Study finds Android handsets break more frequently than iPhone, could cost carriers $2B in repairs

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  • Reply 21 of 37
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac.World View Post


    And if they sold 20 million in a quarter with 2 million repaired, vice now selling 10 million but only 500k in repairs... Less volume sold typically equals less repairs, which in turn is a less percentage.



    Your version assumes that less sales equates to an equal percentage of repairs. This is not the case.



    My "version" uses small numbers to help you understand how percentage works. Apparently my example wasn't simple enough.
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  • Reply 22 of 37
    The Multi-Dilger strikes again.
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  • Reply 23 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cvaldes1831 View Post


    You'd contact Apple first. Their customer service is number one in basically every single relevant customer satisfaction survey and has been for years.



    Mobile operators, particular American cellular companies, have abysmal customer satisfaction scores. This is repeatedly demonstrated by annual user surveys by Consumer Reports (and others). Verizon is usually the 37" giant in a land of three-foot midgets; the other ones just trade places in the rankings. Not one American mobile operator can be proud of their customer satisfaction ratings. It has been like this for years and years; the overall scores hasn't really improved.



    As a matter of fact, mobile operators are pretty much near the basement of all industries, right by cable companies. Basically, your cellular provider is pretty much the last one you'd ask help from.



    Yeah those numbers are quite low. Being a current employee at a call center for one of the telcoms I can tell what that means also. Because all of the big four are Post-paid, and their are usage charges customers are charged after they use. This means that a customer who goes his/her minute allotment will get a charge on their next month bill for it. These customer see this and then call us and want it refunded. Our policy is to re-rate them and refund them for the overages, however the customer has to go to a higher/more expensive rate plan as a result. Many customers don't want this they say no it will not happen again. The next month they call in for the same reason. We offer them the chance to change their rate again. Most likely they will not saying it will not happen again. We can't credit them for every time they go over their minute plan especially if we offered to move them to a better plan. As a result we did not (could not) help them. This is also why Cable companies have it rough too (pay per view). As you can see its perception. Even through I have done every thing I could do to help this person because they wanted something that we can't provide they answer on the questioner that we as a whole company sucks.



    Also Apple is a little skewed because we do not do warranty for iPhones. We send the customer to Apple. So in reality the number for apple reported is just not correct. The contract that Apple has between the Telecoms is pretty strict with the rules and regulations.



    Edit: The previous statements are solely the opinions of my own. They have nothing to do with my job and this post is of my own free will.
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  • Reply 24 of 37
    What a bunch of BULL... so they compare ALL of the android phones out there and say that the iOS is better because it breaks less...

    No wonder... they are comparing a range of phones with diverse price points and quality with 1 of the most expensive phones in the market (the iPhone)... no wonder that the iPhone comes out as the winner...



    why don't they bin the data into price points??!! I personally have a Samsung galaxy S2 and before that I had a HTC hero... both of which I could bet would beat the iPhone in terms of durability... I lost count of how many times I dropped my phones on hard floors and never broke the screens... even last week I let my Galaxy hit hard concrete floor and the only think I got was a small scratch on the top corner of the phone... Try to do that with any iPhone and see what happens!



    Please understand I am not saying the iPhone is not a great phone... I just hate made up statistics like this!



    #iphone #iOS #android #market



    g+ discussion
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  • Reply 25 of 37
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,617member
    Why would they expect to deal with calls from Apple customers? Surely the first port of calk for an iPhone fault would be Apple?
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  • Reply 26 of 37
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    My teenager has been through three broken Android phones in three years. (While I was not thrilled with her choice of platform, I was willing to let this 'rebellion' happen if that was the extent of it!).



    The build quality was crap in each case. And, AT&T never even made a fuss about replacing them.



    One month ago, she switched to the iPhone. The only thing she feels badly about is that she didn't switch earlier.



    How did the OS on the phone alter the hardware quality of the phone?
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  • Reply 27 of 37
    It is certainly no bull and exactly why so few sold Linux.



    That's what happens with user control.

    Less corporate control obviously means less profit.
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  • Reply 28 of 37
    ruel24ruel24 Posts: 432member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac.World View Post


    What part of 'less repairs = less percentage' do you not understand?



    But, he does have a point that if there is a smaller sample, there is a more likely chance there is error, and thus possibly a smaller, yet erroneous, number.
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  • Reply 29 of 37
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac.World View Post


    And if they sold 20 million in a quarter with 2 million repaired, vice now selling 10 million but only 500k in repairs... Less volume sold typically equals less repairs, which in turn is a less percentage.



    Your version assumes that less sales equates to an equal percentage of repairs. This is not the case.



    Why would the percentage of repairs automatically fall because they sold less units? I guess by your logic, if you sold enough units, they would ALL fail.....



