Samsung has announced its plan to incorporate generative AI into its upcoming smartphones, leading to speculation that the Samsung Galaxy S24 could be the brand’s first ‘AI phone’, as indicated by their recent trademark filings.
According to reports from Galaxy Club (via SamMobile), Samsung has filed trademarks in the EU and UK for the phrases ‘AI Phone’ and ‘AI Smartphone’. With the expected launch of the Galaxy S24 series on January 17, it’s highly probable that these trademarks are for their upcoming flagship phones.
While the approval of these trademarks is uncertain, it’s evident that Samsung is focusing on AI as a key feature of the S24 series, potentially influencing smartphone trends in 2024.
What exactly does this AI branding entail? Despite Samsung’s history of AI-powered features in its phones, such as the Galaxy Enhance-X image editing app and computational photography capabilities like the S23 Ultra’s moon photos, the difference this time lies in AI likely playing a more central role in Samsung’s flagship phones rather than existing as an add-on. Samsung has disclosed its efforts to deeply integrate generative AI into its phones, including the development of Samsung Gauss, an on-device LLM (large language model) designed to power various offline virtual assistance and imaging features. Additionally, trademarks for Magic Pixel, Flex Magic, and Flex Magic Pixel hint at potential new generative AI imaging functions.
While leaked information suggests minor design changes for the Galaxy S24, substantial AI-powered advancements are expected alongside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
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With global smartphone shipments consistently declining, major brands are seeking innovative features to drive consumer interest in upgrades. Samsung’s trademark applications suggest that on-device AI could be the defining feature of the S24 series, potentially offered as a subscription add-on, as hinted by the leaker Revegnus.
The pivotal question remains the practicality of these AI-powered features. While Qualcomm has showcased the AI capabilities of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, including generative AI functions for image manipulation, the real test for Samsung will be creating compelling features around these capabilities that offer substantial utility rather than mere novelty.
For instance, Qualcomm demonstrated how machine learning on its latest chip can assess air quality, a clever but not groundbreaking application. The unveiling of Samsung’s highlighted AI features during its anticipated January 17 launch event will likely set the tone for smartphone releases in 2024.
Other players in the smartphone industry are also innovating with AI. Honor has announced the use of an on-device LLM for AI features in the Magic 6, while early iOS 18 rumors suggest AI-powered Siri features from Apple, expected to be revealed at WWDC 2024 in June, signaling the start of the AI evolution in smartphones.