“We are at the dawn of a new era.” At Samsung, the announcement this January 17 of the new Galaxy S24, S24 + and S24 Ultra is above all that of a paradigm shift. For the first time, the manufacturer only briefly mentions the technical characteristics of its new smartphones with 6.2, 6.7 and 6.8 inch screens and sold from 899 euros*. The manufacturer’s new trick for doing buzz : AI. AI, artificial intelligence, which we heard about at the recent CES show in Las Vegas, will therefore be widely used in all its forms from the start of 2024. And the Galaxy S24s may indeed mark a decisive turning point in the history of the smartphone, as we have already seen 20 minutes.
Towards Galaxy AI and beyond…
Or the S24, S24 + and S24 Ultra. Still as beautiful, even more durable, ever more repairable (repairability index of 8.5/10, up 0.3 points) and packed with sensors*, these new Android models adopt “Galaxy AI”. Quesaco? It is a software platform developed by Samsung, Microsoft and Google through which “everything becomes simpler”… thanks to AI. Like to communicate.
Real-time voice and written translation
Samsung first highlights the real-time translation possibilities of its smartphones. It is therefore possible during a telephone call to a foreign correspondent to translate your words into the desired language. A simple button press is enough. While your interlocutor is notified that you are using a translator, a synthesized voice takes over to translate your words and those of your correspondent in return. And thanks to Galaxy AI, simultaneous translation also works by message, but also face-to-face with thirteen supported languages, including French. Enough to keep a conversation flowing and natural? We will check this in a future test. The performers may not like…
Write (not) like a foot
With its Galaxy S24, the South Korean manufacturer also praises the contributions of AI for reformulating a message. This function allows you to put the forms, depending on whether you are writing to a professional relation, to a friend or to a date, For example. Here again, a simple press of a key allows you to rewrite your initial message by adapting the tone, or even automatically adding text. hashtags and emojis. And obviously, without a language barrier, since simultaneous translation is also possible here.
Surround, seek, find
AI always gets stronger, to keep informed! The Galaxy S24 introduces a feature called “Surround to Search”. As its name suggests, it is possible to circle an object on an image with your fingertip (or with the stylus on the S24 Ultra) so that the AI can operate and identify them. This improved version of Google Lens works quite well, as we found. It even allows you to identify places. The only limitation: it is incompatible with applications that do not allow screenshot. It remains to be seen what “Surround to search” will give, too, with people…
What future for our secretaries?
To go even further, the AI offers article summaries. No time to swallow the full test of Xiaomi’s latest AirFryer on 20 minutes ? No matter, highlight it on the screen of your S24, press a dedicated button at the bottom of the screen and here it is summarized point by point on a simple page. Bluffing! And all the more interesting as you can use this function on an article in a foreign language: it will be instantly translated and summarized.
With the Galaxy S24, AI will now make its mark in meetings. Place the smartphone on the table, launch the Dictaphone and its transcription tool. At the end of the meeting, press Stop, wait a few seconds and here is the entire meeting transcribed. Better: by recognizing up to 10 speakers, the AI offers you a summary in 13 languages, attributing their words to each person! Worrying for the job of secretary…
Live photo editing
More entertaining, AI is finally housed in the photo functions of the Galaxy S24. With each shot, artificial intelligence will suggest possible improvements to enhance the image. Although it does not say its name, the famous “Magic Eraser” that we know on Google Pixels is used here to erase an annoying object or person from a photo. But the AI will also suggest that you remove unwanted shadows, reflections, or even recreate backgrounds from scratch with great relevance.
So, is AI on our smartphones “ The Next Big Thing » ? Without a doubt. And everything suggests that we will not escape it. If the presence of AI on board our terminals is already effective in many areas, but in a fragmented manner (such as in photos, for transcription of conversations, etc.), the Galaxy S24 takes it to the next level.
As king of marketing, Samsung also knows how to perfectly sell its technical superiority over its competitors by making AI its new signature. Especially since the response from Apple and its future potentially AI-compatible iPhone 16s will have to wait… until next September. Until then, an update, probably in June, will also allow the Galaxy S23 to benefit from these new features.
* Galaxy S24: 899 euros (128 GB); 969 euros (256 GB). Galaxy S24 +: 1,169 euros (256 GB); 1,289 euros (512 GB). Galaxy S24 Ultra: 1,469 euros (256 GB); 1,589 euros (512 GB); 1,829 euros (1 TB).
From January 17 to 30, 2024, doubling of storage and trade-in of an old phone for up to 100 euros more.
** Galaxy S24 and S24 +: 12 megapixels ultra wide-angle (13mm equivalent; f/2.2) + 50 megapixels wide-angle (23mm; f/1.8) +10 megapixels with 3x optical zoom (69mm; f/ 2.4).
Galaxy S24 Ultra: 200 megapixels wide-angle (23mm; f/1.7) + 12 megapixels ultra-wide-angle (13mm; f/1.2) + 50 megapixels with 5x optical zoom (115mm; f/3.4) + 10 megapixels with 3x optical zoom (69mm; f/2.4).