Apple's iPhone ranked highest in the 2009 JD Power Wireless Phone Satisfaction survey, putting it ahead of offerings from RIM, Palm and LG.
The iPhone earned a score of 811 out of 1,000 for personal users, ahead of LG at 776. Among business users, the iPhone ranked 803. RIM's BlackBerry came in second at 724.
The JD Power study focused on physical design, features, battery function, ease of operation, and operating system.
Apple's ability to make the iPhone's features easy to use helped boost its position to the top of the list. "Offering extensive features that owners can integrate into their daily lives may foster brand loyalty to both the phone manufacturer and wireless carrier, and ultimately result in a more rewarding and satisfying owner experience," said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at JD Power and Associates.
JD Power found that some 22 percent of the people in the study were looking for Wi-Fi support in their next mobile phone purchase, and 21 percent wanted touch-screen support. Both are features that have been available in the iPhone since it was first introduced, and are becoming more common in mobile phones from other companies, too.
Over half of the study participants that use their smartphone for business reported downloading applications. 46 percent said they downloaded travel-related apps and business utility apps, and over half said they downloaded games, too.
The study also showed that more consumers are abandoning traditional phone lines in favor of mobile phones. Over 40 percent of the study participants said they have completely replaced their landline phones with smartphones.
The study is good news for Apple. Not only did the iPhone rank highest in customer satisfaction, it also offers the hardware and software features consumers seem to be asking for -- and with the growing number of titles at the App Store, Apple is in a good position to stay on top of the list.