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LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,776
10,838
Too many variables, no doubt. And then there is the margin of error. Not to mention the type of use and knowledge of the average user. It would be interesting to see what the details are in terms of satisfaction vs dissatisfaction items...

Another point is: I may enjoy my bicycle but it does not make it a car or a motorcycle; or, I may dislike my Porsche because it was simpler for me to drive my Camry on daily commutes with its automatic transmission AND it had much better mileage... Of course such real comparisons never really happen as the car owner will typically never own the other models so it's all hypothetical and theoretical.

Too many variables is right.

The other interesting statistic here would be sales numbers. Although accuracy is an issue here as well when "shipped" is often substituted for "sold" and full disclosure is often lacking...

Over time another good statistic is "switcher" numbers: iPhone to Samsung, Samsung to iPhone, iOS to android and vice versa. Considering most people keep their phones at least 2 years to get the best deal, there have not been too many purchasing cycles yet.

Interesting stuff. The war goes on.

Enjoy your great phones in the mean time!


Those variables is what manufacturers count on. Apple has been adding functionality and matching design changes over the last several years, while trying not to compromise it's simplicity. Samsung has been focusing on making it's TouchWiz more simplified and hardware design more premium, while not trying to compromise it's features and the openness of Android. Both are looking for that perfect balance.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
In US for customer satisfaction -

1. Samsung
2. Apple
3. Motorola
4. LG
5. HTC

On average, it seems. No Sony or Nokia.

In my country, Samsung and Apple still rule. Motorola and HTC doesn't really register here. LG, Lenovo, and Sony are fairly more common here along with the several local brands.

My focus are on the underdog brands and midrange specs and prices. No to QHD. A 720p screen is fine with me at "5. No need for a super duper GPU. I can use PS4 or Vita for my gaming fix. Focus more on long battery life, decent cam, and comfortable form factor.

The brands I watch -

Xiaomi
LG
Huawei
Meizu
ASUS
Sony

I can't focus on HTC since their customer service sucks here. But that One mini 2 looks better to me than the M8. Perfect size. Same dimensions as M7 but slightly thicker.

My qualms with Sony is their midrange phones are more expensive than Chinese flagships, they use glass designs which sucks, TFT screen sucks in different angles, and Sony simply isn't GREAT anymore but they and their fanboys (usually PlayStation nerds) still think they are. Their PS Vita is failing, their network gets hacked on, they use proprietary nonsense to jack up prices, etc. Sony is good but they are not great anymore.

I do think Oppo is on the rise except they do useless spec trends like THINNEST phone ever or BEZEL-LESS. But Oppo is one of the more innovative Chinese brands. Their design team is more creative than Xiaomi's. No OnePlus One here except if I order it from Lazada for more than it retails.

ZTE is another brand to look for except they use MediaTek alot. Their ZMAX was a delightful surprise for some folks in the States. Gionee is BLU's OEM here. I don't trust them too much with their Amigo OS skin and MediaTek on every phone. No thanks to Lenovo.

For value - Xiaomi, ASUS, Meizu, and Huawei. I say Meizu has the best camera between all of them but Huawei have the best designs esp the P-series and Mate7. Xiaomi and ASUS offer the best specs/price ratio.
 

Oohara

macrumors 68040
Jun 28, 2012
3,050
2,423
In US for customer satisfaction -

1. Samsung
2. Apple
3. Motorola
4. LG
5. HTC

On average, it seems. No Sony or Nokia.

In my country, Samsung and Apple still rule. Motorola and HTC doesn't really register here. LG, Lenovo, and Sony are fairly more common here along with the several local brands.

My focus are on the underdog brands and midrange specs and prices. No to QHD. A 720p screen is fine with me at "5. No need for a super duper GPU. I can use PS4 or Vita for my gaming fix. Focus more on long battery life, decent cam, and comfortable form factor.

The brands I watch -

Xiaomi
LG
Huawei
Meizu
ASUS
Sony

I can't focus on HTC since their customer service sucks here. But that One mini 2 looks better to me than the M8. Perfect size. Same dimensions as M7 but slightly thicker.