    You really need to go back to school and learn the concept of a percentage.
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  • Reply 30 of 37
    mytdavemytdave Posts: 447member
    This is nothing new. The same has been true in the PC world for decades. There are millions of people who can't see past the price tag at retail (ironically, you can get an iPhone 3GS on contract for $0). People and organizations alike don't think in terms of TCO. As a result, Android share will continue to increase, and people using those devices will continue to have more problems, and just like the PC market, those people will come to (already have) accept it as normal.
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  • Reply 31 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by whytoi View Post


    So why is Blackberry the lowest at 5%, beating iPhone's 8%? Should we go BB instead?



    One of the many problems with this survey is that it's not clear - not evident at all really, if they considered other avenues customers take.



    For instance, I could postulate that Blackberry repair numbers cited in this study are low because BB devices exist mostly in the enterprise market, and when a corp. issued BB goes tits up, the user is not going to seek help from the cellular carrier - they're going to send it back to the IT department and get another one. IT is just going to toss the bad Blackberry in the trash and write it off.



    Likewise Apple's numbers could potentially be higher, since it doesn't appear that they took the Apple Stores into consideration. I had a touch screen problem with my original iPhone. I didn't go to my carrier for help, I went to Apple (who replaced it on the spot, damn they're good).



    And then there is Android - so many devices, so many carriers. Did they survey them all? What about the folks who think the problems with the device is 'normal' and just live with it? What about all those who just throw it away (the cheap disposable ones) and get a new phone?



    I think this study has too many holes to really get reliable information from it.
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  • Reply 32 of 37
    dsectdsect Posts: 25member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    The Multi-Dilger strikes again.



    The more Dilgers the better!
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  • Reply 33 of 37
    shawnbshawnb Posts: 155member
    So why are costs for defective hardware the responsibility of the carrier, not the manufacturer (through the warranty period) or the consumer (after the warranty period if they didn't purchase additional insurance)?



    And if carriers are paying 40% higher subsidies for the iPhone, wouldn't it still be a wash?
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  • Reply 34 of 37
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
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  • Reply 35 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lkrupp View Post


    "Android's global smartphone market share..."



    It's more than a little annoying that Android market share data only talks about smart phones when being compared to iOS. I guess the tablet market is an inconvenient data point that Android supporters don't care to discuss. The mantra is always "Android is kicking the iPhone's ass." And this article mostly confirms what a lot of us suspected all along. The bulk of Android's "500,000 activations a day" are cheap junk phones that break quickly and often. Not exactly something to be proud of but it does inflate the market share metric.



    "Deluca-Smith was quick to point out that he doesn't see the financial burden to telecoms as the result of Android being a faulty OS, and instead cites inconsistency between handsets as the problem."



    Guilt by association is real. Android may or may not be a faulty OS but a frustrated user with a crappy phone isn't going to make that distinction. The hardware AND the software will get the blame.





    THIS POINT -- needs to get more attention by Cell Phone providers. The few bucks they might save selling a customer some "me to" Android is NOT GOING TO BE WORTH IT when the platform and the cell provider are blamed. Google is also going to become the "You didn't really love me XMas Present."





    >> Just wait for the cultural references to doom them; I can just see a the home videos on YouTube where the college kid tears into the Christmas present expecting a brand new smart phone. It's the right size and weight, it must be,... it's an iPhone -- oh crap -- no, it's a Samsung Galaxy. The kid bravely hides the look of disappointment, and smiles bravely. But the moment is lost, the parents KNOW that look.



    "We have the receipt, son, it's not a problem -- it hasn't even been activated..."



    "... no, mom, dad,... It's PERFECT. This will also help us get a start at chipping away at my $25,000 debt in student loans for the job I can't get...."



    >> The NEW sales pitch; Yes it's a new day in America, and your kids need to be used to disappointment -- so why not an Android, it's not just a phone -- it's a life lesson!"
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  • Reply 36 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shawnb View Post


    So why are costs for defective hardware the responsibility of the carrier, not the manufacturer (through the warranty period) or the consumer (after the warranty period if they didn't purchase additional insurance)?



    And if carriers are paying 40% higher subsidies for the iPhone, wouldn't it still be a wash?



    Except that IF it is a financial WASH -- then you are paying the same dollars overall for a good experience versus a poor one -- so WHICH is the right market choice in the long run?



    Still, I figure that it's cheaper overall for the cell provider, because an Android phone isn't going to be using the data plan as much. Some large usage for the first two months, and thereafter some Angry Birds scores and web browsing -- just because it's there.



    It's only a matter if knowing the costs up front, versus "estimated average over time" is a difference financially.



    >> But LOT's of companies probably prefer selling people stuff that they aren't going to use -- so THAT might be the hidden reason that AT&T pushes the Android as much as the iPhone -- lower bandwidth.
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