Apple Comes Out Top in “User Experience” Study

[Maura]

AppleInsider reports today that Apple's iOS 6 and iOS 7 software has performed impressively in a study carried out by tech consultants Pfeiffer Consulting. The study looked at quantitative user-experience data from iOS 6 and iOS 7 users, as well as Windows Phone 8, Samsung Android and BlackBerry 10 users.

Pfeiffer says that their test methodology tried to eliminate as many subjective variables as possible, including the likes of “brand loyalty” and “perception”, and only focus on objective “aspects that have a direct impact on the day-to-day user experience of an average, non-technical user.”

The study looked at four key points: the OS’s cognitive load, efficiency and integration, options for customisation, and user-experience friction. For cognitive load, iOS 7 was narrowly beaten by iOS 6. As far as efficiency and integration was concerned, iOS 7 was second to Samsung Android. For options for customisation, Samsung once again came first, with iOS 7 a close second. For the experience friction comparison, iOS 6 was the winner, with iOS 7 not far behind.

In terms of the overall User Experience Index results, though, iOS 7 and iOS 6 took first and second place respectively, with the study finding that iOS 7 was the most user-friendly of the operating systems tested, saying, “Apple has achieved its goal to move iOS into the modern smartphone era. Despite some controversial design aspects, iOS 7 is pleasant and more fluid to use than other mobile operating systems.”

Source: iOS 7 shines as Apple bests Android, Windows Phone in 'user experience shootout'