Survey: Most iPhone 4 Users 'Very Satisfied'

Most iPhone 4 users are "very satisfied" with their new device--despite all of the bad press and antenna issues--says a new survey by ChangeWave Research.

In a small-scale survey of 213 users, 72 percent reported that they are "very satisfied" with the iPhone 4, while an additional 21 percent reported that they are "somewhat satisfied." While these satisfaction scores are very high--especially considering the controversy that has surrounded the iPhone 4 since its launch on June 24--they are not quite as high as the scores received by the iPhone 3GS in the months after its launch. In ChangeWave Research's August 2009 survey, 82 percent of iPhone 3GS users reported that they were "very satisfied" with the phone, while 17 percent reported they were "somewhat satisfied."

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So, while the iPhone 4 has surprisingly high customer satisfaction ratings, they're not quite as high as the iPhone 3GS's. Of course, the iPhone 3GS wasn't crippled by any sort of "death grip."

The survey was performed by self-described "independent research boutique" ChangeWave Research in the month of July, and also took a deeper look at iPhone 4 users' reactions to what has been dubbed "antenna-gate" by the media.

According to the survey, "Antenna Issues" is tied, along with "Coverage/Speed/Quality of AT&T's Network," for the number two user-reported dislike--24 percent of users reported "Antenna Issues" as a problem. The number one dislike, however, is still the "Requirement to Use AT&T's Network" (27 percent)--so it looks like customers have more issues with AT&T than they do with the iPhone 4.

Interestingly, despite the "Antenna Issues" that the iPhone 4 has been lambasted for, iPhone 4 users reported a lower dropped call rating than did iPhone 3GS users. iPhone 4 users reported a dropped call rating of 5.2 percent frequency in July 2010, while iPhone 3GS users reported a dropped call rating of 6.3 percent frequency in June 2010. So, while the iPhone 4 may be having antenna issues, it still appears to be an improvement over the last model.

Plus, an overwhelming 73 percent of iPhone 4 users said they were "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with Apple's free case solution to the iPhone 4's antenna problems (though 18 percent still said they were "very" or "somewhat unsatisfied").

According to ChangeWave, the iPhone 4 is currently outperforming almost every other smartphone in terms of user satisfaction. So, despite all of the bad press the iPhone 4 has been getting, it looks like Apple fans will always be Apple fans.