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Higher-End Smartphones Make You Happier, Says JD Power Study (cnet.com)
A new J.D. Power study published Thursday found that users who pay more for their smartphones report higher satisfaction than those who pay less for their smartphones. The study also found that among ATT and Sprint customers, Samsung phones ranked highest in overall satisfaction, while T-Mobile and Verizon customers preferred Apple iPhones. Jessica Dolcourt via CNET writes about the other conclusions made by the J.D. Power study: - Customers of ATT, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon (full-service carriers) report more satisfaction than customers on Boost Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS and Virgin Mobile (co-contract carriers).
- Full-service customers pay an average of $361 for their phones compared with prepaid customers' $137 average.
-Customers who pay more for their phones report higher satisfaction.
- This is likely because high-cost phones perform better. (Editor's note: no duh)
- Full-service customers pay an average of $361 for their phones compared with prepaid customers' $137 average.
-Customers who pay more for their phones report higher satisfaction.
- This is likely because high-cost phones perform better. (Editor's note: no duh)
Consumers are trained well.
..more News at 11, dont go anywhere elsee now.
I'll be honest, the most expensive modern smartphone I bought was a Galaxy Nexus. It definitely didn't make me happier; the quirks and horrible UI actually made me switch to a flip phone in an effort to regain my sanity.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
Life? Phone? ROI? Value?
Ever since upgrading it to iOS 7, I've been swearing more at my phone than any other device I own (PC, Android or Mac).
AC comments get piped to
So in my case I just switched to Android and I'm absolutely sure I'm as happy - if not happier - with what I picked up (OnePlus 3) as I would be with an S7, Pixel XL or iPhone 7. OP3 isn't a $100 phone, but it's not an $800 phone either.
Having more money makes you happier!? NO SHIT!?
What they didn't say is how it compares to people who do not use a smartphone (e.g. feature phone users) or people who do not use a cell phone at all.
Technology may not make people happy but bad technology certainly makes people unhappy.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
This is likely because high-cost phones perform better.
Maybe the people who forked out all that cash are just trying really hard to convince themselves they got something better than the cheaper options?
It's a coping mechanism to hold of the fits of depression when they accept that it's still just a phone with some annoying silly apps on it.
If I had a DeLorean... I would probably only drive it from time to time.
I don't know the name of this bias but when someone invests a lot in something, he will tend to convince himself that he made the right choice.
That's how audiophiles will clearly notice the effect of their $1000+ cables and will consider it money well spent whereas the one who used zip chord will probably be less satisfied, even though he paid 100x less for the same objective result.
I would love to see a study on this but I always wonder if there is some kind of internal bias that happens when we spend a lot on something. Are people happier with expensive smart phones because the phone is actually better or are they happier because spending more made them more invested in the decision and since no one wants to admit they dumped a lot of money onto a piece of crap they trick themselves into thinking they are happier with it. But people who don't spend a lot don't have as much of their ego invested in the decision so they can see the flaws and don't care pointing them out since they didn't spend an embarrassing amount on the phone in the first place.
Post-purchase rationalization. People who spend more for something will rarely admit that they got ripped off, so they try to convince themselves that the product was worth it.
This is standard behaviour for most Apple customers.
I'm certainly not happier having spent more money on my Galaxy Note 7.
I'm very pleased with my phone's hardware. It came out 2 years ago and I've had it for about 18 months.
What I'm dissatisfied with is the fact that it's still running Lollipop.
Overall though it really hasn't affected my overall happiness in life.
If you read the details of the linked study, you can see that the criteria for "happiness" is different for contract plans vs. non-contract plans. Specifically, cost isn't factored into the "happiness" score for the contract plans, but it is factored in for non-contract plans. This would tend to artificially raise the happiness score for contract plans, since factoring in the high cost would likely lower the scores.
Also, battery life gets a much lower weight towards the score for non-contract plans than for contract plans. This is significant, because non-contract phones tent to have much better battery life than the flagship models.
What this proves is that you can make number say whatever you want them to say.
People who drive a Ferrari or Porsche generally live healthier overall and have a substantially better quality of life. They also have larger homes in general.
We should abandon Obamacare and give everyone a Ferrari.
Also, give one to everyone in Japan - that should increase the size of their houses.
