Samsung held its annual Galaxy Unpacked event on January 17th to unveil its latest flagship phone lineup, the Galaxy S24 series. Headlined by the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the new phones introduce several industry-leading innovations, especially in AI and computational photography.
Overview of Announced Devices
The Galaxy S24 lineup includes three models catering to different price tiers:
- Galaxy S24 – The baseline S24 model with a 6.5″ FHD+ 120Hz display, new Exynos AI processor, triple camera system, and large 5000mAh battery. Starts at $799.
- Galaxy S24+ – A slightly larger S24 model with a 6.7″ QHD+ 120Hz display but same internals. Starts at $999.
- Galaxy S24 Ultra – The premium flagship with cutting-edge upgrades like a huge 6.9″ QHD+ 120Hz display, 200MP main camera with adaptive pixel binning, Exynos AI processor, S Pen support, and much more. Starts at $1199.
Price and Availability: Preorders start January 17 in select markets like the US and Europe. Global availability from February 3rd. Trade-in discounts up to $600/€500 for older devices.
Revolutionary Camera Powered by AI and Custom Silicon
The marquee feature for the S24 series is undoubtedly the new camera system reinforced by AI and Samsung’s new Exynos processor.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s main camera uses a gargantuan 200MP sensor and can adaptively bin 16 pixels into 1 to boost light sensitivity in low light. This quad bayer technology and pixel remapping algorithms powered by the new Eureka AI silicon in Exynos result in greatly improved photo and video quality.
For example, the 50MP mode on the S24 Ultra captures photos with higher details and dynamic range than 108MP photos from last year’s S23 Ultra.
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This advanced imaging platform helps the Galaxy S24 series capture photos and videos comparable in quality to professional cameras – a first for any smartphone.
Latest Exynos Processor with Custom AI Silicon
To enable next-gen experiences across cameras, computing, and displays, Samsung has outfitted the Galaxy S24 series with its newest flagship mobile processor.
The Exynos 2405 combines one high-power ARM Cortex-X4 core clocked at over 3GHz with three performance cores and four efficiency cores based on a 4nm process technology. The resultant 30% uplift in CPU power and 50% better graphics rendering unlocks capabilities like:
- console-quality gaming with 60+ FPS visuals
- 8K HDR video recording and playback
- Desktop-like multitasking with support for multiple windows
Key innovation is the new Eureka AI silicon – Samsung’s first in-house neural processing unit tailored for on-device intelligence. With up to 4x the AI performance of prior Exynos chips, Eureka AI expands the horizons for computational photography, multi-modal AI, and intelligent apps.
Immersive Displays with 2K Dynamic Island-Style Notifications
While retaining the stunning visual quality of Samsung’s OLED panels, the Galaxy S24 series incorporates subtle but impactful display enhancements:
- Higher peak brightness up to 2000 nits for better HDR
- Intelligent refresh rate switching between 1-120Hz
- New privacy modes like gray-scale and a privacy shield for secure computing
Another clever addition is the dynamic island first introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro series. By using a laser hole-punch cutout for the front camera, software animates the pill shape into various notifications icons, battery indicators, media playback controls, and more. This frees up more space for full-screen content while keeping essential system info easily glanceable.
AI Phone Call Features Challenge Google’s Pixel Leadership
Building upon last year’s Google Pixel exclusive additions like audio message transcriptions and call subtitles, Samsung has upped the ante with even smarter phone call experiences headlined by:
- Video call subtitles that transcribe speech in real time – a first for Android
- Multi-language call translations with over 10 language pairs at launch
- Intelligent call background effects to mute background noise automatically
- Enhanced palm mute to pause media when covering phone with palm
Powered by robust speech recognition and translation models running locally on Eureka AI silicon, these call features finally bring Pixel-rivaling intelligence to Galaxy devices.
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With Google also committed to advancing AI capabilities in Android 14 and the Pixel 8 series later this year, users can expect even more enhancements in computational voice services across both platforms.
Outlook for Foldables and Wearables
While the S24 unveiling is garnering immediate attention, Samsung has more device launches slated for 2023 likely including:
- Galaxy Z Fold 5 – Next iteration of Samsung’s productivity-focused foldable phone
- Galaxy Watch 6 – Upgrade for last year’s Galaxy Watch lineup with expected battery life improvements
Rumors also hint at a possible Galaxy Glass unveiling – Samsung’s rumored AR/VR headset to challenge devices like Meta Quest Pro with advanced mixed reality capabilities.
Though overshadowed currently by smartphones, Samsung’s foldables and wearables segment is likely to see increased focus through 2023.
Conclusion: Paving the Way for an AI-First Connected World
The sheer breadth of AI innovation demonstrated in the Galaxy S24 series shows Samsung’s commitment towards an on-device intelligence vision that respects user privacy while expanding the capabilities possible on a smartphone.
With Google, Apple, and even Chinese brands like Xiaomi similarly prioritizing AI and ML to enhance photos, videos, and apps, consumers worldwide stand to benefit from smarter, more personalized devices and services in 2023 and beyond.
As 5G connectivity and ambient computing concepts like Matter mature in parallel, the building blocks are falling in place for the next era of mobile computing. Samsung has placed its stake firmly at the forefront of this AI-first connected world with the Galaxy S24 series showcasing technology leadership across hardware and software.
Exciting times lie ahead!
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.
