The race for smartphone supremacy is said to focus less on cameras, specs and design, and more on the use of AI as a means of maximizing a device's capabilities.
Google's Pixel series has been a leader in this space for several years thanks to its proprietary Tensor processors, and now Samsung is taking it even further by offering its own Galaxy AI feature set. Masu.
This brings Galaxy and Pixel devices closer than ever in terms of AI capabilities. Both phones offer a suite of generative photo editing features, live translation for both voice and text, and AI-powered summarization of web pages and notes. Other forms of text, just to name a few.
But considering the Galaxy S24 Ultra outperforms the Pixel 8 Pro in other areas, like battery life and performance, it feels like Samsung's new Galaxy S24 lineup has an edge over Google's Pixel series at that game. Masu.
Galaxy AI — Powered by Google
Learn that the AI capabilities of the Galaxy S24 series are actually powered by Google, with the search giant's Gemini AI model being used to bring advanced cloud-based computing power to Samsung's latest flagships. You probably won't be shocked either.
So while the AI capabilities of Samsung and Google's flagship phones are now on a level playing field, this one major caveat must be considered. Samsung's Galaxy AI features will only be free until the end of 2025, and will likely become subscription-based after that. .
Having used Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra over the past week and a half, it's clear that this new flagship is not only the best Samsung smartphone you can buy right now, but one of the best smartphones of 2024. I did.
The only question here is, would you feel the same if you had to pay to keep the Galaxy AI experience? Google clearly has no intention of charging itself to provide AI features on future Pixel smartphones. This means Galaxy users will need to carefully consider whether they are willing to pay extra in the long run.
Generative AI is fun but imperfect
I've spent a good portion of my time with the Galaxy S24 Ultra just playing around with the Generative AI photo editing features, and that's where the real fun comes from.
With just a few taps, you can make your coworker smaller or make them stand on the ceiling. At the same time, you can also use Generative AI to fill in the original part of the photo. I don't think this is something I can do. You'll never get bored.
I must also say that the tools provided are easier to use than on the Pixel 8 Pro. First, you don't need to back up your photos to the cloud to apply magical edits; all changes can be made directly in the Gallery app. Additionally, the UI is relatively friendly and intuitive, with text prompts to guide you through the generative editing process.
Of course, the results are not always convincing. In some environments, moving a person within the frame can leave an unnatural glow around the edges of the person, and we also found that the person's shadow does not follow. Additionally, filled sections created by Generative AI may appear distorted or dirty.
That said, under the right circumstances, generative AI can be incredibly effective. Don't like having to crop closer even after straightening an image? Galaxy S24's AI “sculpts a new landscape” around your subject, keeping your distance from the subject constant can do. If you do it right, it can feel like magic.
Circle to Search is a game changer
Of all the new Galaxy AI features offered by Samsung's new Galaxy S24 series, one called Circle to Search may be the most useful on a day-to-day basis.
The mechanism is simple. While looking at the image, press and hold the S24's home button for a few seconds to launch Circle to Search. Circle or tap an item in the image to see (surprisingly accurate) Google search results for that item.
For example, if you use Circle to search for photos of people wearing cool T-shirts or sunglasses, you'll get instant results for where you can buy them.
When I searched for a photo of my colleague using Circle to Search, I found his entire outfit (or something very similar) in less than a second. This is amazing. I then tried circling the backpack in the same photo and the initial results were not the same, but they were pretty similar.
I then used Circle to Search to search for photos of office chairs, and this time, it was indeed the exact same model. Personally, I believe this is a technology that has the potential to revolutionize online shopping.
Is Galaxy AI worth upgrading?
While we've only scratched the surface of what Galaxy AI can do (we haven't even touched on live voice and text translation and text summarization features yet), it's clear that Samsung sees AI as the next frontier in smartphone innovation. It is clear that
Sure, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is once again an absolute beast of a phone, offering best-in-class performance, cameras, and battery life, but that's what we've come to expect from Samsung every year. The real question is whether the S24 series' new Galaxy AI features are a big enough advance over last year's models, which are very similar in most other ways.
To be honest, there is no clear answer to this. In many ways, this shift towards AI-driven capabilities is a logical next step for Samsung. If you've been following the Korean manufacturer's devices over the past few years, you've likely noticed further advances in its cameras and hardware. There are fewer peaks and only incremental improvements with each new generation.
For this reason, we're happy to accompany Samsung on its next journey, as long as future advances aren't locked behind a paywall.
