Apple Watch tops customer satisfaction rankings, well ahead of Fitbit

Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartwatches, and Samsung ranks highest among manufacturers of fitness band device for customer satisfaction according the market research company J.D. Power.

J.D. Power 2016 Fitness Band Device Satisfaction Report and J.D. Power 2016 Smartwatch Device Satisfaction Report, released today measure overall satisfaction among thousands of customers who purchased a wearable device within the past 12 months. Each report examines satisfaction across 11 different factors.

For smartwatches this includes: ease of use; comfort; battery life; phone features; price; strength/durability; display size; styling/appearance; reliability; apps available; and customer service.

For fitness band trackers this includes: reliability; strength/durability; ease of use; battery life; price; variety of features; comfort; styling and appearance; display size; apps available; and customer service.

Apple earned a satisfaction score of 852 out of 1000, and a five-out-of-five Power Circle rating. The Apple Watch performs particularly well in comfort, styling/appearance and ease of use. Samsung was ranked in second place with a score of 842 and two-out-of-five Power Circle rating, although it was first in the related fitness band category. Sony, Fitbit, and LG rounded off the top five smartwatch manufacturers.

“Both the wearable fitness tracking device and smartwatch marketplaces are evolving as more and more brands are offering updated devices with new features and services,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director and telecom, media & technology practice leader at J.D. Power.

“However, it is important that device manufacturers focus on offering a product that is reliable at a price that is perceived as good value based on its features. Those that do so early in the game may improve their opportunity to increase satisfaction, customer loyalty and repurchase intention.”

Samsung ranks highest in customer satisfaction for fitness bands and performs particularly well in comfort, reliability and ease of use. Garmin followed, performing well in customer service, ease of use, strength/durability and reliability.

Interestingly, Fitbit ranked in fourth place both in the smartwatch and fitness tracker category despite being the undisputed leader in global wearables sales. The San Francisco based company accounted for around a quarter of global shipments in Q1 2016, slightly down on the same period in 2015, but well ahead of the pack.

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