Readers' Choice Awards 2022: Smartphones and Carriers

Look across the obvious. That'southward one very articulate conclusion from the results of our PCMag Readers' Choice Award survey for mobile phones and carriers.

It'due south easy to think that Apple tree and Samsung are the only companies making phones and that you have to choose AT&T, Dart, T-Mobile, or Verizon as your mobile carrier. In reality, y'all accept lots of choices in both areas. Based on your feedback in our survey, you lot might be much improve off bucking the mainstream.

Nearly three quarters of our survey respondents (73 pct) use an Apple or Samsung phone and an even larger per centum (81 percent) use ane of the big 4 carriers. Dig inside the remaining percentages and you'll observe seven other telephone brands and ix other carriers that received at least the requisite responses required to exist included in our survey analysis.

In most cases, these phone and carrier alternatives compete past providing meliorate value and service than their more well-known competitors. If you want the telephone with the hottest new features, it's probably going to come from Apple or Samsung, but often the top phones offer more than than what nosotros demand and at a higher toll. You tin find many cheaper phones with big screens, good operation and long bombardment life. They might non take a dual discontinuity photographic camera like the new Samsung Galaxy S9+ or face identification like the iPhone X and others, but their features volition certainly be adequate for most users.

There are two types of culling mobile providers. Some, like U.s.a. Cellular, have their own networks that aren't as congenital out as the largest carriers, but may be just fine where you alive. The other type of carrier is an MVNO (short for Mobile Virtual Network Operator). These companies utilise other carriers' networks, but set their ain prices and provide their own service. Since the MVNOs employ the large carriers' networks, they tin can provide similar coverage, and then y'all don't accept to worry about getting lost without a signal any more if you went directly to the big-proper noun host carrier. In the case of Google'southward MVNO, Project Fi, you might really be improve off since it gives yous access to multiple carriers' networks.

This is non to say you shouldn't also consider the largest players. Apple and Samsung brand excellent phones that have won many PCMag Editors' Choice Awards. And many of our respondents were perfectly happy with major carriers. But if you're thinking about getting a new phone or you're ready to switch carriers, go beyond the obvious and explore all your options.

The PCMag Readers' Pick survey for smartphones and mobile carriers was in the field from Feb 16, 2022 through March eleven, 2022. For more information on how the survey is conducted, read the survey methodology. Each person who completed the survey was entered into a drawing to win an Amazon.com gift carte valued at $350.

You can win! Sign upward for the Readers' Choice Survey mailing list to receive invitations for future sweepstakes.

Looking for expert opinion? Read our roundup of the All-time Phones of 2022 and our rundown of the Fastest Mobile Networks of 2022.

Mobile Operating Systems

When choosing a smartphone, it's come downward to a choice between phones running Apple's iOS and Google's Android. There used to be others, simply BlackBerry moved its devices to Android last yr, and Microsoft conceded in late 2022 that there wasn't enough app developer involvement in Windows Phone. Android has consistently been our readers' favorite in our survey and this yr is no exception. Android wins the PCMag Readers' Choice Laurels for the fifth straight year.

Android's overall satisfaction rating improved from an 8.5 in 2022 to an 8.6 this twelvemonth while iOS dropped from eight.4 to eight.iii. (All satisfaction ratings are on a scale from 0 for extremely dissatisfied to 10 for extremely satisfied). We run into greater separation between Android and iOS in the likelihood to recommend rating, a very important measure of client satisfaction. Android improved from 8.9 to 9.0 this year while iOS declined from 8.5 to 8.four.

We likewise saw satisfaction with reliability diverge. Final year, our survey respondents gave iOS and Android identical ratings of 8.half dozen on this mensurate, but this year there was separation between the two with Android improving slightly (viii.seven) and iOS declining (8.5). Bugs seem to have become more commonplace in recent versions of iOS, prompting Apple to put more than focus on iOS' stability and functioning in its next major release, iOS 12, according to several recent reports. Bugs aren't unique to iOS, of course. Google regularly releases patches to Android.

