Apple iPhone tops user satisfaction poll

Almost every iPhone owner is happy with their device

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

By contrast 87 per cent of Palm Pre users recorded similar satisfaction levels. The survey asked 200 iPhone users and 40 Pre users for their opinion on their devices, but 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.

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

The top three features for iPhone users are the touch-screen 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 from corporate IT departments.

The survey found that over two out of five iPhone 3GS 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.