Samsung Electronics took the fight straight to Apple, unveiling its latest premium Galaxy S24 lineup packed with advanced AI features. This strategic move comes after Apple dethroned Samsung in 2023 smartphone shipments, marking the first time since 2010.
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The Galaxy S24 aims to win back customers with various AI functions, including a game-changer: real-time, two-way voice translation for phone calls between different languages. This first-ever smartphone feature eliminates language barriers and opens up seamless global communication.
Powered by Samsung’s on-device generative AI training, the translation feature supports 13 languages and works independently of the cloud, prioritizing user privacy and security. Additional AI-powered features include:
- “Circle-to-search”: Simply circle any part of an image on your screen to instantly search it in Google.
- AI translation and tone adjustments: Translate text messages and change their tone to casual, formal, business, or social media style.
- AI summaries and voice recording translation: Easily grasp key points and translate recorded conversations on the go.
- “Generative editing”: Fill in missing backgrounds for your photos or turn real-time videos into slow-motion by artificially interpolating frames.
This focus on on-device AI reflects a growing trend in the smartphone industry. Experts predict that while only 5% of smartphones shipped in 2024 will be AI-capable, this figure will balloon to 45% by 2027.
“Generative AI on devices has the potential to significantly impact the smartphone market, especially in terms of user experience,” says Jene Park, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint. However, Park warns that “it might not immediately affect smartphone purchases” as AI features need time to mature and offer clear value to consumers.
The Galaxy S24 series will launch on January 31st, with the base model starting at $799. The S24 Plus and S24 Ultra will begin at $999 and $1,299, respectively, marking a $100 price increase for the Ultra compared to its predecessor.
With its AI arsenal, Samsung is making a bold play to reclaim the top spot in the smartphone market. Whether these innovative features translate into immediate sales success remains to be seen, but they undoubtedly signify a new era where AI will fundamentally transform the way we interact with our smartphones.
