Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Windows Phone 8 Wins PC Mag Award

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone 8 operating system – currently No. 4 in your  smartphone market, but apparently No. 1 in your heart.

While Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) dominate the smartphone marketplace with their respective Android and iOS platforms, readers of PC Magazine spoke up in the annual Readers Choice Award survey and picked neither as the favorite operating system. On a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being the best, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) followed up a tie for the top spot a year ago with winning the Readers Choice Award for Best Operating System with its Windows Phone 8. The new Windows Phone 8 OS recorded an overall rating of 9.0, while the iOS from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) recorded an 8.6. The overall average rating among all OSs in the survey was 8.2 – and the Android OS by Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) was given an 8.1 rating to list slightly below average alongside the Windows Phone 7 operating system.

Windows 7 tied the Apple iOS for the award last year.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was given high marks in several subcategories, including a 9.2 in “likelihood to recommend” to others, 9.2 for reliability, 9.3 for both text messaging and e-mail.

What is really noteworthy about the survey is the primary reason that customers cited for buying their mobile phone. The biggest reason that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) bought their phones was availability of apps, with 57 percent of Apple users declaring that as their first motivating factor. By comparison, 56 percent of Android users chose their phones based on display size or quality, and 55 percent chose them for their 4G capability. On the other hand, a whopping 88 percent of Windows Phone users chose their phone because of the OS itself. That compares to 50 percent of Android users and 37 percent of iOS users.

What do you think? Have you tried a Windows Phone? Do you currently use one? Did you compare the OSs when you last shopped for a phone? Let us know your thoughts about Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and its latest Windows Phone iteration. Can it secure at least the No. 3 spot in the market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: I own no positions in any stock mentioned.

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