Samsung has overtaken Apple in customer satisfaction among US smartphone users, according to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report.
The South Korean tech giant scored 81 points, while Apple followed with 80 points.
Last year, both companies were tied in the rankings. The new results show Samsung gaining a slight edge in user perception of devices and overall experience.
Industry satisfaction improves
The overall smartphone industry satisfaction score rose by 1% to 79 points this year, recovering from a decline in the previous year.
Battery life improvements were cited as one of the biggest positives for consumers.
Artificial intelligence features were included in the survey for the first time and were well-received by users.
According to the report, many consumers now view AI tools as practical features rather than experimental additions.
Premium flagship phones delivered the highest satisfaction scores. Samsung's Galaxy S series led with 84 points, while Apple's latest iPhone lineup scored 82 points.
Google's flagship smartphones followed with 80 points.
In the foldable phone segment, Samsung continues to dominate ahead of Google and Motorola.
However, foldable devices generated more user complaints than traditional smartphones, indicating the category still faces challenges.
The survey was based on feedback from more than 20,000 users.
The report also notes that customer satisfaction across the smartphone industry improved slightly this year.
The overall score for the category rose by 1% to 79 points after a noticeable decline in the previous year.
One major reason for the improvement is said to be the growing usefulness of modern smartphone features.
The survey suggests that newer technologies are no longer being seen as marketing tricks. Instead, users now feel many of these additions are genuinely helpful in everyday use.
