Samsung has just published the results of a survey on how Europeans choose which smartphone to buy. It covered 5,001 consumers aged 18 and over in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. According to the findings, people choose a phone based on what they do today, but also on what they want to do in the future.
66% of respondents chose their current phone with at least one interest they wanted to pursue in mind. These range from entertainment and side hustles to gaming, travel and content creation. Nearly half (46%) consider their ambitions when making technology choices, and that includes 24% who say their choices are largely shaped by the life they aspire to live. Additionally, 28% chose their current smartphone to better reflect their personal style.
When it comes to everyday frustrations, battery life is the big one. 36% of respondents say charging their phone too often is one of their biggest annoyances. 18% are frustrated by constantly switching between apps to get something done, 14% say they don’t always have enough screen space, and 13% had to move to a larger screen device to finish something they started on their phone. Interestingly, 27% apparently stopped or avoided online or mobile banking in public because someone nearby could see their screen.
Unsurprisingly, the results are pretty neat with Samsung’s current lineup. The company points to the privacy display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Flip8 for style, the large screen and multi window on the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra for productivity, and the Galaxy Z Fold8 for entertainment on the go. Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe’s CMO, therefore says that the company now offers three types of folding bars in addition to its bar-type phones.
In terms of what people want from their next phone, speed and performance lead the way at 22%. Almost as many (20%) want to do more without moving to a larger screen device, while 15% want a thinner, more portable design. 23% say the right feature for something they do regularly might make them consider a different type of smartphone, and 18% say the same about more privacy when using their phone around other people.
Younger adults are most open to different form factors. Among 25-34-year-olds, 21% would consider a regular phone that folds out into a small tablet, and 23% say a lighter or thinner phone that better fits their lifestyle might make them reconsider their usual choice.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
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