Samsung kicked off its yr with the primary huge telephone occasion of 2024. The debut of Samsung’s latest smartphones — the Galaxy S24 sequence, which convey on-device generative AI together with upgrades to specs and cameras — was the primary focus of at this time’s Galaxy Unpacked occasion. However Samsung had an surprising product reveal on the finish of Unpacked — the health-tracking Galaxy Ring, a brand new Samsung machine with no official launch date but.
As is common for Samsung’s earliest occasion of the yr, its S24 flagship telephones took middle stage. The corporate’s S-series telephones rival Apple’s iPhones and are sometimes the primary to debut new cellular know-how featured in different premium Android handsets that come out later within the yr.
Watch this: Samsung Reveals Its New S24 Collection Telephones and Their AI Chops
Galaxy S24 brings AI, brighter screens and extra
In 2024, that new know-how is generative AI, which made a splash on the worldwide stage when ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 and tech corporations have rushed to combine in their very own services and products. Late final yr, Qualcomm revealed that its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip would include on-device generative AI capabilities, and the Galaxy S24 sequence are a few of the first telephones to launch with that silicon.
The S24 sequence makes use of a mixture of on-device and cloud-based generative AI, referred to as Galaxy AI, to drag off new methods. Some we have seen earlier than, like dwell translation, suggesting totally different tones for textual content messages and increasing images past their unique backgrounds. Others are new, like turning a regular-speed video right into a slow-motion one by producing frames in between what’s been recorded.
The Galaxy S24 Extremely is available in 4 colours.
The S24 sequence additionally has extra typical upgrades on its predecessors, particularly its top-tier mannequin. The Galaxy S24 Extremely is extra premium, buying and selling its aluminum body for a titanium physique and swapping a 10-megapixel, 10x optical zoom digital camera for a 50-megapixel 5x optical digital camera to shoot sharper distance images. It additionally solely comes with 12GB of RAM (no 8GB possibility). For these enhancements, the bottom value is $1,300 (£1,249, AU$2,199), up by $100 from final yr’s S23 Extremely.
Learn extra: Greatest Galaxy 24 Preorder Offers
The usual S24 and S24 Plus have not acquired many upgrades, although the screens are 0.1 inches bigger than final yr’s (6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively). The S24 Plus now has a Quad HD Plus decision show (the identical because the S24 Extremely) for a sharper image than the HD Plus display on its predecessor. Batteries are barely larger, with the S24 having a 4,000 mAh battery (up 100 mAh) and the S24 Plus a 4,900 mAh capability (up 200 mAh).
Samsung has expanded its sustainability efforts, including extra recycled supplies like cobalt in batteries and uncommon earth parts in audio system. Furthermore, the Galaxy S24 telephones could have seven years of Android and safety updates, enabling homeowners to carry on to their telephones into 2031.
Pricing
The Samsung Galaxy S24 begins at $800 (£799, AU$1,399), whereas the S24 Plus begins at $1,000 (£999, AU$1,699), that are the identical costs as final yr’s telephones. The S24 Extremely begins at $1,300, which is up from final yr’s S23 Extremely at $1,200 — a $100 value bump possible ensuing from the swap in supplies for extra sturdiness.
And in flip, Samsung has dropped the costs for its older telephones, with final yr’s Galaxy S23 now $700 and the Galaxy S23 FE right down to $600.
Samsung exhibits off the Galaxy Ring at its Unpacked 2024 occasion.
And another factor…
And to finish the occasion, Samsung revealed just a few new options coming to Samsung Well being to enhance sleep monitoring and different well being measuring — however the huge tease on the finish was a reveal of the Galaxy Ring, which presumably shall be full of sensors to watch your well being by the day.
Samsung did not share a lot in regards to the gadget, together with value or launch date, so we do not know a lot about the way it compares to rivals just like the Oura Ring, however we anticipate to listen to extra in regards to the Galaxy Ring earlier than lengthy.
Watch this: Samsung Unveils Galaxy Ring Designed for Well being Monitoring
What occurred at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked occasion?
Watch this: All the pieces Introduced at Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Unpacked Occasion
Samsung unveiled its next-gen Galaxy S24 telephones on Jan. 17. The media invitation mentioned to anticipate Samsung’s “most clever cellular expertise but” in a nod to the forthcoming AI-powered options. The in-person occasion occurred in San Jose, California, and streamed on Samsung’s YouTube channel.
CNET had on-the-ground protection of the occasion in addition to our personal watch social gathering for reactions and evaluation of the reveals and any surprises.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Are available in Yellow, Violet, Grey and Black