TLDR;
- Cell phone user satisfaction in the U.S. has dropped to a 10-year low, scoring just 78 out of 100.
- Battery life, call reliability, and ease of use remain top pain points despite new tech features.
- Apple and Samsung lead in user satisfaction but both saw declines; lower-tier brands lag behind significantly.
- Wireless service satisfaction also dipped, while internet service providers showed modest improvement.
In 2025, cell phone users across the United States report growing frustration with their devices, marking a significant decline in satisfaction.
According to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), satisfaction with smartphones has dropped to its lowest point in a decade, with an overall score of 78 out of 100. This marks a sharp fall from the high of 2024, when cell phone satisfaction reached record levels.
Experts attribute this downturn largely to ongoing issues with battery life, call reliability, and ease of use—basic features that remain unsatisfactory for many users despite the influx of new capabilities like AI and enhanced connectivity.
Innovation Overlooks Core User Needs
While phone manufacturers race to pack new features into the latest models, many users feel these innovations fail to address fundamental problems. Battery life continues to be the number one concern for consumers, frequently cited in surveys as a source of frustration. Dropped calls and connectivity hiccups add to user dissatisfaction, especially as people increasingly rely on their phones for everything from social media to business communication.
“For all the hype around AI and cutting-edge features, consumers judge their phones by how well they perform on the basics,” said Forrest Morgeson, a marketing expert and former ACSI researcher. “Until companies focus on improving battery longevity, call reliability, and user-friendly interfaces, overall satisfaction will struggle to improve.”
Leading Brands Lose Ground
Even the biggest players in the smartphone market, Apple and Samsung, have not escaped the wave of declining satisfaction. Both brands saw their scores slip by one point to 81 this year. Despite this, they remain ahead of competitors like Google and Motorola, whose scores fell more sharply to 75.
The gap between users of 5G-capable phones and those with older, non-5G models also widened. Satisfaction among 5G phone owners remains higher at 80, compared to a steep drop to 68 among users with legacy devices. This disparity underscores the importance of newer technology but also reveals that many consumers may not fully understand the limitations of their older phones.
“People often expect their older LTE phones to perform like the latest 5G models, which isn’t realistic,” explained Bryan Cohen, CEO of a telecom agency. “This misunderstanding contributes to frustration when their devices don’t meet expectations.”
Wireless Service and ISPs: Mixed Results
The decline in satisfaction isn’t limited to devices alone. Wireless service providers saw their ratings dip slightly, with the overall industry score falling by one point to 75. Notable declines were reported among major carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile, while Verizon was one of the few to see a slight uptick.
On a more positive note, internet service providers (ISPs) experienced modest improvements in customer satisfaction. Fiber optic providers like AT&T Fiber and Google Fiber continue to lead, although satisfaction with fiber services slipped slightly this year. Non-fiber ISPs, on the other hand, saw more notable gains, partly due to investments in better network stability and customer service.
That said, the findings highlight a growing disconnect between the tech industry’s focus on innovation and the everyday needs of cell phone users. Despite impressive technological leaps, such as AI integration, 5G rollout, and advanced camera systems, many consumers remain dissatisfied with the reliability and simplicity of their devices.
