Apple and Samsung are facing criticism from their user bases over the perceived lack of value provided by their smartphone AI features.
A survey conducted between late November and early December 2024 reveals widespread dissatisfaction among users of both brands. The findings from SellCell, drawn from over 2,000 smartphone users in the United States, indicate that 73% of iPhone owners and 87% of Samsung users believe the AI tools on their devices provide little to no value. This signals a significant disconnect between the companies’ AI ambitions and user expectations.
Disappointment about Apple Intelligence
AI has become a central pillar of both companies’ marketing strategies, yet this survey suggests that consumers are unconvinced. While nearly half (47.6%) of iPhone users described AI as “very” or “somewhat” important when deciding to purchase a new device, only 23.7% of Samsung users shared this sentiment.
However, even among those who initially prioritized AI, many expressed disappointment in the practical application of these features. The results paint a complex picture: users are interested in AI’s potential, but their experiences with current implementations have been largely disappointing.
Apple’s Apple Intelligence suite, introduced in October 2024 through the iOS 18.1 update and expanded in iOS 18.2, exemplifies this gap between promise and reality. Features such as Writing Tools, Notification Summaries, Priority Messages, and Clean-Up in Photos were designed to simplify everyday tasks.
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Writing Tools, which assist with grammar corrections, text summarization, and rewriting, has seen the most adoption, with 72% of Apple respondents having tried it. Notification Summaries, which compile alerts into a single digest, was used by 54%, while Priority Messages, aimed at flagging urgent emails, engaged 44.5% of users.
Yet, despite these adoption rates, the majority (64.7%) of iPhone owners rated these features as “not very valuable,” and 8.3% described them as adding “little to no value” to their overall smartphone experience. This dissatisfaction underscores a recurring theme: features that look impressive on paper fail to translate into meaningful improvements in daily use.
Galaxy AI Scores Even Worse
Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite, launched in March 2024 as part of its OneUI 6.1 update, faced even greater criticism. Popular features like Circle to Search, which lets users draw around an object or text to perform a contextual search, and Photo Assist, which offers editing suggestions for images, were used by 82.1% and 55.5% of Samsung respondents, respectively.
However, these tools did little to enhance user satisfaction. Over half of Samsung users (51.9%) dismissed Galaxy AI features as irrelevant to their smartphone experience, with many citing issues like inaccuracy and lack of real-world usefulness.
Privacy concerns also loom large in users’ criticism of smartphone AI. Among Samsung users, 35.5% cited mistrust of AI’s accuracy as a reason for avoiding these tools, while 30.1% pointed to concerns about how their data might be used.
Apple users were less concerned about privacy but expressed frustration with AI’s frequent misinterpretations of their needs. For example, features designed to proactively assist, such as Siri’s calendar integrations, have been prone to errors that undermine user confidence.
Apple Sees Declining Brand Loyalty
Perhaps most tellingly, the survey revealed cracks in brand loyalty that could have long-term consequences. Among iPhone users, 16.8% said they would consider switching to Samsung if Galaxy AI provided a better experience. This represents a sharp drop in Apple’s loyalty rate, which now stands at 78.9%, compared to 92% in 2021.
Samsung fared slightly better, with 9.7% of its users expressing interest in moving to Apple for improved AI functionality. These shifts underscore the growing importance of AI as a differentiating factor in a market where traditional considerations like camera quality and battery life have plateaued in innovation.
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The survey findings highlight a growing sense of impatience among consumers. While users remain intrigued by AI’s potential, they are increasingly unwilling to tolerate features that overpromise and underdeliver. As Apple and Samsung push forward with ambitious AI strategies, this data serves as a stark reminder: without meaningful improvements, even the most loyal customers may look elsewhere.
Dissatisfaction with smartphone AI tools is not just a technical issue—it’s a branding challenge that could redefine market dynamics. Apple, known for its fiercely loyal customer base, is witnessing cracks in its once-solid foundation.
More Apple Users are Ready to Try Galaxy AI
According to the survey, 16.8% of iPhone users expressed a willingness to switch to Samsung if Galaxy AI offered better functionality. This erosion of loyalty represents a significant drop from Apple’s 2021 brand retention rate of 92%, which now sits at 78.9%. Samsung, too, is grappling with shifting loyalty, as 9.7% of its users indicated they might switch to Apple for superior AI features.
