Following the recent unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, Artificial Intelligence has taken center stage in smartphone discussions. Samsung has gone so far as to label them “AI phones” rather than smartphones. While some features in the Galaxy AI suite are impressive, the list of devices eligible for these features is smaller than anticipated, with some notable omissions. Samsung assures that the feature set will eventually extend to older devices.
Samsung introduced the Galaxy S24 trio at its Unpacked 2024 event this month. A significant portion of the keynote focused on the new smart software features now known as Galaxy AI. These features include Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist, Photo Assist, and more. With the commitment to seven years of software updates, the expectation is that the feature list will expand over time.
During the launch, it was confirmed that certain older devices, including the S23 series, S23 FE, Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5, and the Tab S9, will receive Galaxy AI functionality through software updates in the first half of this year. However, it appears that the S22 series will not be included in this update. Samsung’s Head of Customer Experience, Patrick Chomet, explained in a conversation with TechRadar that devices from 2022, including the S22 series, won’t receive Galaxy AI features. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the quality and performance of the deployment before expanding to newer devices.
This decision may be disappointing for users of the relatively recent Samsung Galaxy S22, which is not even two years old and shares the same Exynos 2200 chipset as the S23 FE. While the spokesperson used phrases like “for now” in justifying the decision, there’s uncertainty about future updates for the excluded models. For the eligible devices, the One UI 6.1 update is expected to bring Galaxy AI capabilities.
It’s important to note that the AI features of the Samsung Galaxy S24 will be free only until the end of 2025. After that period, a subscription will be required, although specific pricing details have not been disclosed. It’s worth mentioning that third-party features like Google’s Circle to Search may remain free for an extended period. Similar to Samsung, Google is adopting a subscription model for certain features, such as the Magic Editor in the Pixel 8 series.
This could be a glimpse into how smartphone companies aim to establish additional revenue streams by placing specific features and capabilities behind a paywall. While Samsung and Google are pioneers in this approach, other companies like OnePlus are adopting a slightly different strategy for their flagship devices.
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- Galaxy AI is coming to even fewer Samsung phones than we thought – Android Police