My qualms with Sony is their midrange phones are more expensive than Chinese flagships, they use glass designs which sucks, TFT screen sucks in different angles, and Sony simply isn't GREAT anymore but they and their fanboys (usually PlayStation nerds) still think they are. Their PS Vita is failing, their network gets hacked on, they use proprietary nonsense to jack up prices, etc. Sony is good but they are not great anymore.

I do think Oppo is on the rise except they do useless spec trends like THINNEST phone ever or BEZEL-LESS. But Oppo is one of the more innovative Chinese brands. Their design team is more creative than Xiaomi's. No OnePlus One here except if I order it from Lazada for more than it retails.

ZTE is another brand to look for except they use MediaTek alot. Their ZMAX was a delightful surprise for some folks in the States. Gionee is BLU's OEM here. I don't trust them too much with their Amigo OS skin and MediaTek on every phone. No thanks to Lenovo.

For value - Xiaomi, ASUS, Meizu, and Huawei. I say Meizu has the best camera between all of them but Huawei have the best designs esp the P-series and Mate7. Xiaomi and ASUS offer the best specs/price ratio.
This is about two particular phones, not companies.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,098
23,744
Gotta be in it to win it
This is about two particular phones, not companies.

Even so it's not correct. Reverse one and two.

These fellows, ACSI, have been discussed before here and their methods are not transparent.

I'm waiting till JD POWER comes out with their survey; that will be interesting.
 

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,776
10,838

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,292
23,997
Wales, United Kingdom
I find often these surveys are relative to where they are completed. For instance it's very rare I see a Note 4 in my part of the world. It could be that one particular phone is more popular but people aren't as happy with it though lol. The survey is great but not sure exactly what I would draw from it?
 

Switchback666

macrumors 68000
Nov 16, 2012
1,600
67
SXM
The note series is just too good, Samsung are doing a great job and seem to know exactly what the target wants.

When I had my note 3 I was extremely satisfied, now using a 6 plus since last year but I will always keep an eye on the note phones.
 

joshuaad

macrumors newbie
Oct 21, 2014
23
8
The thing to keep in mind is how Apple products work within the Apple ecosystems - i.e., with each other. The whole design, software and hardware, is based on the whole system. From that perspective it's easy to understand Apple's phenomenal success in the market place and why many live their products so much.
 

rhinosrcool

macrumors 68000
Sep 5, 2009
1,748
683
MN
Not surprised by Samsung being #1 and #2 at all. Galaxy Note series are the best all-around phablet out there. Samsung had a three year headstart to refine the features including what is used on the S-Pen. The Note 3 is nearly TWO years old and it still ranks higher than iPhone 6 Plus. Removable battery, micro-sd, nice cam, nice screen, good battery life, yes PLEASE!

What surprised me was from HTC. I don't know if that is M7 or M8, but they seem only mediocre on that list. But from my personal experience, it seems after awhile HTC phones don't age as well. Whether because the cam usually sucks, generally poor battery life (sans M8), unreplaceable/unrepairable design, etc. From my experience, HTC will WOW me at first when they first come out with their interesting design. Then after the novelty wears off, their phones start to get worse and worse and you left with a pretty paperweight. Picking HTC is for the short-sighted.

I really hope Samsung doesn't mess up with the Note 5. Those are for productive lifestyles for people who are more forward-thinking without sacrificing key features for the sake of a "prettier" phone like they did with S6/S6 edge this year. Samsung doesn't want to mess up a good thing right now. The Galaxy Note 4 should have won GSMA's best smartphone for 2014. Not LG G3 and iPhone 6. And Note 3 should have won it for 2013. Not HTC One M7. But people get fooled easily by smoke mirrors like people who are fooled by Floyd Mayweather Jr's defensive style and UNDEFEATED, pretty boy record.

I agree. Even with the Floyd Mayweather comment!
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
I think the 6+ is amazing. It beats my old Note 4 and S6 Edge. The device focuses on the user rather than pizzazz, overpowered specs, and gimmicks.
 

