JD Power survey ranks Apple leader of the pack in the latest owner satisfaction survey

May 8, 2014 14:10 GMT  ·  By

The latest JD Power report ranking companies based on customer satisfaction is out. Apple is again #1 above Samsung, proving once more that the company’s stellar OS, hardware, and customer support can combine to beat competitors’ low prices.

“Apple ranks highest in overall satisfaction with a score of 830 and performs highest in all study factors except cost. Samsung ranks second with a score of 822 and achieves above-average scores in the features, styling and design, and cost factors,” JD Power confirmed.

The average purchase price of tablets has declined in recent years, as more and more brands entered the marketplace with cheap alternatives. The first key finding mentioned in the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study—Volume 1 was that price has been the main criterion on which customers based their purchase in 2014.

“Lower price is the No.1 reason for tablet choice in 2014, with 25 percent of current tablet owners citing price as the main reason for selecting their current brand, compared with 21 percent in 2013,” said the research firm. “Features offered and brand reputation are the next most-frequently cited reasons for selecting a tablet device (22% and 21%, respectively).”

As you’d expect, by flooding the market with cheap alternatives, Apple’s competitors caused overall satisfaction to decrease. JD Power says the drop is significant: down 18 points (to 835 on a 1,000-point scale).

“The largest decline in satisfaction is in the ease of operation factor, with substantial decreases in two attributes over the three-year time frame: navigation (8.30 vs. 8.52, respectively, on a 10-point scale) and adjusting tablet settings (8.30 vs. 8.50, respectively),” wrote the firm.

These cheap solutions are also more cumbersome and are causing frustration to first-time users, who are taking longer than ever to set up their devices. Vendors that pre-install bloatware on their iPads are mostly to blame.

“It’s taking longer for tablet owners to perform the initial set-up on their devices in 2014 than three years ago, as more features and pre-loaded apps are included with the device. In 2014, the average time for initial tablet set-up is 64 minutes, compared with 55 minutes in 2012,” reads another key finding.

Finally, 50 percent of the buyers say they take brand reputation seriously, explaining why many continue to choose Apple, despite the company’s infamously high prices. However, “Manufacturer websites (47%) and recommendations from friends, family members or colleagues (46%) are [also] key drivers of brand purchase choice,” according to the study.