Readers' Choice Awards 2022: Smartphones and Carriers

Apple built a network of very defended iPhone users because of its holistic vision: it controls the phones, the operating system, and the development surroundings and designs them to piece of work seamlessly together. The simply thing Apple doesn't control is the network on which its phones run.

Google has addressed that omission. Android runs on dozens of unlike phones, but since 2022, Google has its own line of Nexus phones, congenital in partnership with companies similar Huawei, LG, and Motorola. Early last year, Google took the next big step: information technology launched Project Fi, its own phone service, running on Wi-Fi and Sprint and T-Mobile's cellular networks. It's now bachelor without an invite, but simply if you have a newer Nexus phone.

Time will tell if Google's holistic vision is as successful every bit Apple's. But if the measure of success is customer satisfaction, the plan is working similar a charm. That'due south according to respondents to this month's PCMag Readers' Option Survey on mobile operating systems, smartphones, and mobile carriers.

Our survey besides reveals that the i-visitor-for-everything model isn't the simply way to go. With a dozen unlike telephone brands receiving enough responses to exist included in our analysis, plus xiv different carriers qualifying, you have a lot of choices. While Google's approach is resonating this year, our survey responses indicate that you lot don't have to put all your eggs into ane company's handbasket or even only look at putting them into the largest baskets. In that location are phone brands and service providers large and small delivering high levels of satisfaction. In that location are also several clearly missing the mark with their customers.

Our survey asks respondents to charge per unit satisfaction on a wide multifariousness of measures to assistance us try to empathise what'due south driving overall satisfaction. We expect at diverse aspects of mobile usage including basic factors of all products and services such as reliability, ease of setup, and quality of client service, and support. For smartphones, we ask about things like satisfaction with messaging, browsing, apps, taking photos, and watching videos. For mobile carriers, we look at satisfaction with speed and quality of the service for phone calls and data.

Whether you're in the marketplace for a new telephone or just want to encounter if your mobile experience jibes with others, read on.

The PCMag Readers' Choice survey for Smartphones and Carriers was in the field from February 15, 2022 through March 7, 2022. For more than information on how the survey is conducted, read the survey methodology. Each person who completed the survey was entered into a drawing to win an Amazon souvenir carte valued at $350.

You can win! Sign upward for the Readers' Selection Survey mailing listing to receive invitations for time to come sweepstakes.

Looking for skillful stance? Read The 10 Best Smartphones of 2022 and our annual coverage of the Fastest Mobile Networks.

LINK from WINNERS Folio

Mobile Operating Systems

Request someone how probable they would be to recommend a product or service is oftentimes a better measure out of how satisfied they are, rather than to enquire point blank. When our survey respondents were asked how likely they were to recommend their phone's operating organisation on a scale from 0 (extremely unlikely) to 10 (extremely probable), Android users gave their operating system (OS) an average rating of ix.0, identical to what it received in 2022 and the highest rating amid all mobile operating systems. This earns the Android OS, currently hit version 7.0, our Readers' Choice Honour for the third year in a row.

Apple's iOS, the operating system for all iPhones, wasn't far backside with a Likelihood to Recommend rating of eight.vii. This is down slightly from last year'southward viii.eight when it too won a Readers' Choice Award, but the rating is still good enough to garner Apple an Honorable Mention.

Microsoft'due south Windows Phone operating arrangement rated seven.8, a big drop from 2022's 8.4. This may be an indication that users of Windows-based phones no longer consider the OS equally feasible. A small group of users continue to use BlackBerry phones, but their likelihood to recommend the BlackBerry platform rated merely a 6.0, the same dismal score the visitor received last yr.

While Android users go on to be more likely than iOS users to recommend their operating organization, they go along to be less likely to recommend the phones that run that operating organization: Android smartphones charge per unit an 8.6 on this measure compared to iPhone's viii.8. Apple tree also rates higher on most aspects of phone usage, simply Android has gained basis. Last year, the only drill-down satisfaction rating in which Android rated ameliorate than iOS was in the availability of free apps (8.9 to 8.8). This year, Android did better in managing calendar (8.iv to viii.2) and managing email (viii.vi to eight.5).