Respondents did rate iOS higher than Android in satisfaction with setup, 8.9 to 8.8, but both are very good ratings. And note that the satisfaction with setup question is simply asked of respondents whose phones are less than a twelvemonth sometime.

Apple's iOS as well scored boosted wins in satisfaction with messaging (9.0 to viii.7), the quality of apps (eight.7 to 8.5), listening to music (viii.7 to viii.v), taking photos (eight.7 to 8.v), shooting videos (viii.4 to 8.2), and payments (eight.3 to 8.two). On the other hand, Android bested iOS at satisfaction with productivity activities such as managing contacts (8.4 to eight.three), managing calendars (8.four to 8.2), and managing email (viii.vii to 8.5). Android also rated better in satisfaction with availability of free apps (8.8 to eight.5) and maps and directions (also eight.8 to eight.5).

Many of these satisfaction differences aren't huge and, in fact, at that place were several satisfaction measures on which the two platforms had identical measures including satisfaction with the availability of apps (both 8.9), web browsing (8.4), watching videos (8.5), gaming (7.8), reading ebooks (7.9) and utilize as a mobile hotspot (8.3).

While Microsoft has discontinued Windows Phone, nosotros did get enough diehards responding to include it in our results. Windows Telephone's overall satisfaction rating of eight.4 roughshod right between Android and iOS and the platform had the highest ratings in productivity-related satisfaction measures. Even so, respondents admit the flaw that spelled the platform's doom: satisfaction with the availability of apps rated a dismal 5.4. Given that Microsoft is non moving forwards with Windows Telephone, nosotros weren't surprised that likelihood to recommend only managed a 6.eight.

See all of our survey results for Mobile Operating Systems.

WINNERS: MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEMS

Google Android
Available every bit the platform for about every not-Apple phone on the market, Android once more earns the Readers' Choice Award, as information technology's done every year since 2022. Android users are more satisfied than their iOS counterparts with their platform's reliability as well every bit many other fundamental measures of smartphone use.

Smartphones

Once again, piffling OnePlus is playing David to Apple and Samsung'southward Goliath in the smartphone market. In 2022, OnePlus received our Readers' Pick Honour for smartphones. In the following ii years, the visitor didn't have enough respondents to be included in our survey. This year, it's back again and over again, bypasses Apple, Samsung, and six other smartphone brands to win the award.

OnePlus tends to only offering one telephone at a fourth dimension. The electric current model is the OnePlus 5T. It'south not a haemorrhage-edge phone; it's a solid, affordable midrange unlocked Android phone. Whether respondents endemic the 5T or i of its predecessors, they're gaga virtually their handset.

OnePlus earned an overall satisfaction rating of nine.4 and a likelihood to recommend rating of 9.v, both very impressive marks. In fact, OnePlus' merely rating beneath 9.1 was an viii.7 for satisfaction with taking photos. (There were several measures for which OnePlus didn't receive enough responses to exist evaluated.)

If OnePlus doesn't fit your needs, the next company on your list should be Google. Known more for its search engine than its smartphones, Google has been releasing solid phones for several years in the Nexus and Pixel lines. Terminal yr, Google won our Readers' Choice Laurels and while it didn't repeat this twelvemonth, its overall satisfaction rating of eight.8 and likelihood to recommend rating of 9.0 were second simply to OnePlus, equally was its satisfaction with reliability rating of 8.8. Samsung and Microsoft also received ratings of 8.8 on this measure.

Interestingly, satisfaction with reliability didn't correlate with the percentage of phones needing repairs in the last 12 months. Fourteen percent of Google phones needed repair, the worst percentage in the survey. New Google phone users reported their initial feel with their phones to be a positive one: The company had the highest rating for satisfaction with setup at 9.i.

