech support, therefore satisfaction will be disproportionately higher and is likely why these manufacturers are not included.

EDIT: Whoops, I don't know, the quote doesn't show up when I replied on the mobile version of MR. what evvs.

 

[DanteMann]

These stats are laughable. One read of any Apple forum will show how a lot of Apple customers won't admit they are unhappy with their purchase. They will defend it to no end. PC shoppers for the most part will have no loyalty to any brand. If they're not happy with Brand A, they'll gladly admit they made a bad purchase and move to brand B. The Apple user can't do this. You sink in that much money for a Mac PC, your gonna defend that purchase because you don't want to look like a fool. It's almost guaranteed, as an Apple customer, you had some Windows customer(family or friend) telling you that you can buy a more powerful PC for less. But of course no one was gonna stop you from buying the Apple. Now if your not satisfied with it, your definitely not gonna say so. You don't want anyone telling you, I told you so.