Frequent charging is the leading day-to-day smartphone frustration identified in a Samsung survey of five European markets, cited by 36% of respondents. The research also points to a practical privacy concern: 27% said they had stopped or avoided banking in public because someone nearby might see their screen.
The survey, conducted by Censuswide among 5,001 adults in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK between September 25 and 30, also found that 66% chose their phone with at least one interest they wanted to pursue in mind. Gaming, travel, content creation and personal projects were among those interests, while 28% said it mattered that the device reflected their style.
Screen size and multitasking were recurring limitations in daily use:
- 18% were frustrated by repeatedly switching between apps to complete a task.
- 14% said they do not always have enough screen space.
- 13% had to continue something started on their phone on a larger device.
Privacy could affect future purchase decisions as well. Samsung said 18% of participants would consider a different type of phone for stronger protection from people viewing their display. The company is positioning its Privacy Display feature on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as an answer to that concern, while linking multi-app work to the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, entertainment to the Fold8 and personal style to the Flip8.
That is why we have developed not one, but three types of foldable smartphones, alongside devices in a classic format.
Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe marketing director
Samsung’s own positioning underscores the trade-offs involved. Privacy Display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra can reduce brightness and make the image appear dimmer when enabled, exchanging display quality for reduced visibility from nearby onlookers.
For their next upgrade, 22% of respondents prioritized speed and performance, 20% wanted to do more directly on a phone rather than move to a larger-screen device, and 15% were looking for a thinner, more portable design. The results give Samsung a survey-backed case for both conventional handsets and its expanding foldable lineup, though the research represents only the five European markets surveyed.
