The Reason You Change Your Smartphones Could Mean Trouble For The Galaxy S26

Ever since the sudden success of ChatGPT, the tech industry has been on an AI frenzy. Even smartphone companies have been racing to include AI in their phones, hoping to capture the attention that turned OpenAI into a household name. Sadly for them, their efforts don’t seem to work, as people still look for other improvements when buying phones.

Most of you change your smartphone for new features that aren’t Al

When we asked what made you change your smartphones, the vast majority said it was the new features. For almost 54% of the people who answered our recent poll, those are features related to the battery, display, or performance of the device. Only a little over 2% of you said that you switch devices to get access to new integrated AI capabilities.Those answers are a clear signal that you value getting better smartphones, while the AI features are only an afterthought. Of course, many people have other concerns when buying a new phone.

About 30% of you change devices once your old phone starts having issues, even if it still works. Another 7% take that notion to the extreme and wait for their phones to stop working altogether before buying a new one. On a similar note, for 6% of you, the reason to switch your smartphone is that your old device gets broken or stolen.

Samsung should worry about the Galaxy S26 series

Those results are hardly surprising. Two of the most successful phones of 2025 didn’t break sales records because of AI. When announcing the iPhone 17 series, Apple barely mentioned Apple Intelligence, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 didn’t introduce any groundbreaking new feature. Instead, both Apple and Samsung introduced meaningful improvements to the battery, design, and specs of their new phones.That should make Samsung worried about the Galaxy S26, which is rumored to include only minor hardware upgrades. Instead of improving the battery or adding new camera sensors, the company is betting on the major new AI-powered features in One UI 8.5.

One of the few exceptions is the new Privacy Screen function on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is designed to protect you from anyone prying from the side. While the feature is active, you’ll see everything on the screen, while anyone watching from the side will see only black. If there are more of these types of features, Samsung’s new flagships could be a hit.

Big test for smartphone AI

We’re about to see how much AI matters for the success of a flagship smartphone. I think many people will skip the Galaxy S26 because of the minor upgrades. If that happens, I can only hope more companies take Apple’s iPhone 17 and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 as examples and focus on making better hardware.

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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.

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