These findings underscore how AI has become a key differentiator in the smartphone market. Historically, buyers prioritized factors like camera performance, battery life, and screen quality.
Related: Samsung Adds new Galaxy AI Features with One UI 6.1.1
While these remain important, AI is emerging as a critical area of focus, especially as advancements in other hardware-driven features plateau. Some users noted that while AI features could be appealing, they were not strong enough to influence their loyalty to a brand if alternatives with better options existed.
The decline in brand loyalty is particularly concerning for Apple, which has traditionally relied on its ecosystem and design appeal to retain customers. This shift reflects a growing impatience among users who increasingly expect more functional and integrated AI tools.
Samsung, which has positioned Galaxy AI as a flagship feature, faces similar pressure to deliver tools that resonate with users’ daily needs. Both companies now stand at a crossroads: refine their AI offerings or risk losing customers to competitors that are raising the bar for consumer-focused AI experiences.
Siri Errors Cause AI Phantom Table Bookings in Calendar App
Apple’s recent missteps with Siri highlight the challenges of delivering accurate and intuitive AI features. Reports of Siri creating phantom calendar entries, triggered by users browsing OpenTable, illustrate how poorly executed automation can backfire.
These incidents underscore a recurring issue with proactive AI: while designed to anticipate user needs, such features often misinterpret user intent, leading to frustration and diminished trust.
Siri’s reliance on ambiguous signals—like interpreting a webpage visit as a confirmed booking—illustrates the broader difficulties of building AI systems that balance initiative with precision. For Apple, such glitches are more than technical hiccups; they are reputational risks that undermine the company’s image as a leader in user-friendly innovation.
Mistrust and Privacy Concerns
Samsung’s challenges are less publicized but equally pressing. While Galaxy AI has avoided headline-grabbing errors like Siri’s phantom reservations, user criticism remains pointed. Over one-third of Samsung respondents (35.5%) cited mistrust in AI’s accuracy as a reason for disengaging from Galaxy AI tools.
Privacy concerns were another significant barrier, with 30.1% of Samsung users wary of how their data might be used. This hesitancy reflects broader consumer concerns about AI technologies, particularly those reliant on cloud processing, where data security can feel more abstract than tangible.
Competition: Gemini AI, Amazon Alexa, ChatGPT
While Apple and Samsung wrestle with user dissatisfaction, competitors are pushing the boundaries of AI functionality, raising the stakes in the race for consumer loyalty. Google’s Gemini Live, launched in August 2024, is rapidly redefining the possibilities of conversational AI.
The system boasts zero-latency responses, hands-free multitasking, and the ability to maintain conversations even when devices are locked. Unlike Siri, which struggles with ambiguous queries, Gemini Live delivers fluid and contextually aware interactions that resonate with users seeking seamless experiences.
Amazon is also making strides with Alexa, enhanced by a $4 billion partnership with Anthropic’s Claude AI. Scheduled updates in 2025 will introduce advanced conversational capabilities, enabling Alexa to handle multi-step tasks with greater nuance.
However, Amazon’s decision to adopt a subscription-based model for its premium AI features has sparked debate. While some users are willing to pay for enhanced functionality, others argue that such tools should be standard offerings in an increasingly competitive market.
OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode, which powers its voice assistant capabilities, has further set the bar for what AI can achieve. Known for its sub-320-millisecond response times and ability to generate human-like responses, the system has gained widespread acclaim for its versatility.
Unlike Siri or Galaxy AI, which are often limited to specific ecosystems, OpenAI’s tools are designed for broader integration, making them appealing across multiple platforms.
Looking ahead, Apple and Samsung will need to address these issues if they hope to remain competitive. For Apple, this may mean finding ways to integrate more robust AI tools without compromising its privacy ethos. For Samsung, improving the accuracy and contextual relevance of Galaxy AI features will be essential to rebuilding trust and engagement.
The survey results are clear: users are no longer satisfied with incremental updates or features that overpromise and underdeliver. If Apple and Samsung fail to act, they risk ceding ground to competitors that are already setting the pace for the next generation of consumer AI.
