iPhone tops user satisfaction poll

A survey by RBC Capital and ChangeWave Research has found that 99 percent of iPhone 3GS users were either very or somewhat satisfied with their device.

By contrast 87 percent of users of Palm's Pre smartphone recorded similar satisfaction levels. The survey asked 200 iPhone users and 40 Pre users for their opinion on their devices.

Nevertheless the report was not all bad news for Palm.

“It is the highest score ever recorded in our Palm satisfaction surveys and above all other manufacturers except Apple and RIM,” wrote RBC analyst Mike Abramsky in a research report.

He also said that a significant proportion of Palm users were new to the platform, having been seduced from other handset manufacturers. But some analysts are predicting a rocky road ahead for the device.

The top three things iPhone users liked were the touchscreen interface, its ease of use and the range of third party applications. The top three gripes were AT&T's network coverage, poor battery life and a lack of support for the device from corporate IT departments.

The survey found that over two out of five PGS users were already iPhone users who had upgraded their handsets. Of the rest 18 per cent were former Motorola users, 11 per cent came from Nokia, nine per cent from RIM and six per cent from Palm.