Why Americans Prefer Samsung Over iPhone

The United States has long been considered Apple’s stronghold, but a surprising fact has emerged: smartphone users there are more satisfied with Samsung devices than Apple’s. This is confirmed by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study 2026 report released on 19 May. Samsung surpassed Apple with a customer satisfaction score of 81 points, while Apple trailed narrowly at 80 points. Last year, the two tech giants were tied. In the specific device category, Samsung’s premium Galaxy S series led with 84 points, outperforming Apple’s latest iPhone line at 82 points and Google’s flagship at 80 points. This victory is a crucial achievement for Samsung in the fiercely competitive US market. The consistent high satisfaction levels indicate Samsung’s efforts in delivering seamless user experiences and after-sales service have been highly successful with American consumers. ACSI noted that overall smartphone satisfaction has improved due to features now considered genuinely useful in daily use. One of the most praised functional improvements is battery life for everyday use. For the first time, AI-powered features were included as an indicator in this year’s survey. The result is that many users now view AI features as genuinely practical tools, rather than mere tech gimmicks or experimental features. Beyond these key factors, ACSI said overall consumer satisfaction also rose due to improvements in device design, physical durability, connectivity, and app integration. However, foldable devices generally received more consumer complaints than standard smartphones.