UAV

macrumors regular
Jan 11, 2015
178
84
I think the 6+ is amazing. It beats my old Note 4 and S6 Edge. The device focuses on the user rather than pizzazz, overpowered specs, and gimmicks.
it's not a gimmick when the note4 nfc payment system works on places that the iphone applepay system doesn't. or how it just integrates with just about every os even apples. that what i like to call "it just works" were apples doesn't. now i only named 2 examples cause i have to type but there are so, so many more
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,292
23,997
Wales, United Kingdom
it's not a gimmick when the note4 nfc payment system works on places that the iphone applepay system doesn't. or how it just integrates with just about every os even apples. that what i like to call "it just works" were apples doesn't. now i only named 2 examples cause i have to type but there are so, so many more
Where I live paying with your mobile phone is still a bit of a gimmick regardless of what system it uses. NFC is used quite a lot with cards but it's very rare you'll see somebody use their phone in the same way.
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
it's not a gimmick when the note4 nfc payment system works on places that the iphone applepay system doesn't. or how it just integrates with just about every os even apples. that what i like to call "it just works" were apples doesn't. now i only named 2 examples cause i have to type but there are so, so many more

I said focuses more on a user experience. Apple Pay is also a gimmick too, but not as much as other stuff like smart stay or s-voice. iOS doesn't need an IR blaster either to do well in giving users what they want. I realized that OP specs didn't make up the difference between certain features that makes things easier to do. I just like how iMessages works, widgets are baked into notification center, you can control music from control center, cleaner arrangement than Touchwiz, Apple Maps on the lock screen, visual voice mail built in, etc.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,098
23,744
Gotta be in it to win it
Yep agreed.

Just makes me wonder when we talk 'satisfaction' what the difference would be asking say 100 people using Note 4 on lollipop to 100 people using it on KitKat and if the OS changes the satisfaction rating given by the users. Just scientifically curious :)



----- just thinking on that thought a little more -----

Also from a scientific perspective I wonder how they do these tests. For example if I asked 100 Device A owners at random and 100 other device B users at random and as its random and laws of probability kick in, it's highly possible 100 I pick of device A may never have had a fault with their phone whereas conversely Device B users may by random act of chance had a high percentage of users who have had a fault.

Therefore the satisfaction rating would be artificially skewed.

Do they make sure there are same number of people with no issues to those with issues ? Likely not. So how can we know that there isn't some underlying factor skewing result in some manner.

Yeah I'm not really sure I hold much weight to these satisfaction surveys - just too many variables that could potentially skew results on way or another which may not be actually genuinely reflective outside of the survey group.

The ACSI logo is owned by the University of Michigan; that should give you some clue as to the origins. I've only actually seen their info-graphics twice both here posted by the same person. Their wiki article is an advertisement for their group. JD Power isn't actually different in that regard, but their business model is a pay for study of your business against the ideals.

At any rate, I've never been interviewed by any company, for anything other than my car buying or car servicing experience. But I guess the bottom line is more people would rather have the i6, and would end up with a lower satisfaction, than the lower selling N4, whose buyers will have a higher satisfaction.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Original poster
Aug 7, 2011
15,807
18,310
US
I said focuses more on a user experience. Apple Pay is also a gimmick too, but not as much as other stuff like smart stay or s-voice. iOS doesn't need an IR blaster either to do well in giving users what they want. I realized that OP specs didn't make up the difference between certain features that makes things easier to do. I just like how iMessages works, widgets are baked into notification center, you can control music from control center, cleaner arrangement than Touchwiz, Apple Maps on the lock screen, visual voice mail built in, etc.
But wouldn't it be nice if the IR Blaster was in every iphone? You wouldn't need an Apple remote for Apple TV. You could control your ATV and regular TV with one device your iphone. You can't argue that would not be easier.
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
But wouldn't it be nice if the IR Blaster was in every iphone? You wouldn't need an Apple remote for Apple TV. You could control your ATV and regular TV with one device your iphone. You can't argue that would not be easier.

