Club Benefits
Now in its third generation, Samsung continues to expand Galaxy AI across its latest flagship devices with more AI-assisted tools than ever before. Strangely, though, a dedicated call screening feature has been elusive until now — but the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra finally gain it as part of Call Assist.
This is a significant addition because it allows Samsung to better compete against the Call Screening feature on the iPhone 17, which debuted with the release of iOS 26 last fall. I previously put Apple’s version to the test against the Android 16 version found on the Pixel 10, so now it’s time to see how it holds up against Samsung’s latest effort.
Not only am I grading them on how helpful they are when answering calls on my behalf, but I’ll also tell you how smart they are at understanding the specific messages being relayed to me. Here’s what I found.
Article continues belowGalaxy S26 vs. iPhone 17 Call Screen: What you need to know
Using a separate device with a phone number unknown to both the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17, I left the exact same message on each phone to test their respective Call Screen features. I even asked Gemini to generate mock scripts for the test: one regarding a package delivery, another pertaining to a doctor’s appointment, and finally, a dreaded solicitation call about a service.
A key factor I’m evaluating is how effectively each AI understands the messages being screened. Finally, I’ll highlight some of their specific limitations as well.
Call Screen test 1: Package delivery
For this first test, I left a common message about an upcoming package delivery. Right away, I was drawn to the energetic and natural conversational tone of the iPhone 17’s Call Screen feature. It sounds much more like a real person, whereas the Galaxy S26’s assistant still has a distinctively robotic quality.
Both phones provided real-time transcriptions of the message as it was being left. While neither was 100% accurate, they're both clear enough for me to understand the caller's intent.
However, I was a bit disappointed that both devices only offered generic quick responses. Ultimately, I’m giving the win to the iPhone 17 primarily for its superior transcription and more natural-sounding voice.
Winner: iPhone 17
Call Screen test 2: Doctor’s appointment confirmation
Next, I played the role of an office assistant to confirm an upcoming doctor's appointment. Little changed in how each Call Screen feature behaved: the Galaxy S26 again used a very monotone greeting and response. While I appreciate the quick-response options that appear in the phone app, none of them were particularly helpful here. Instead, I had to manually type my own response.
The iPhone 17 didn't differ much in its reaction to this type of call. Much like the Galaxy S26, I could select from pre-made responses, but none of them were truly contextual. In this scenario, it would be ideal if either feature offered specific options to confirm or reschedule — but neither did.
Ultimately, I’m giving this round to the iPhone 17 because of how it intelligently identified the caller as "Dr. Joe" based on the screening. While it isn't an overwhelming advantage, it’s enough to give Apple the win.
Winner: iPhone 17
Call Screen test 3: Solicitation for a service
Finally, there’s the dreaded solicitation call — the kind I rarely have to deal with nowadays because of how effectively modern phones automatically block spam. However, since I used the same number to call both the Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17, neither device flagged it as a solicitation or spam.
I wish both phones had ended the call immediately upon recognizing the message, but since neither did, I’m calling it a fail in my book. You can see in the transcripts above that it clearly sounds like a solicitation, yet I was given the same generic responses as before. Because these options weren't helpful, I was forced to manually type a response to get more information.
Winner: Tie
Galaxy S26 vs. iPhone 17 Call Screen: Bottom line
Ultimately, I hope these Call Screen features continue to evolve, as they currently feel like little more than an enhanced version of voicemail. While it’s helpful to see what a caller is saying in real time, the generic responses are rarely useful — though I suppose they might frustrate a spammer enough to make them hang up.
This is why I still believe that the Pixel 10’s Call Screen feature remains the benchmark. Not only does its AI assistant sound more conversational, but its ability to provide truly contextual responses demonstrates how AI can bring a meaningful interaction to the user experience.
Even though the iPhone 17 won this specific face-off, I’m hoping future updates to Apple Intelligence will make the feature more helpful.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