Samsung, with its variety of Milky way and Note models, had the third highest overall satisfaction rating, 8.6, up from eight.iii and tied with Microsoft (which has stopped making phones). Samsung saw a nice uptick, perhaps a sign that customers are starting to forgive the company for the Notation seven's fiery debacle. All of the company'due south key measures improved from last yr. Satisfaction with reliability and satisfaction with setup both went up from 8.5 in 2022 to eight.8 this yr and likelihood to recommend went from viii.half-dozen to 8.nine.

Respondents still aren't happy with Samsung'southward service, notwithstanding. Satisfaction with technical back up decreased from vii.ane to 6.9 and satisfaction with repairs went from 6.9 to 6.7.

Apple tree was right backside Samsung and Microsoft in overall satisfaction at viii.5 and the visitor, along with Motorola, was second only to Google in satisfaction with setup at 8.ix. However, respondents are still less likely to recommend iPhones (8.5) than they are Samsung, Google, or OnePlus.

Considering of the popularity of Apple and Samsung's phones, we asked respondents to place the specific model of phone that they use. Looking at phones purchased in the last year, respondents seem to prefer phones with larger screens. The iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy Note 8 all had overall satisfaction ratings of ix.1, higher than whatsoever of the companies' other models.

See all of our survey results for Smartphones.

WINNERS: SMARTPHONES

OnePlus
Earlier yous brand your next phone purchase, you owe it to yourself to bank check out OnePlus. The visitor'due south phones may not have the virtually cutting-edge features, simply they're solid, affordable phones that, according to our survey respondents, practice i affair better than any other phone make – thrill their customers.

Phones past Carrier

In that location was a time when companies put out different phones for different carriers, merely these days, for the most part, they're offering the identical model on each network. Nevertheless, sure features, such as their modems, may non exist also-suited to ane carrier equally they are to another. Therefore, we as well offering Readers' Option Awards to smartphones by specific carrier for every carrier for which at least ii brands received enough responses.

AT&T: Samsung
Last year, Samsung phones running Android on the AT&T network scored only an 8.4 overall and came in tertiary place—even behind the already discontinued Windows Phones. This year, Samsung went up a couple of notches to 8.six, and that was also enough to best Apple iPhones on the same network.

Consumer Cellular: Motorola and Apple
These ii telephone makers were the only ones to make the cut with Consumer Cellular last year every bit well. So, it was like shooting fish in a barrel to see Apple had bested Motorola. This year, the race is likewise close to call. They both earned 8.6 overall satisfaction scores, merely the rest of the areas were completely neck and neck—for example, Apple tree had lower recommendation score (8.v to 8.6) merely yet it earned a higher Net Promoter Score (which is calculated with the same survey question). Nosotros proclaim them both worthy.

Spring: Samsung
Apple tree and Samsung are the only two that make the cut with Dart yr after yr, and they like to switch places. Terminal twelvemonth it was Apple in the lead by a tenth of a point for the win. This yr, Samsung jumped up from an 8.3 to an eight.7, which was as well just plenty to stay ahead of the iPhone's overall 8.6.

T-Mobile: Apple tree
Concluding yr, this category at T-Mobile belonged only to Google phones; this yr not plenty Google phones from T-Mobile users were in our survey. Apple, last yr'southward No. 2 with an 8.8, managed the same score and takes abode the gilded for 2022.

Verizon Wireless: Google
Finally, some consistency! Google phones on Verizon won last yr with an nine.0, and this year went downwards a 10th to 8.9—nevertheless a great score, and more than enough to outshine the contest, most of which used Android likewise (Apple got an 8.4, down from final year's 8.6).

Run into all of our survey results for Smartphone by Carrier.

Mobile Carriers

In that location are 4 names in mobile carriers with whom nearly everyone in the US is familiar: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Merely at that place are in fact dozens of mobile carriers available. Only nigh i in 5 of our survey respondents has chosen to explore their options beyond the big four, simply almost all of them have been rewarded with a much higher level of carrier satisfaction. This isn't news. It's been 5 years since a major carrier won a PCMag Readers' Selection Laurels, and that carrier wasn't really one of the large 4. Information technology was No. five: The states Cellular.

