Verizon Tops Again for Consumer Reports: Latest Tips and Rankings

by Holly Shoemaker

Last week I provided the tablet trends from the December 2012 Consumer Reports Electronics Issue. Now, I gave gathered the latest smartphone trends and rankings by carrier.

Smartphone Trends

• Screen Size and Edges – Customers will see larger screens and rounder edges for easier viewing and holding. Most of the top-rated phones have 4.3 inch screens, measuring diagonally.
• Beyond Apple and Samsung – Despite the Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III making Consumer Reports top ten electronics list, the non-profit agency says to look beyond Apple and Samsung. The other standout devices were Verizon’s Motorola Razr phone, which Consumer Reports says has, “nifty apps," and the HTC One for its intuitive interface.
• 4G – This is now considered the standard, with the exception of the iPhone 4S on Verizon and Sprint. More speed may translate into using more data so keep track of monthly payments.

Smartphone Rankings by Carrier

As Verizon did in the Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012, the carrier still ranks first in satisfaction, followed by Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T.

For Verizon subscribers, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx topped the list with a score of 78, followed by the Galaxy S III (32 GB) with a score of 76 and the iPhone 5 (16 GB) with a score of 75. The Motorola Droid Razr M and Razr also scored in the top five.

For Sprint users, the Galaxy S III (16 GB) ranked first with a score of 76, followed by the iPhone 5 (16 GB) with a score of 75 and the HTC EVO 4G LTE with a score of 73.

For T-Mobile subscribers, the Galaxy S III (16 GB) scores first with 78 points, followed by the HTC One S with a score of 77 and the Galaxy S II with a score of 75.

AT&T subscribers show a similar trend with manufactures for T-Mobile. The Galaxy 3 III (16 GB) ranks first with a score of 78, followed by the iPhone 5 with a score of 77 and the HTC One X with a score of 76.

T-Mobile Targets AT&T: Wants iPhone 4S Users

by Holly Shoemaker

T-Mobile wants in Apple's iPhone, but not the iPhone 5. T-Mobile has targeted AT&T iPhone 4S owners who no longer want to renew contracts with AT&T. While this does not receive a lot of press, and T-Mobile does not sell the iPhone, owners have had the ability to switch to T-Mobile for years. To date, the company has about one million iPhones on its network.

What Models Work?

T-Mobile does not support Sprint and Verizon iPhone 4 models. However, those who have the iPhone 4S on either of those networks  have the ability to switch too.

Good Move?

The answer is a mixed bag. Switching will likely come with a speed sacrifice – it takes about 50 times longer to download files using an iPhone on T-Mobile’s network. However, T-Mobile offers the best price and an unlimited data package. T-Mobile has worked to improve speeds, which was reflected in the Consumer Reports Buyers Guide 2012 rankings.

I suggest those considering a switch stop into Best Buy. Because that company sells plans from different carriers, it can access coverage areas quickly and at one time, allowing consumers to see how close they are to cell phone towers. Consumers may also access coverage maps online. However, I found that some Best Buy associates offer unbiased advice in this area, and it was helpful when I needed a wireless device. I now connect my Android phone on T-Mobile's network to my hotspot device through Verizon. T-Mobile has the best smartphone data plans and Verizon offers the fastest and most reliable connection to the Internet.

Samsung Undercuts Nokia: Debuts First Windows 8 Smartphone

by Holly Shoemaker

After the verdict in California, a Samsung attorney said the company had already put plans in motion to differentiate its products from iPhones and iPads. At the IFA trade show in Berlin today, Samsung did just that. In a move that undercuts Nokia, Samsung announced that in Q4 2012, it will offer its first Windows 8 Phone, the ATIV S. Nokia is expected to announce its new Lumia Windows 8 smartphones on September 5, 2012 in New York.

Overview of ATIV S

While the ATIV S is not the first Windows-based phone, it is the first Windows 8 one. It will feature a 4.8-inch HD display, HSPA+ support, a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera and a 1.5 gigahertz dual-core processor. At this time, the price has not been released and the phone lacks LTE connectivity, which has analysts speculating that T-Mobile will become the first carrier to sell the phone. In January, T-Mobile started selling the Lumia 710.

Concluding Thoughts 

While I discussed in June how the rumor of Samsung buying Nokia lacked rationale, perhaps more news will follow if Nokia fails to gain traction when its releases its Windows 8 phone. One thing remains certain - Samsung shows no signs of losing its number one spot as the world's largest handset manufacturer; the company dethroned Nokia to gain that honor.

Verizon Tops Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012: Offers Smartphone Buying Tips

by Holly Shoemaker

Subscribers received the Consumer Reports Buying Guide for 2012 late last week. The guide entailed some tips and rankings that should help new and seasoned buyers find a carrier and smartphone.