-Customers who pay more for their phones report higher satisfaction.
- This is likely because high-cost phones perform better. (Editor's note: no duh)
OR it could be that they spent more so they feel they must like it more. This is actually pretty common, especially in the higher end markets. Common and exploitable.
Bet these very same owners say the phones sound "warmer".
Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
... of overspending on a trinket, 6GB Joe and Jane will say anything to save face.
NO SIG
...they keep you warmer, as it has been confirmed by Samsung.
But, as several posts in this thread prove, that argument works both ways. If you buy a crap phone you convince yourself that you're better off because it was so cheap.
The headline and the summary say two different things though. Logically the most satisfying phones should be the high end but reasonably priced ones like the OnePlus 3. Better specs than other flagships, great software and 1/3rd the price.
But in fact people would rather have a worse phone and pay more for it.
Perhaps you could extend you analogy to cover this.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
There is an old example of how scientific proof can be obtained for the conclusion that you actually want.
A scientist puts a flea on the table and shouts at it:
"Jump!"
And the flea jumps.
Then the scientist carefully cuts off the flea's legs, puts it back on the table and shouts:
"Jump!"
And the flea does not jump.
After this, the scientist happily writes down on his notebook:
"After it lost its legs, the flea cannot hear anymore."
Retards usually are happier
According to my extensive research.
Im happy to confirm that.... Oh wait
Those who can afford high end smartphones are simply richer and do not have to worry about how to make the mortgage payment or feed the kids.
I bought a Note 7 the other day, and my happiness went through the roof!!!
Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
If a higher-end smartphone makes you happier, perhaps it's time to reexamine your life.
A loving spouse, good health, good friends, or hobbies or a job I enjoy can make me appreciate my life more fully and as a result be "happier".
But a fancier smartphone? Nope. My life and my general happiness doesn't operate at that low a level.
But if I had the new Gillette Mega-Radical 5-Blade Super-Torque Pro razor, now that would make me happier. Oh yeah baby.
*terrorized by the urge to buy, I drive to Walmart with a renewed sense of purpose in life*
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
In other news...
People who buy premium digital Monster cables at Best Buy report higher satisfaction than those who buy generic cables from Microcenter.
Whether or not people with Porsche have healthier lives, there have previously been studies that show that how much you spend on your car does not correlate to your satisfaction levels with your car. So this news about smartphones would suggest you're better off buying a top of the line smartphone and a junker than you are a Porsche and a "LeEco" phone.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
If the carrier doesn't sell it, most consumer don't know it exists.
Cheap storage VM.
When you spend $600+ for a phone, rather than getting one that, for one quarter of the price, will do almost everything that the big one does, you are doing that because you want to show the world that you do not have a small cock. Those overpriced phones are status symbols, period. It does not matter how well they work, provided that they do the basics. What matters is that you can produce them in public, and that everybody around you will see what a successful person you are.
In our narcissistic self absorbed world, it's like a junkie getting a fix. It works for a few days/weeks/months. Then, as with a junkie, you want more and more and more. It's an endless cycle. We have one guy at work that has traded/bought a 5 new phones this year, always chasing the mythical "next best thing. I usually keep a midrange phone about 2 years.
...maybe it's because people who buy $600 phones tend to have more money (and less worries) than people who buy $50 devices.
This also explains why Samsung is top because those owners will never have to worry about being able to stay warm at night.
RTFA: People with higher end smart phones are not happier.. they are happier with their phones. People with Ferraris are not happier than people who own Toyota, they just like their car more. Why do you need a study to prove that?!
If people were not happy with higher end products that they paid more money for, they wouldn't pay more money for it. Which means there would be no demand for higher end products, which implies that society would not reward innovation, which means that the economy will collapse...
Positional good reinforces poor existing self-image, news at 11.
Bullshit. My Galaxy S5 is more than 2 years old and is still getting updates (in fact it just got one which I'll install just as soon as I do a backup just in case).
Happier people buy higher-end smartphones. It's obvious that this is complete BS because the aforementioned or article-mentioned points can be debunked AND proven. Is this is statistical push by Samsung to subconsciously quell those in fear and get their name back out there as a "Happy" product? I thought that "Happy Happy xyz" crap only worked in Japan.