Customers in 2014 who bought a Samsung smartphone are more satisfied than those who purchased an Apple device, according to a new report from the American Consumer Satisfaction Index.
The report, which was formally released today, details American consumers" happiness with smartphones and other mobile cellular devices. In 2013, the ACSI found that 81 percent of consumers were satisfied with their Apple smartphones, while only 76 percent of consumers were satisfied with Samsung. But the two fierce mobile competitors nearly swapped places in 2014, with Samsung taking the lead at 81 percent satisfaction - a 6.6 percent change from 2013, and an 11 percent change from the first year of data, all the way back in 2004 - and Apple dropping to only 79 percent satisfaction, a loss of 2.5 percent.
Consumers in America may be more satisfied with Samsung, but Apple is still at the top of their game, especially after a 10 percent jump in market share following its iPhone 6 launch in late September.
Other companies included in the index are Nokia and HTC, which had a consumer satisfaction ranking of 77 percent and 75 percent respectively. Only 74 percent of consumers were satisfied with the fledgling BlackBerry, while a meager 73 percent reported they were satisfied with their LG smartphones. As for cell phones in general, 78 percent of consumers said they were satisfied, up 2.6 percent from last year.
Although the iPhone 6 launched much later in the year, it proved a direct competitor to Samsung"s Galaxy S5. This report is only the latest blow in the full-fledged smartphone war between industry leaders Samsung and Apple, and it"s not slowing down any time soon. Whether it be mutual PR failures, or Samsung"s tentative plans to team up with LoopPay and take on ApplePay, the competition is fierce and no clear victor has emerged - yet.
Source: ACSI