Michelle ThompsonSamsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S24 devices are poised to elevate messaging, photography, and gaming experiences through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). During its annual Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, the company showcased the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 smartphones, heralding a new era in smartphone usage. The focus on AI reflects smartphone manufacturers’ efforts to stand out in a highly competitive market and reinvigorate interest in an industry that has seen limited innovation in recent years.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, boasting a 6.8-inch display and priced at $1,299.99, will feature a titanium casing for the first time, available in various colors such as gray, black, violet, and yellow, with additional titanium colors like green, blue, and orange offered on Samsung.com. The 6.2-inch Galaxy S24 ($799.99) and the 6.7-inch Galaxy S24+ ($999) will be available in onyx black, marble gray, cobalt violet, and amber yellow. Pre-orders are set to begin on Wednesday.
Samsung’s strategy involves embedding generative AI directly into the device itself, reducing latency and enhancing user experiences without relying on cloud-based solutions. The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform also harnesses generative AI and its robust AI Engine to further enhance performance.
Jitesh Ubrani, an analyst at market research firm IDC, commented on the AI implementation, noting that while some AI features in the industry may seem gimmicky, Samsung and other vendors have little to lose and potentially more to gain by incorporating AI into their devices.
This announcement follows a recent report from IDC revealing that Apple surpassed Samsung in smartphone shipments during the last quarter for the first time in many years. The report highlighted a significant shift in the smartphone market, with Apple securing an all-time high market share and claiming the top position, marking a noteworthy change in the industry’s landscape.
A feature-rich experience driven by artificial intelligence.
Samsung is making its current features better with AI technology. Its live translate products can now translate conversations while standing next to someone, showing the translation on one side of the screen in real time. Samsung’s keyboard will immediately change messages into 13 different languages.
Samsung Notes is getting better. It will have pre-made formats to make writing notes easier. With generative AI in the car, Android Auto lets you ask for message summaries or suggest replies using your voice.
Users can personalize online searches by holding the home button and tapping the screen to find out more about things they see, like a landmark in the background of a social media page, or ask detailed questions.
More changes are happening to the camera system. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has four cameras that can zoom in 10 times with a new lens, working with a 50MP sensor. It also has better night photography features, and people can use the AI Edit Suggestion tool to make small changes to photos, like fixing crooked shots or moving a person or object a little to the side.
The company mentioned that if their devices use generative AI to alter a picture, a watermark will be visible on the image and in its metadata.
Distinguishing oneself or being unique.
Although AI capabilities in smartphones are not entirely new – Google’s latest Pixel 8 series, launched in October 2023, introduced numerous AI features – Samsung’s extensive reach in the market could raise greater awareness among consumers about the potential of AI. Notably, Google’s Pixel line remains a niche product, with a global smartphone market share of around 1%, according to ABI Research data.
In anticipation of the iPhone 16 release in September, rumors suggest that Apple may introduce new Siri features driven by AI as part of the iOS 18 release. Some on-device generative AI functions could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models, thanks to Apple’s custom-designed chips.
Despite this, IDC’s Ubrani noted that Apple’s relative silence on AI-related developments has led some in the industry to believe that Apple may be falling behind in this regard. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that none of Samsung’s new AI features are expected to be the primary selling point for their devices.