While Android rated higher than Apple on these latter two measures, information technology was not the highest rated operating organization in either. That distinction goes to Microsoft, which received a rating of 8.7 for managing calendar and 8.ix for managing email. Information technology's clear that Windows users' lack of overall enthusiasm does not come from dissatisfaction with the operating organisation and native apps. On measures related to these aspects, Windows is always competitive. Instead, information technology's Windows' lack of third-party apps that contribute to the OS'southward relatively low Likelihood to Recommend rating. Respondents simply rated Windows phones a v.nine for availability of apps and 7.1 for quality of apps, far behind Android and iOS.

Given that iOS by and large ranks better than Android in the drill-down categories, one has to wonder if part of the reason iOS is less likely to be recommended is that iPhones and iOS are so tightly connected—iOS only runs on Apple tree phones—that information technology'due south hard to distinguish satisfaction with i from satisfaction with the other. Knowing that there are and then many choices in Android brands and model of phones, it might be easier to disconnect satisfaction with a phone from satisfaction with the Os.

Put another way, should y'all find fault with your phone hardware, y'all tin become more than satisfied by irresolute phones without changing the OS yous similar. There was only a difference of 0.1 between the likelihood of recommending iOS (8.7) and the likelihood of recommending iPhones (8.8) whereas with Android, the difference was 0.4 (operating organisation: ix.0; Android phones: viii.6). It'south food for thought.

WINNERS: MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEMS

Google Android
Android users remain very loyal and enthusiastic towards their smartphones' operating arrangement, earning the platform its third straight Readers' Choice Laurels.

Apple iOS
Respondents' likelihood of recommending iOS slipped slightly this year, but iOS continues to earn more than superlative satisfaction ratings in various areas of smartphone usage than whatever other mobile operating organisation.

Smartphones Overall

Concluding year, Sascha Segan, PCMag's esteemed lead analyst for mobile, described Google'due south Nexus smartphones as "small in sales, merely mighty in influence." The phones prove where Google is "trying to elevate Android manufacturers." Android manufacturers, take heed. PCMag readers tell usa Google is doing smartphones right. This twelvemonth, the search giant wins its commencement PCMag Readers' Choice Award for mobile phones.

This win comes despite the fact that Google doesn't actually manufacture its own phones. Information technology has always partnered with established manufacturers from HTC for the original Nexus One in 2022, to LG and Huawei with the electric current Nexus 5X and 6P, respectively (the latter is a PCMag Editors' Choice). However, the phones are built to Google's specifications and feature the company's vision of what an Android phone should be without the customizations and bloatware found on phones from other makers and carriers. That vision earned Google the highest ratings among all phone brands this twelvemonth for overall satisfaction (ix.0, upward from viii.4 in 2022), likelihood to recommend (9.three), overall reliability (9.0, tied with Huawei and Microsoft) and ease of setup (nine.4, tied with Microsoft).

Last twelvemonth, OnePlus, a small Chinese phone company, won the Readers' Selection award for smartphones with a very impressive overall satisfaction rating of 9.v. Unfortunately, non plenty OnePlus users responded to our survey this year to include them in our results. Nonetheless, OnePlus continues to impress. The OnePlus 2 phone, released final July, also earned a PCMag Editors' Choice award for unlocked smartphones.

Because of OnePlus'due south limited availability last year, nosotros felt compelled to give a Readers' Pick Award to a more mainstream brand as well, thus Apple shared the laurels. Back and so, Apple'southward overall satisfaction rating of 8.7 was far behind OnePlus but all-time among all other brands. This yr, no 1 shares the award with Google but a few companies, including Apple, receive honorable mention.

Apple'south overall satisfaction rating dipped slightly in 2022 to 8.six; it'southward likelihood to recommend was also down from 8.9 to 8.eight. These are withal very good ratings. Respondents were very pleased with the style Apple stood behind its phones. The company'southward ratings for satisfaction with tech support (7.7) and satisfaction with repairs (8.0) were the highest among all smartphone brands. (Satisfaction with tech support and repairs are rarely as loftier as other satisfaction ratings in our results.)

In addition to manufacturing Google's flagship Nexus 6P, Huawei also makes phones under its own name. This is the first year that the company received plenty responses to be included in our survey results and information technology makes a strong entrance, earning the second highest overall satisfaction rating (8.8) and an honorable mention. Huawei got high marks for ease of setup (nine.1) and reliability (9.0), but we're a bit concerned that likelihood to recommend (8.5) didn't keep footstep with the company'south other scores. Huawei needs to work on getting its customers more enthusiastic about its hardware.

