iPhone Apple survey reveals users unimpressed with AI features, opting against upgrading to iOS 18.2

A recent iPhone Apple Survey conducted by SellCell highlights that Apple’s AI features introduced with iOS 18.1 have not met the expectations of the majority of iPhone users. Despite 47.6% of users viewing AI as a crucial aspect of smartphone functionality, 73% reported that features like Writing Tools and Notification Summaries provided minimal value to their overall experience.

Key tools like Writing Tools, used by 72% of respondents, and Notification Summaries, utilised by 54%, were the most popular among Apple Intelligence features. Other tools, including Smart Reply and Clean Up in Photos, saw usage rates drop to below 45%. Advanced features like natural language search in Photos and transcription summaries were even less embraced, with under 15% adoption.

Interestingly, Apple users still value AI more than Samsung Galaxy users, 23.7% of whom consider AI a priority in device selection. However, this preference hasn’t translated into widespread adoption, with 57.6% of iPhone users citing reluctance to update their devices as the main reason for not exploring Apple’s AI features. Additional concerns around privacy, accuracy, and practicality further deterred usage.

Apple faces growing challenges as brand loyalty among iPhone users diminishes. According to the survey, 16.8% of Apple users would consider switching to Samsung for better AI features, a marked shift from previous years when Apple boasted a loyalty rate of over 90%. Currently, 78.9% of iPhone users identify as loyal to the Apple ecosystem, compared to 92% in 2021. In contrast, Samsung users appear more steadfast, with only 9.7% willing to switch to Apple for superior AI features.

The survey also highlighted that only a small fraction of smartphone users are open to paying for AI-related services. Just 11.6% of Apple users and an even smaller 4% of Samsung users expressed interest in subscribing to AI tools. These findings underline the difficulty Apple and its competitors face in monetising AI as a core feature.

Apple hopes that the arrival of iOS 18.2, featuring next-generation tools like Genmoji and integrated ChatGPT, will improve user perceptions. However, it remains to be seen whether these updates can reverse the apathy toward Apple Intelligence and stem the erosion of brand loyalty.

Conducted in late 2024, the SellCell survey included over 2,000 participants aged 18 and older in the United States, all of whom were current users of iPhone or Samsung Galaxy devices supporting AI features.