Samsung commenced its year with the initial significant phone event of 2024. The primary focus of today’s Galaxy Unpacked event was the introduction of Samsung’s latest smartphones, the Galaxy S24 series. These devices come equipped with on-device generative AI, upgraded specifications, and enhanced cameras. Additionally, a surprising product unveiling occurred at the conclusion of the Unpacked event—the health-tracking Galaxy Ring, a novel Samsung device without an official launch date as of yet.
This narrative is a segment of Samsung Event, CNET’s compilation of news, suggestions, and guidance regarding Samsung’s most sought-after products.
As is customary for Samsung’s early-year events, the S24 flagship phones took the spotlight. Samsung’s S-series phones compete with Apple’s iPhones and are frequently the first to showcase new mobile technologies that subsequently appear in other premium Android devices released later in the year.
Galaxy S24 Introduces AI, Enhanced Screens, and More
In 2024, the innovative technology integrated into the Galaxy S24 series is generative AI. This technology gained prominence globally with the advent of ChatGPT in late 2022, prompting tech companies to swiftly incorporate it into their products and services. Qualcomm recently announced that its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip would feature on-device generative AI capabilities, with the Galaxy S24 series being among the initial phones to launch with this technology.
The S24 series utilizes a blend of on-device and cloud-based generative AI, known as Galaxy AI, to execute various new functionalities. Some features, such as live translation, suggesting diverse tones for text messages, and expanding photos beyond their original backgrounds, are familiar. However, there are also novel features like transforming a regular-speed video into a slow-motion one by generating intermediate frames.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is available in four colors.
The S24 series introduces several conventional upgrades compared to its predecessors, particularly in its top-tier model. The Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a more premium experience by replacing its aluminum frame with a titanium body and upgrading from a 10-megapixel, 10x optical zoom camera to a 50-megapixel 5x optical camera for capturing sharper distance shots. Moreover, it exclusively offers a 12GB RAM configuration, eliminating the 8GB option. These enhancements come at a base price of \(1,300 (£1,249, AU\)2,199), marking a $100 increase from last year’s S23 Ultra.
While the standard S24 and S24 Plus models have not undergone significant upgrades, their screens are slightly larger than their predecessors (6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively). The S24 Plus now features a Quad HD Plus resolution display (similar to the S24 Ultra) for a crisper image compared to the HD Plus screen on the previous model. The battery capacities have also been slightly enhanced, with the S24 sporting a 4,000 mAh battery (up by 100 mAh) and the S24 Plus featuring a 4,900 mAh capacity (up by 200 mAh).
Samsung has expanded its sustainability initiatives by incorporating more recycled materials like cobalt in batteries and rare earth elements in speakers. Additionally, the Galaxy S24 phones will receive seven years of Android and security updates, enabling users to retain their devices until 2031.
Pricing Details
The Samsung Galaxy S24 starts at \(800 (£799, AU\)1,399), while the S24 Plus begins at \(1,000 (£999, AU\)1,699), maintaining the same prices as the previous year’s models. The S24 Ultra’s starting price is \(1,300, up from last year’s S23 Ultra priced at \)1,200—a $100 increment likely attributed to the material upgrade for enhanced durability.
Consequently, Samsung has reduced the prices of its older models, with the previous year’s Galaxy S23 now priced at \(700 and the Galaxy S23 FE discounted to \)600.
Unveiling the Galaxy Ring
To conclude the event, Samsung introduced several new features coming to Samsung Health to enhance sleep tracking and other health monitoring capabilities. However, the highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Galaxy Ring, a device presumably equipped with various sensors to monitor users’ health throughout the day.
Details regarding the gadget, including pricing and release date, were not extensively shared by Samsung. Thus, there is limited information available to compare the Galaxy Ring with competitors like the Oura Ring. Nonetheless, more insights into the Galaxy Ring are anticipated in the near future.
Recap of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked Event
Samsung revealed its next-generation Galaxy S24 phones on January 17. The media invitation hinted at Samsung’s “most intelligent mobile experience yet,” alluding to the forthcoming AI-powered features. The live event took place in San Jose, California, and was streamed on Samsung’s YouTube channel.
CNET provided on-site coverage of the event, along with our own viewing party for reactions and analysis of the announcements and any surprises.
