According to ACSI, Apple's customer satisfaction dipped 1 per cent in the second quarter of 2009, while PC manufacturers - including Gateway and HP - gained some ground on the elusive Apple, .
Customer satisfaction with PCs improved slightly after two years of decline, increasing 1.4 per cent to an ACSI score of 75, driven by increasing demand for Windows-based machines.
The satisfaction of Apple PC customers retreated slightly, down 1 per cent to 84, but the small decline has done nothing to hurt the large lead Apple has enjoyed for six straight years over the Windows-based PC manufacturers.
In fact, Apple's customer satisfaction lead is the second largest of any industry in ACSI - only Southwest Airlines' advantage over its closest rival is bigger.
Claes Fornell, chairman of the CFI Group, gave an analysis: "Apple's success has been a result of innovation, integration of products, customer service and good marketing.
"By integrating its computers with the iPhone and iPod, Apple is encouraging the phone and music product users to become Apple computer users as well.
"Despite the recession, Apple has posted strong financial results, with profits up 15 per cent for the second quarter, and sales of Mac computers have increased, while competitors' sales have shrunk."
Satisfaction for e-businesses reached a new high this year, up 2.8 per cent to an ACSI score of 81.5.
Since measurement began in 2000, the category is up a 29.4 per cent.
Portal and search engine sites led the way, with Google on top at an unchanged score of 86, maintaining its lead over Yahoo! at 77, also unchanged.
Google has led among portals and search engines for seven of the last eight years - an edge in user satisfaction that's reflected in its dominance of the search market, the survey said.
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