Since 2022, the Readers' Choice Laurels winners and all the other top performers accept been MVNOs, which resell the major carriers' services. Our survey respondents feel they offer better service and pricing than the companies on whose networks they run. Tops amongst the MVNOs this year are our Readers' Choice Award winners, Consumer Cellular and Google's Project Fi. This is Consumer Cellular's fifth direct win and Project Fi'due south third.

The two companies take diverse approaches to their offerings. Consumer Cellular has always focused on older Americans, offering competitive pricing and AARP member discounts. The company lets customers cull betwixt having a phone run on AT&T's network or having it run on T-Mobile.

Project Fi differentiates itself past allowing phones to use three unlike networks: Sprint, T-Mobile, and United states of america Cellular. Project Fi phones automatically switch betwixt networks on-the-fly to give you the best of all three carriers and improve your overall coverage. Too, Projection Fi users pay the same amount for data whether they apply information technology domestically or internationally.

The ii carriers are the but ones with overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend ratings over 9.0. Consumer Cellular's overall satisfaction rating was ix.two this yr, up from 8.9 last year, while Project Fi received a 9.1, down slightly from final twelvemonth'south 9.2. On likelihood to recommend, Consumer Cellular earned a nine.4 and Google a 9.ii.

Consumer Cellular received the highest ratings in our survey in a few other measures including minimizing dropped calls (ix.2), reliability of data network (9.1), speed of data network (9.0) and coverage outside the respondent'due south dwelling house area (nine.0). It's interesting to notation that these ratings are improve than those of their host providers, AT&T and T-Mobile. This could be because Consumer Cellular chooses the optimal network for each customer or it could just exist that customers have dissimilar perceptions of similar service.

Project Fi received the highest satisfaction rating for fees paid, a ix.4. Consumer Cellular (9.two) and Cricket (9.0) also had ratings of 9.0 or better. By contrast, Verizon Wireless had a rating of only 5.6 for satisfaction with fees and AT&T was barely better at half-dozen.ane, dismal scores in comparison to the smaller MVNOs.

Project Fi also topped the charts in satisfaction with coverage in the respondent's domicile expanse (ix.1), tied with U.s.a. Cellular, a Project Fi partner, and but alee of Straight Talk Wireless (ix.0). Projection Fi's main flaw is evidenced in its rating for satisfaction with pick of phones, at 6.9. Merely a few phones, primarily Google Pixel models but also 1 Motorola, support the Projection Fi SIM card. If you want to use an iPhone on Project Fi, you're out of luck.

For the past several years, the largest carriers have been among the lowest-rated service providers in our survey, so we were encouraged to run across T-Mobile inching up the charts. This year, T-Mobile earned a rating of 8.four for overall satisfaction, up from concluding year'southward 8.1. The rating was tied with Cricket and backside only our 2 Readers' Choice Award winners and Direct Talk Wireless. As y'all can run across from the nautical chart below, T-Mobile is the simply major carrier that has shown marked improvement in PCMag reader satisfaction over the last five years.

Meet all of our survey results for Mobile Carriers.

WINNERS: MOBILE CARRIERS

Consumer Cellular
This yr marks the 5th direct year that Consumer Cellular has won the Readers' Choice Award. While the company targets its advertising towards seniors, anyone tin can take advantage of Consumer Cellular'due south competitively priced service.

Google Project Fi
Project Fi's unique approach of taking reward of multiple carriers' networks continues to resonate with its customers, assuasive it to deliver excellent coverage and speed at competitive prices. If you lot enjoy using Android phones, you should definitely give Project Fi a close look.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/google-project-fi/20229/readers-choice-awards-2018-smartphones-and-carriers

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