The Galaxy S23 represented practical improvements like longer battery life, more base storage in the more expensive models, and a sharper camera sensor for the Ultra. But the Galaxy S24 could be more than just a hardware refresh if Samsung’s Galaxy AI features end up being worth it.
That said, flashy new AI capabilities alone aren’t enough to make a smartphone worth recommending. Basics like battery life, screen quality, and camera performance matter even more when it comes to overall usability. But as generative AI becomes more of a part of the apps and services we use every day, that could change.
Learn more: Best Android phone of 2023
Here’s a look at what I hope to see from the Galaxy S24, which is expected to launch at Samsung’s upcoming Unpacked event on January 17.
Useful AI Features
Samsung’s Bixby Text Call feature, which combines the experience of texting and talking on the phone, is one of the ways Samsung is using AI in its phones today.
Samsung may not have been as vocal about its AI ambitions in 2023 as companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft. But it’s clearly about thinking about how technology can potentially improve the way we use our phones. One example is Bixby Text Call, which combines the experience of a text message and a phone call for times when it may not be ideal to answer the phone verbally.
But based on Samsung’s recent announcements, it appears that AI will be front and center in the Galaxy S24 series, similar to Google’s approach with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Samsung recently announced Gauss, a new generative AI model that covers language, images and code, and Galaxy AI, an “experience” likely coming to the S24. Details on Gauss and Galaxy AI are scarce. So far, Samsung has said Gauss will be able to handle tasks like drafting emails and summarizing documents, while Galaxy AI can translate phone calls.
There is also an opportunity for AI to expand the functionality of the S Pen on the next Ultra model. For example, I could imagine AI being used to improve handwriting recognition or to enable new features for merging hand-drawn sketches with AI-generated artwork. But this is just my own speculation; we’ll have to wait to see what Samsung has in store for us.
One of my biggest criticisms of Samsung’s smartphone software is that it lacks the handy extra features you get with Pixel phones, like Google Recorder for transcribing recordings in real time and the suite of phone support features and photo editing tools from Google. Generative AI could be just what Samsung needs to catch up. The trick, however, is that these features will have to walk a fine line between being useful without going overboard. As my colleague Sareena Dayaram has written in the past, some of the Pixel 8’s new image-editing features raise big questions about the authenticity of the images we encounter online.
Faster loading
The Galaxy S23 Ultra supports 45-watt charging, like its predecessor.
The Galaxy S23 range offers the same charging speeds as the phones’ predecessors: you get 25 watts of charging on the standard S23 and 45 watts on the Plus and Ultra variants.
This lags behind some competing phones. The Lenovo ThinkPhone, for example, offers 68 watts of charging that can take it from empty to 92% in 30 minutes. The Motorola Edge Plus, which also has 68 watts of charging, replenished its battery from 3% to 80% in 30 minutes in CNET’s testing. Both beat the Galaxy S23 Plus’s 45-watt charge by just 11% to 72% in the same time frame.
While faster charging isn’t a deal breaker, it’s a practical upgrade that would make the S24 attractive to those who only have a few minutes to power their devices.
More storage in the base Galaxy S24
Samsung’s base Galaxy S23 (pictured) has less internal storage than the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra.
Considering all the apps, photos, and videos we store on our devices, it’s easy to run out of space. Most phone manufacturers have long stopped including a microSD card slot that lets you add additional space as needed, meaning you now have to rely on your phone’s built-in storage and the cloud.
Samsung increased the amount of storage in the cheapest version of the Galaxy S23 Plus and Ultra from 128GB to 256GB, but the standard S23 still only includes 128GB of space. It would be great to see Samsung improve the base S24’s storage capacity to match the rest of the lineup in the future. This would also help the S24 compete more with Google’s Pixel 8 lineup and provide another differentiating factor that separates it from the $600 Galaxy S23 FE.
More years of Android updates
Samsung used to be the leader in Android version support for flagship phones, but Google recently overtook it. While Samsung guarantees four generations of Android version updates, Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will get seven years of software updates. This is a big deal because it means Pixel 8 owners will continue to get major platform-wide updates through 2030. Hopefully this will motivate Samsung to at least match Google, especially since Samsung’s high-end phones typically cost $1,000 or more.
Overall, the ideal smartphone upgrade includes a combination of practical improvements – like better battery life or faster charging – and new features that make it noticeably different from its predecessor. As for the Galaxy S24, I’d like to see this manifest in storage and charging upgrades as well as AI-driven creative tools that are useful rather than gimmicky.
Editor’s note: CNET uses an AI engine to create some stories. To learn more, check out this article.
