A recent survey by SellCell reveals that while nearly half of iPhone users consider AI an important factor when choosing a smartphone, a significant majority find Apple's AI features underwhelming.
Apple introduced its AI tools, branded as Apple Intelligence, in October 2024 with iOS 18.1. However, 73% of users reported that these features added little to no value to their experience. Notably, this dissatisfaction mirrors Samsung users’ sentiments, with 87% expressing similar disappointment with Galaxy AI tools.
The survey highlights which Apple Intelligence features are most utilized: Writing Tools for text editing (72%) and Notification Summaries (54%) saw the highest adoption. Other tools, like Priority Messages, Photos Clean Up, and Smart Reply, were less popular, ranging from 20.9% to 44.5%. Features like natural language search in Photos and transcription summaries fared even worse, with fewer than 15% of users trying them.
Despite lukewarm reception, Apple users remain more inclined than Samsung users to prioritize AI when buying a phone—47.6% consider it an important factor, compared to just 23.7% of Samsung users. Yet, over half (57.6%) of iPhone users admitted they hadn’t updated to iOS 18.1, citing the features as unhelpful or raising concerns about privacy and accuracy.
The findings also reflect shifting brand loyalty among Apple users. While 78.9% still consider themselves loyal to the Apple ecosystem, this is a notable drop from 92% in 2021. Interestingly, 16.8% of iPhone users said they would consider switching to Samsung if Galaxy AI features proved superior. In contrast, only 9.7% of Samsung users expressed a willingness to switch to Apple.
When it comes to paid AI services, both user bases remain hesitant. Only 11.6% of iPhone users and 4% of Samsung users said they would consider subscribing to premium AI tools.
As Apple prepares to roll out iOS 18.2, introducing features like Genmoji and ChatGPT integration, it remains to be seen whether these updates will shift user perceptions and increase adoption.
The survey polled over 2,000 U.S. participants aged 18 and older, comprising both iPhone and Samsung Galaxy users with AI-supported devices.
News Source: MacRumors