Final yr, Microsoft's Nokia brand earned an honorable mention. Since then, Microsoft has phased out the Nokia name for its own. Nokia customers apparently weren't thrilled by this decision; overall satisfaction dropped from 8.6 to seven.9 and non surprisingly, likelihood to recommend dropped likewise, from eight.seven to vii.9. Customers with Nokia phones may not like Microsoft's decision, but those property Microsoft-branded phones were very pleased with their devices, rating the company an eight.vii for overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend this year. These loftier scores earn Microsoft an honorable mention. As we noted in the mobile operating organization section, readers experience Microsoft's main shortcoming is the lack of apps for its phones. Otherwise, Microsoft users are very pleased.

See all of our survey results for Smartphones.

WINNERS: SMARTPHONES

Google running Android
Google'due south Nexus phones are designed to bear witness Google'due south vision of what an Android telephone should be and PCMag readers like what they see. They gave the company the highest rating for overall satisfaction and its commencement Readers' Option Award for smartphones.

Huawei running Android
You lot may not recognize the name Huawei Technologies or fifty-fifty know how to pronounce it (it'due south 'wah-manner' ), only readers who have bought phones from this Chinese company seem to be quite pleased, giving Huawei the second highest overall satisfaction rating.

Microsoft running Windows Telephone
Microsoft's Windows phones haven't been able to garner huge market place share but those who take taken the dive remain very happy with their decision, although they certain wish Windows (from Windows Phone 7 up to the current Windows Phone 8.1, with Windows 10 Mobile around the corner) had were a lot more mobile apps.

Apple iPhones running iOS
Apple tree's iPhone users are very satisfied with their phones and are happy to recommend the brand to others. Apple'southward support continues to gear up a bar that others so far have failed to meet.

Smartphones past Carrier

Phone manufacturers now mostly offer the aforementioned phones on each of the major carrier networks: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. Nevertheless, we notwithstanding run across small differences in the ratings that the phones receive on each carrier, and so we interruption it down here to assist you choose.

Apple tree iPhone
This is the seventh directly twelvemonth that Apple has been rated the best phone make for AT&T past our readers. Apple had the highest ratings for overall satisfaction (8.7), satisfaction with reliability (viii.ix) and likelihood to recommend (8.viii). Only Microsoft rated better for ease of setup (9.4 to ix.0).

Apple iPhone
Apple has earned its second straight Readers' Choice Honour with Sprint (it had an off twelvemonth in 2022). The company handily beats Samsung for overall satisfaction (8.six to 8.3) and satisfaction with reliability (8.nine to 8.four) merely Samsung actually rates slightly higher for likelihood to recommend (8.8 to 8.seven)—continue that in mind, Android users.

Apple iPhone
Apple, LG, and Samsung received enough responses to exist included in our analysis for T-Mobile users, but the ii Android phone makers couldn't friction match Apple in overall satisfaction (8.8), satisfaction with reliability (8.nine), or likelihood to recommend (9.0).

Apple tree iPhone
Apple'due south ratings are down slightly this year on Verizon Wireless, but the company still rates highest in overall satisfaction (8.5) and satisfaction with reliability (8.8).

Samsung running Android
The just fourth dimension an Android phone maker was good enough this twelvemonth to share the past-the-carrier rating with Apple tree: Samsung users didn't give every bit high a rating for overall satisfaction (eight.iv) equally Apple users (viii.v) did, but they are more likely to recommend the brand to others, if only by the same pocket-size margin (8.eight to 8.7).

Run across all of our survey results for Smartphones by Carrier.

Mobile Carriers

It seems counterintuitive that a company that is completely dependent on the services of its competitor could provide a more than satisfying customer experience than that competitor. However, that's exactly what we take seen in our PCMag Readers' Pick Honor survey results for the concluding few years. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) provide phone service to their customers over another (bigger) carrier's network: primarily T-Mobile and Dart. Since 2022, our Readers' Selection winners for carriers have always been MVNOs that have left the large boys in the dust. Some of them are featured in Sascha'south look at The Best Cheap Cell Telephone Plans You've Never Heard Of.

This year's 2 top service providers are no exception. Ane, Consumer Cellular, wins a PCMag Readers' Selection Honor for the third straight year. The other service provider, Project Fi, is make new. While y'all may not accept heard of it earlier, yous certainly know the company behind it: Google.

