Overview
- The American Customer Satisfaction Index’s 2026 Telecommunications, Cell Phone, and Smartwatch Study, based on 26,963 surveys collected April 2025–March 2026, shows Samsung at 81 and Apple at 80 on a 0–100 scale.
- ACSI measured AI feature performance for the first time and gave that attribute an 85 score, and analysts say that inclusion and gaps between marketing and delivery may help explain Apple’s one‑point drop.
- By device type Samsung leads flagship phones at 84 versus Apple’s 82 and dominates foldables at 80 compared with Google’s 72 and Motorola’s 70, while smartwatches are tied with Apple and Samsung at 80.
- Wireless service satisfaction rose to an ACSI high of 77 with T‑Mobile at 78 and both AT&T and Verizon at 76, and value and full‑service MVNOs continue to post strong ratings.
- Because the ACSI uses a large, national sample small score changes can alter rankings, a dynamic that could prompt faster software releases or product pushes including Apple’s rumored foldable and WWDC AI updates as vendors try to close perception gaps.