The CFI Group just released the results of their 2009 Smartphone Satisfaction Survey. The following is a link to the CNet story…

http://bit.ly/cnet_smartphone_survey

Here are some of the highlights:

• Smartphone users are no longer just reading e-mail or scheduling appointments but also surfing the Web, streaming video and music, downloading games, and snapping pictures. Smartphones are now seen more by consumers as minicomputers than as cell phones.
• Apple’s iPhone is credited with igniting the growth of smartphones, and it’s the clear leader of the pack. The survey found that the iPhone has the most loyalty and praise among its users, with 92 percent of iPhone owners saying they have the ideal phone. Around 90 percent have recommended the device, while 35 percent said they bought the iPhone based on word-of-mouth advice.
• The iPhone also is tops in customer satisfaction, ranking 83 on a 100-point scale.
• The Palm Pre and Android-based phones each scored 77 on the scale, followed by Research In Motion’s Blackberry at 73 and the Palm Treo at 70. The rest of the pack, including phones running Windows Mobile and Symbian, trailed the list with an overall grade of 66.

Who am I to judge Apple, but I believe very strongly they (Apple) are out of control with respect to their censorship of the App Store. In the not too distant past it was the telcos that were the obvious bad guys with respect to “platform lock-in.” Now, thanks to the “I” franchise, Apple seems to be very happy in their new role as Overlord. If Apple has the “apples” to go up against Google, what’s next?

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/27/apple-yanks-the-cord-on-gv-mobile-is-it-trying-to-kill-google-voice-on-the-iphone/