Samsung and Apple handsets are without a doubt the most sought after when it comes to smartphones. However, according to a new study the same may not hold true for the tablet market.

A study from J.D. Power reveals that Microsoft tablets rank the highest when it comes to overall customer satisfaction, edging out both Apple and Samsung.

The 2017 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study

J.D. Power, a leader of consumer insights, advisory services, and analytics, undertook the 2017 U.S. Tablet Satisfaction Study. The study, which is in its sixth year, measured customers' satisfaction on five parameters: ease of operation, performance, cost, features, and lastly, styling and design.

The company shared the results on April 6 and the study revealed that for the first-time ever, Microsoft tablets had outperformed both iPads and Samsung Tabs in the customer satisfaction department.

Microsoft's Surface tablets scored an impressive 855 points out of a possible 1,000 on the satisfaction scale, which was used by J.D. Power to arrive at the results. On the other hand, Apple scored 849 points, while Samsung was third with a score of 847 points.

"These tablet devices are just as capable as many laptops, yet they can still function as standard tablets. This versatility is central to their appeal and success," revealed Jeff Conklin, J.D. Power's Vice President of service industries, while speaking about Microsoft's products.

Feature wise, Microsoft's tablets topped the study on three aspects: internet connectivity, variety of applications, and availability of Microsoft-supported accessories. The Redmond-based company also achieved the highest scores with regard to input/output connectivity and availability of greater internal storage.

In terms of styling as well, Microsoft tablet users have higher satisfaction with the overall design. The study shared that the Surface tablets had the highest satisfaction rating with regard to the product's size, quality of the materials used to manufacture them, and also the all-round attractiveness of the tablets.

Other Important Findings

The study also revealed some interesting quirks of the tablet market. It showed that the overall satisfaction with tablets was rising. In a study performed six months earlier, J.D. Power had shared that overall satisfaction score was 820 among tablet users, while the latest study showed an increase by 21 points, to 841.

The current study also revealed that lower price and previous experience are the most common reasons behind selection of tablets, followed by company reputation.

The size of these tablets also proved to be a big factor in customer satisfaction. Microsoft customers were the most satisfied in this regard, courtesy the greater average screen diagonal size of its tablets — 11.8 inches.

The presence of a data plan for the tablet also increases consumer satisfaction considerably.