Sure, luxuries would be nice, but at what cost. I feel like a lot of the Touchwiz features ate up resources. You cannot delete a lot of the features since it's baked into the UI. I had those IR blasters on the M7, Note 3, S5, Note 4, and S6 Edge, but I never bothered with it. I use my Xbox One for voice controls.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,098
23,744
Gotta be in it to win it
But wouldn't it be nice if the IR Blaster was in every iphone? You wouldn't need an Apple remote for Apple TV. You could control your ATV and regular TV with one device your iphone. You can't argue that would not be easier.

That's the Android kitchen sink approach to the market. While an IR Blaster would probably be nice on an iphone, a health app/homekit/continuity/handoff/facetime/imessage concept would be nice in native mode on android as well.
 

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,776
10,838
I said focuses more on a user experience. Apple Pay is also a gimmick too, but not as much as other stuff like smart stay or s-voice. iOS doesn't need an IR blaster either to do well in giving users what they want. I realized that OP specs didn't make up the difference between certain features that makes things easier to do. I just like how iMessages works, widgets are baked into notification center, you can control music from control center, cleaner arrangement than Touchwiz, Apple Maps on the lock screen, visual voice mail built in, etc.

Smart stay is anything but a gimmick. It's one of Samsung's best underrated features.

The IR blaster is actually very handy. I can control my TV, Cable box, sound reciever, Xbox, Air conditioner, and etc. Don't use it on the regular, but it's nice to have when you need it, and works just as good as hardbutton remotes.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Original poster
Aug 7, 2011
15,807
18,310
US
Sure, luxuries would be nice, but at what cost. I feel like a lot of the Touchwiz features ate up resources. You cannot delete a lot of the features since it's baked into the UI. I had those IR blasters on the M7, Note 3, S5, Note 4, and S6 Edge, but I never bothered with it. I use my Xbox One for voice controls.
I think those features you don't use or want are not gimmicks. You just don't use them. Personally I don't like the Xbox and have no use for it.
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
Smart stay is anything but a gimmick. It's one of Samsung's best underrated features.

The IR blaster is actually very handy. I can control my TV, Cable box, sound reciever, Xbox, Air conditioner, and etc. Don't use it on the regular, but it's nice to have when you need it, and works just as good as hardbutton remotes.

But would you rather have freed up resources to make the user experience better or have the extra features. For awhile, I used to say I rather have the TW features, but I realized that I had problems with Samsung for ages, so it's time to give it up. I said which "pure stock" experience gave me the most features and it led me to iOS and the 6+. But that's just me. Each person views features differently. I thought Smart Alert was among the best S-features.
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
I think those features you don't use or want are not gimmicks. You just don't use them. Personally I don't like the Xbox and have no use for it.

That's fine, you're entitled to your opinion. A lot of people argue that the Kinect is useless. I argue that it's a great convenient option.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Original poster
Aug 7, 2011
15,807
18,310
US
That's fine, you're entitled to your opinion. A lot of people argue that the Kinect is useless. I argue that it's a great convenient option.
Oh i agree with you. I think the possibilities with the whole Xbox One system with Kinect is awesome! I just don't use it. Kinda like IR blaster or Smart Stay etc.....for others. Just because a person doesn't use a product or features doesn't make them useless or less valuable to others.
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
Oh i agree with you. I think the possibilities with the whole Xbox One system with Kinect is awesome! I just don't use it. Kinda like IR blaster or Smart Stay etc.....for others. Just because a person doesn't use a product or features doesn't make them useless or less valuable to others.

Samsung should do a poll on what considered useful or not. But I hear a bunch of people don't use smart stay or a bunch of the S-features. S-Voice is the worst by far.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Original poster
Aug 7, 2011
15,807
18,310
US
Samsung should do a poll on what considered useful or not. But I hear a bunch of people don't use smart stay or a bunch of the S-features. S-Voice is the worst by far.
That would be nice to see. I do agree that they do add some features that would be better left as an add on that could be downloaded later. This way anyone could have the features they want and not have extra software loaded on their phones they might not use.
 
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