Survey: Consumers moving to more advanced cell phones

Results of the latest ChangeWave consumer cell phone survey suggest that “record numbers” of consumers are abandoning their basic cell phones for more advanced, feature-rich models. The January survey of 4,182 consumers showed Apple and Research In Motion to be the major beneficiaries of this shift, with the iPhone the top choice among respondents planning to purchase a new cell phone in the next six months. 17% of those respondents listed the iPhone as their top choice, while BlackBerry phones from RIM were the top choice of 15% of the group. In addition, the iPhone continues to lead in customer satisfaction, with 72% of respondents who use the iPhone reporting they are “very satisfied” with the device. Phones from RIM finished second in this category as well, with 55% of BlackBerry owners reporting high satisfaction.