Having hardware issues with any electronic product is bad news. Whether it be your computer, tablet, or smartphone, the process of having your device repaired or replaced is never fun or easy. Hardware quality and durability is an area that RIM has always prided itself on. They always claim that their hardware is top-notch and BlackBerry’s high build-quality is something that you can tell when you pick one up. RIM’s claim that their hardware is the best has been backed up by a recent study from WDS, a company that specializes in smartphone support and repair. Follow me past the break as we take a look at the results of their study to see how RIM’s hardware stacks up against that of the competition.
The study by WDS was ran over one-year and consisted of over 600,000 smartphone technical support calls. For each call, the type of smartphone and the type of issue was recorded. The report doesn’t break down exactly what hardware failures were occurring on each call, but it does categorize each call as either a hardware failure or some other technical issue. Hardware failures can be anything from a broken hardware key to a cracked display.
Of the top 4 smartphone brands, including BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7, RIM’s BlackBerry had the least occurrences of hardware failures. The percentage of calls for each brand that were hardware failures were as follows:
- BlackBerry: 3.7%
- iPhone: 8%
- Windows Phone 7: 9%
- Android: 14%
From the results of this study, RIM is clearly the leader when it comes to hardware quality and reliability. This proven hardware quality is just another point in the list of why BlackBerry smartphones are, and will continue to be, one of the top smartphones on the market. Located below is the full press release from WDS detailing their study and the results. Be sure to let us know your experiences with BlackBerry hardware. Has your hardware always been problem-free or are you in the minority that experiences issues with your BlackBerry device hardware?
Press Release
Android Devices More Likely to Develop Hardware Faults Than Competitor Smartphones Says WDS Study
POOLE, England, June 23, 2011/PRNewswire/ –
A year-long study by WDS of more than 600,000 technical support calls
has found that Android devices are more likely to develop a hardware fault
than many of their smartphone competitors. 14% of all technical support
calls for Android devices related to hardware faults in contrast to just
3.7% for RIM BlackBerry, 8% for iPhones (iOS) and 9% for Windows Phone 7
devices.
The greater propensity for hardware faults is, says WDS, a symptom of
the platform’s fragmentation across a broad range of OEMs. Both Apple and
RIM control their hardware ecosystems and Microsoft mandates minimum
hardware specifications for Windows Phone deployments. In contrast, Android
is widely deployed by more than 35 OEMs globally under an open source
license.
The study found that instances of hardware faults varied between OEM
deployments, with some brands showing a propensity to display faults, others
to keypad / button failures and some to microphone and battery issues. The
findings, says WDS, highlight the need for mobile operators to consider the
Total Cost of Ownership, including support and potential reverse logistics
costs, and not just the unit price of the device when ranging product.
“Android has been instrumental in bringing smartphone technology into
the mass-market. The maturation of the industry, availability of hardware
components and a reduction in manufacturing costs has seen some OEMs drop
the price of Android smartphones below US$100,” explains Craig Rich, Chief
Marketing Officer at WDS. “However, many of these factors are also driving
varying levels of hardware quality into the market, in turn delivering an
inconsistent customer experience.”
Unlike many support calls taken by mobile operators, such as
connectivity and service configuration, hardware failures cannot typically
be resolved by Customer Service Representatives. Instead they add further
cost by entering the returns and repair channel.
“Mobile operators have to make important decisions when selecting which
smartphones to range on their networks,” adds Rich. “They must balance the
need to introduce low-cost smartphone devices with the Total Cost of
Ownership; a $100 smartphone might not look so attractive if it drives x3
more support cost over its lifetime or has an above-average return rate that
impacts customer loyalty,” finishes Rich.
The study took place between June 2010 and May 2011 and covered 600,000
technical support calls taken by WDS across Europe, North America, South
Africa and Australia.
About WDS
WDS is the wireless industry’s only provider of specialist managed
services dedicated to improving the user experience across the entire
consumer lifecycle. With more than 15 years of experience and a global
footprint, WDS is the partner of choice for wireless carriers, handset
manufactures and service providers looking to transform their relationships
with consumers. The company currently counts over 100 customers, including
most of the world’s largest handset manufacturer and mobile operator brands.
http://www.wds.co [http://www.wdsglobal.com ]
Justin Lisenby
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