Sales of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 have been disappointing, with IDC recently reporting that its market share has dipped to just 3.8 percent. But those who do buy a Windows Phone 7 like them. In fact, they tend to like them even more than those who buy an Android device.

That’s the latest finding from a ChangeWave survey of 4,163 mobile phone users. According to the survey, 57 percent of Windows Phone 7 users are “very satisfied” with the devices. That compares to 50 percent who are “very satisfied” with their Android device.

No one came close to the iPhone. Seventy percent of iOS users report being very satisfied.

Now, as journalist Dan Frommer points out, the results from the survey are a bit challenging to uncover since ChangeWave combines satisfaction levels for both Windows Phone 7 and Windows Mobile OS. Together, as the chart below shows, there’s an overall satisfaction level of just 27 percent.

This is exactly what is hurting Microsoft as it attempts to reposition its mobile business. Customers have a bad a taste in their mouths when it comes to Microsoft’s mobile products, and few are willing to give them a try again.

Can Microsoft recover from past mobile mistakes?

The researchers at ChangeWave write:

“But in an encouraging sign for Microsoft, we continue to see a big difference between the high Very Satisfied rating for Windows Phone 7 (57%) vs. the much lower rating for Windows Mobile OS (14%). Even so, the higher Windows Phone 7 rating has yet to produce a sustained momentum boost for Microsoft in term of buyer preferences.”

Frommer writes that the results prove that Windows Phone 7 is not some “junk platform.”

“Now it’s up to Microsoft and its partners to sell it,” he says.

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