For years, Apple and Samsung have been trading blows in every performance metric imaginable. Shipment numbers, revenue share, benchmark scores. Now add customer satisfaction to the list and for the first time in a while, Samsung comes out on top. The 2026 American Customer Satisfaction Index surveyed nearly 27,000 US smartphone customers between April 2025 and March 2026, and the result is tight but clear: Samsung scored 81, Apple scored 80.
One point. But it counts.
The gap opened primarily because of flagship phones. Among owners of newly purchased premium devices, Samsung Galaxy S-series scored 84 versus new iPhones at 82 and Google flagships at 80. The Galaxy S26’s strong reception clearly contributed better camera hardware, improved AI features, and a build quality that resonated with buyers who came from older Samsung devices.
AI features are where the story gets genuinely interesting. ACSI measured AI satisfaction for the first time this year and it scored 85 out of 100, making it one of the highest-rated smartphone experience categories. That tells you something important: consumers aren’t just tolerating AI features anymore, they’re actively valuing them. The interpretation floating around is that Apple’s slower-than-expected Apple Intelligence rollout may have hurt its scores, though ACSI doesn’t explicitly confirm that connection.
Battery life satisfaction jumped 5% to 81 consumers rewarding practical, real-world improvements over headline-grabbing novelty. Phone calls and texting still scored highest at 86, which is a useful reminder that fundamentals still matter most.
In foldables, Samsung leads with 80 versus Google’s 72 and Motorola’s 70, a dominant position Apple hasn’t entered yet. Smartwatches ended in a dead tie at 80 each.
One point is a razor-thin margin. The iPhone 18 lineup in September could flip this ranking entirely which makes Apple’s WWDC AI announcements on June 8 more consequential than ever.
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