Smartphone Buying Guidelines

Consumer Reports suggested looking at the following items when deciding on a smartphone:

• Operating system – The guide encouraged consumers to see if the operating system and phone contained the features and capabilities needed to perform desired tasks.
• Apps – The guide encouraged consumers to check on the availability of apps and their associated costs.
• Keyboard – Because the guide looked at features, including the bulkiness of smartphones, potential customers should decide on whether they want a slide-out keyboard as that affects the size of the phone, but typically makes for easier typing.
• Insurance – Consumer Reports said to skip the insurance because of high deductibles and the low chance of using insurance. I see arguments on either side. As I mentioned before, I had a phone once that accidentally took a bath in some Gatorade and I could have used insurance.

Carrier and Smartphone Rankings

Verizon received the best score for overall satisfaction among carriers. The HTC ThunderBolt received the highest score of 74, followed by the LG Revolution with a score of 73. The iPhone 4 16 GB ranked sixth with a score of 71.

Sprint Nextel ranked second.  The Samsung Epic 4G ranked first with a score of 72, followed by the HTC Evo 3D with a score of 72 and the Evo 4G coming in with a score of 70.

T-Mobile ranked third among carriers. The Samsung Galaxy S 4G received a score of 78, followed by the T-Mobile G2x with a score of 76.

AT&T scored the lowest in satisfaction among the surveyed cities. The Samsung Infuse 4G came in first with a score of 79, followed by the Motorola Attix 4G with a score of 76 and the HTC Inspire 4G coming in third with a score of 74. The iPhone 4 16 GB tied for third at 74 points.

Major U.S. Carriers Announce Galaxy S III Release Dates

by Holly Shoemaker

As expected, Samsung has announced the Galaxy S III will come to the United States in June 2012. All major carriers are expected to carry the phone, and have released availability dates.

Breakdown by Carriers

• Sprint became the first carrier to announce details. It started taking pre-orders on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. The company will sell the white and “pebble blue” versions of the 16 GB for $199.99 and the 32 GB for $249.99. Consumers may purchase either version on Thursday, June 21, 2012.
• T-Mobile became the second carrier to announce its plans. Customers will have the ability to purchase both the white and blue phones on June 21, 2012. At this time, T-Mobile has not announced its pricing structure.
• AT&T started taking pre-orders on Wednesday, June 6, 2012. The 16 GB version will cost $199.99 with a two-year contract. At this time, it does not appear AT&T will offer the 32 GB version. Consumers may opt to purchase an extra 16 GB MicroSD card for $39. AT&T will release the phone on June 18, 2012.
• Verizon started taking pre-orders the same day as AT&T. The phone will cost the same as the other carriers and Verizon will carry the 32 GB phone with a two-year contract. Verizon will start selling the phone last - its release date is July 9, 2012.

Will Carrier Matter?

Each carrier wants to differentiate itself in some way. Besides AT&T not selling the 32 GB version, consumers should be aware of other differences:

• Sprint has decided to pre-load Google Wallet on the device. Sprint is also trying to differentiate itself from other carriers by saying it is the only company that offers unlimited data plans.
• Verizon has said its network is the only one that will allow users to broadcast live video via the Color app. It is somewhat unclear on how this actually ties into Samsung’s latest device. It could be a way to deflect criticism that Verizon no longer offers unlimited data plans and to detract from the $30-month subscription fee. Verizon's release date is also in July.
• T-Mobile still promotes its lower-priced plan. However, users should check their coverage areas. T-Mobile also holds the honor of selling more of the Galaxy S III’s predecessor’s than other carriers.

Apple Tops Consumer Satisfaction List

by Holly Shoemaker

Earlier this week, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) released its latest rankings related to customer satisfaction for mobile phones in the United States. For the first time, ACSI expanded the list to include Apple, LG, Research in Motion (RIM) and HTC.

Overview of Smartphone Satisfaction Results

Apple topped the list with a score of 83. Nokia, LG and HTC tied for second place at 75. Apple’s debut also marks the first time a cell phone company scored above a 77 on any of the company’s surveys. The survey started in 2004.

RIM’s Blackberry scored a 69. This made it the least satisfying mobile phone for U.S. consumers. This figure will not surprise anyone given RIM’s disappointing sales, weak stock performance and company setbacks.

Overview of Carrier Satisfaction Results

The survey also looked at carrier satisfaction.

Sprint led consumer satisfaction with a score of 71. Verizon came in second with a score of 70. AT&T and T-Mobile scored a 69. AT&T’s figure increased by 5 percent from last year’s results.

Overall, when it came to carrier satisfaction in the “All Others” category, smaller carriers combined, including U.S. Cellular and TracFone, scored a 76, beating out all major carriers.