Samsung is set to unveil its next flagship Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, next month. The highly anticipated device features major upgrades to the camera system and satellite connectivity for emergency situations.
Key Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera Upgrades
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s marquee feature will be its all-new 200MP main camera and 6x optical telephoto lens with continuous 5-10x zoom, according to the latest leaks. This represents a big jump up from the current S23 Ultra’s 108MP main sensor and 10x optical “space zoom” lens.
“We’ve engineered our new camera system from the ground up, combining Samsung’s latest image sensor technologies with advanced lenses and AI enhancements,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience at Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy S24 Ultra will redefine what a smartphone camera can do.”
The 200MP main sensor uses pixel-binning to create sharp 50MP photos with enhanced low-light capabilities. Meanwhile, the periscope telephoto lens now goes up to 6x optical zoom, enabling improved quality at higher zoom levels. This will allow continuous 5-10x lossless zoom when recording 8K video.
Samsung is also retaining the 12MP ultrawide camera from the S23 line and upgrading the 10MP 3x telephoto to 12MP with slightly longer reach.
Satellite Connectivity for Emergency SOS
In a move that brings it closer to parity with Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup, Samsung will be introducing satellite connectivity for emergency SOS on the S24 family.
The new feature will allow users to connect to low earth orbit satellite networks when no cellular signal is available. Once connected, emergency texts can be sent to predefined contacts and emergency services containing the user’s location coordinates.
“Satellite connectivity has been high on our priority list,” said a Samsung spokesperson. “We are pleased to offer this potentially life-saving capability on our flagship Galaxy smartphones, especially in remote regions where cellular infrastructure remains limited.”
According to sources at mobile carriers, Samsung has partnered with satellite operator Iridium for backend services. Activation of the emergency SOS platform will be free for 2 years on S24 devices. It remains unclear if the service will be subscription-based after that introductory period.
Unchanged Pricing from S23 Lineup
In welcome news for consumers, Samsung will not be increasing prices on the Galaxy S24 family versus the S23 series according to multiple reports.
Pricing is expected to be:
| Model | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S24 | 128GB | $799 |
| Galaxy S24 | 256GB | $849 |
| Galaxy S24+ | 128GB | $999 |
| Galaxy S24+ | 512GB | $1149 |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | 256GB | $1199 |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | 512GB | $1299 |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | 1TB | $1599 |
This pricing holds despite significant hardware upgrades and new satellite connectivity capabilities. Samsung appears to be absorbing increased costs in order to remain competitive with rival Apple.
Enhanced Durability with Titanium Frame
While keeping the same screen sizes as the S23 lineup, Samsung has notably improved durability on the S24 models by utilizing an armor titanium metal frame.
“We are also excited to introduce our proprietary armor titanium material for enhanced ruggedness,” explained Samsung’s Roh. “Paired reinforced Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the display, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can better withstand real world drops and abuse.”
Passed internal testing indicates the S24 Ultra has 56% greater drop resistance compared to its S23 predecessor. This should give buyers additional peace-of-mind when making their $1200+ investment.
February Unpacked Event and Release Date
Samsung is widely expected to unveil the Galaxy S24 lineup, including the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra models, at its next Unpacked press event. The virtual launch will be live streamed on February 1st at 10 am Eastern Time.
Pre-orders for the S24 family should commence shortly after Unpacked with retail availability around February 17th. This would be consistent with previous Galaxy S series launch timeframes. Some markets may see a later roll-out by a couple weeks into March.
So in summary, Samsung’s flagship S24 Ultra is right around the corner with big upgrades planned. Consumers can expect a significantly enhanced camera system and satellite connectivity for emergency scenarios. Pricing thankfully remains consistent with last year’s models, and ruggedness sees improvements from a titanium frame. Stay tuned for full details at the Unpacked event on February 1st. Pre-order fast if you hope to be one of the first owners of Samsung’s most cutting-edge Galaxy S ever released!
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