Consumer Cellular continues to receive fantabulous satisfaction ratings from its customers on almost every aspect of wireless service with many marks of ix.0 or college. The company, which offers service on either AT&T or T-Mobile's network, sees its overall satisfaction improve this year from 9.ane to 9.2 and likelihood to recommend going from 9.3 to 9.4. Satisfaction with fees really went down slightly from ix.3 to ix.2 but that's still pretty remarkable.

Information technology's rare that survey respondents ever rate spending money and so positively. The company's basic rates are pretty low, but they also offer discounts to members of AARP. Respondents were very pleased with Consumer Cellular'due south back up, rating information technology eight.4, down a flake from 2022's 8.7.

Google'due south Project Fi first rolled out in 2022 as an invitation-just service but is now available to anyone. Project Fi was designed to use Wi-Fi whenever it'due south bachelor and when it's not, to switch the user to either the T-Mobile or Sprint network, whichever is bachelor or stronger. Information technology's the first MVNO to combine the two seamlessly. Google's rates are very reasonable—it only charges Project Fi users for the data they really utilise. If you sign upward for 4GB and only use 3GB ane month, yous'll get a credit for the unused information on your next bill.

Then far, Projection Fi'south users are thrilled. Satisfaction with fees rated even meliorate than Consumer Cellular at ix.6. Overall satisfaction (9.2) and likelihood to recommend (9.4) were tied with Consumer Cellular. Google's network switching seems to be working since respondents gave the service the highest satisfaction ratings for the speed (9.two) and reliability of the network (9.ii). Satisfaction with coverage within the user's dwelling house area too rated highest (9.3). However, Consumer Cellular bested Projection Fi on satisfaction with minimizing dropped calls (nine.2 to 9.0) and satisfaction with coverage exterior the respondent'south domicile surface area (ix.0 to 8.8). Project Fi's weakest rating was in satisfaction with choice of phones, where it merely earned a 7.0—one of the lowest ratings in the survey. This is considering Project Fi simply supports three phones currently, the Google Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X and the older Nexus half-dozen.

Concluding yr, Democracy Wireless shared the Readers' Option Award with Consumer Cellular. The MVNO, like Project Fi, biases usage to Wi-Fi and refunds the toll of unused data to its users. Republic doesn't earn the honour this yr, simply it does go an honorable mention; despite its overall satisfaction rating being unchanged at 8.8, it couldn't proceed up with the other two. Most astounding is that it improved on its 2022 satisfaction rating for fees from an already excellent 9.five to a near perfect 9.8! This is one of the highest ratings we've e'er seen for any satisfaction measure in all the years that we've been fielding our Readers' Choice Award surveys. Unfortunately, the company gets dragged down past the lowest satisfaction rating for pick of mobile phones (6.v; information technology only sells two phones, the Motorola G and Motorola Due east) and middle-of-the-road ratings for the quality of its network (which is actually Sprint'southward).

Note, however, that Republic Wireless customers are essentially more satisfied than Dart customers on every attribute of the network, from making calls to using information.

Among the four major U.South. carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless), T-Mobile rates highest in overall satisfaction (seven.9) with Verizon Wireless close backside (7.8). These are far lower ratings than those of our laurels winners. Verizon Wireless receives the highest marks for calling coverage and speed and reliability of the data network, only respondents gave it an abysmal satisfaction rating for fees (5.3). AT&T and Sprint customers weren't particularly satisfied with the fees their carriers charge either (6.0 and 6.5, respectively). T-Mobile rated the best among the big 4 for fees (7.nine), likelihood to recommend (viii.1), and client service (7.seven).

See all of our survey results for Mobile Carriers.

WINNERS: MOBILE CARRIERS

Google's Projection Fi
The new kid on the block, Project Fi is shaking things up with very affordable pricing and an innovative network that'south ever looking for the fastest, most reliable connexion. So far, users are thrilled. When they open it up to some more Android phones (chances are slim of iPhone back up), information technology will probably be fifty-fifty more popular.

Consumer Cellular
Consumer Cellular continues to show the value of good service at an affordable cost backed by solid customer support. The company, known for its focus on retired/older customers, wins its tertiary straight Readers' Option Honour.

Republic Wireless
Consumers are very sensitive to the fees they have to pay for their wireless service and they're thrilled with what Republic Wireless is charging them. However, Democracy is going to need a better network to get back on acme.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/google-project-fi/11091/readers-choice-awards-2016-smartphones-and-carriers

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