The Galaxy S23 was all about practical upgrades like longer battery life, more base storage in the pricier models and a sharper camera sensor for the Ultra. But the Galaxy S24 may be more than just a hardware refresh if Samsung’s Galaxy AI features end up being worthwhile.
That said, flashy new AI capabilities alone aren’t enough to make a smartphone worth recommending. Basics like battery life, screen quality and camera performance still matter more when it comes to general usability. But as generative AI becomes a bigger part of the apps and services we use every day, that could change.
Read more: Best Android Phone of 2023
Here’s a look at what I’m hoping to see from the Galaxy S24, which is expected to launch at Samsung’s next Unpacked event on Jan. 17.
Useful AI features
Samsung’s Bixby Text Call feature, which blends the experience of texting and talking on the phone, is one way Samsung is putting AI to use in its phones today.
Samsung may not have been as vocal about its AI ambitions in 2023 as companies like Google, Meta and Microsoft. But it’s clearly been thinking about how the technology can potentially improve the way we use our phones. Bixby Text Call, which combines the experience of a text message and a phone call for times when it may not be ideal to answer the phone verbally, is an example of that.
But based on Samsung’s recent announcements, it sounds like AI will be front and center in the Galaxy S24 series, similar to Google’s approach with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Samsung recently announced Gauss, a new generative AI model that spans language, images and code, and Galaxy AI, an “experience” likely coming to the S24. Details on Gauss and Galaxy AI are scarce. So far, Samsung has said Gauss will be able to handle tasks like composing emails and summarizing documents, while Galaxy AI can translate phone calls.
There’s also an opportunity for AI to expand S Pen functionality on the next Ultra model. For instance, I could imagine AI being used to improve handwriting recognition or to enable new features that let you merge hand-drawn sketches with AI-generated art. But that’s just my own speculation; we’ll have to wait to see what Samsung has in store.
One of my biggest criticisms of Samsung’s smartphone software is that it lacks the additional handy features you get with Pixel phones, like Google Recorder for transcribing recordings in real time and Google’s suite of phone call assistance features and photo editing tools. Generative AI could be just what Samsung needs to catch up. The trick, however, is that these features will have to walk a fine line between being useful without going overboard. As my colleague Sareena Dayaram has written in the past, some of the Pixel 8’s new image editing features raise big questions about the authenticity of images we encounter online.
Faster charging
The Galaxy S23 Ultra supports 45-watt charging, like its predecessor.
The Galaxy S23 lineup offers the same charging speeds as the phones’ predecessors: You get 25-watt charging on the regular S23 and 45 watts on the Plus and Ultra variants.
This lags behind some competing phones. The Lenovo ThinkPhone, for example, offers 68-watt charging that can take it from empty to 92% in 30 minutes. The Motorola Edge Plus, which also has 68-watt charging, replenished its battery from 3% to 80% in 30 minutes during CNET’s testing. Both of those beat the Galaxy S23 Plus’ 45-watt charging, which only 11% to 72% in the same amount of time.
While faster charging isn’t a deal breaker, it’s a practical upgrade that would make the S24 appealing to those who find themselves with only a few minutes to power up their devices.
More storage in the base Galaxy S24
Samsung’s base Galaxy S23 (pictured) has less internal storage than the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra.
Given all the apps, photos and videos we store on our devices, it’s easy to run out of space. Most phone makers stopped including a microSD card slot that allows you to add extra space as you need it a long time ago, meaning you now have to rely on your phone’s built-in storage and the cloud.
Samsung increased the amount of storage in the cheapest version of the Galaxy S23 Plus and Ultra from 128GB up to 256GB, but the regular S23 still only includes 128GB of space. It would be great to see Samsung upgrade the base S24’s storage capacity to match the rest of the lineup moving forward. Doing so would also help the S24 further compete against Google’s Pixel 8 lineup and provide another differentiating factor that separates it from the $600 Galaxy S23 FE.
More years of Android updates
Samsung was the leader when it came to Android version support for flagship phones, but Google recently surpassed it. While Samsung guarantees four generations of Android version updates, Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will get seven years of software updates. That’s a big deal because it means Pixel 8 owners will continue to get major platform-wide updates until 2030. I’m hoping this motivates Samsung to at least match Google, especially since Samsung’s premium phones usually cost $1,000 or more.
Overall, the ideal smartphone upgrade includes a combination of practical improvements — like better battery life or faster charging — and new features that make it feel meaningfully different from its predecessor. When it comes to the Galaxy S24, I’d like to see that manifest in storage and charging upgrades along with creative AI-powered tools that are helpful rather than gimmicky.
Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.
