Key Takeaways:
Samsung is expanding its generative AI model, Galaxy AI, beyond the high-end smartphone segment. Reports suggest the virtual assistant will be coming to the company’s mid-range Galaxy series models this year.
Galaxy AI Is Coming To Samsung’s A35 And A55 Smartphones With One UI 6.1.1
According to Samsung-related tech news outlet SamMobile, the Galaxy AI is set to be available on the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55, which were released earlier this year, through the One UI 6.1.1 update. While it is not confirmed exactly when the AI virtual assistant will reach both phones, the new operating system is scheduled to be available for the mid-rangers this month or the next.
However, there are a few caveats with the Galaxy AI on the A series smartphones. Not all features of the virtual assistant will be supported on the A35 and A55. There is no concrete information regarding which will make the cut and which ones won’t. SamMobile speculates that it could be the tools that require vast amounts of on-device processing power.
Rumors are also circulating that Samsung may introduce Galaxy AI to some older premium Galaxy devices, but those reports aren’t confirmed. What is confirmed however is that only the 2024 model A35 and A55 will get the feature as those phones have more RAM and processing power than their predecessors, even if there are hardware similarities.
The Galaxy A35 uses the same chipset as the Galaxy A54 that came out last year – the Exynos 1380. But even then, the Galaxy AI won’t be coming to the A54, at least for the time being.
The most affordable Galaxy AI-enabled Samsung smartphone in the market is the Galaxy S23 FE, which starts at $599. The Fan Edition model, based on its more expensive siblings, missed out on several AI features like the instant Slow-Mo for videos – a standout tool included in the original Galaxy AI suite for the Galaxy S24 series, released earlier this year.
Galaxy AI On Lower-End Phones Could Be A Strategy To Increase User Base
The move to bring Galaxy AI to older and lower-end phones mimics Google’s strategy of debuting its generative AI assistant Gemini on the flagship Pixel 8 and 8 Pro in 2023 and then rolling it out to older models.
Galaxy AI, which is currently exclusive to the Galaxy S and Z series premium handsets, has some cool features like Circle to Search, which lets users look up contextual information about whatever is on their screen by simply highlighting or drawing a circle around it; Live Translation, which shows real-time translations for in-person conversations and phone calls in supported languages, Chat Assist, Note Assist, and Interpreter.
The AI is also found in the phones’ camera and gallery apps, where it has auto-framing for selfies and lets users reframe pictures and erase or move subjects after taking the shot. Samsung has also integrated Galaxy AI into some of the new health tracking features on the Galaxy Watch and Ring wearables, and Galaxy Buds earphones.
Samsung Expects Galaxy AI Users To Grow Another 100 Million By The End Of 2024
When the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra were announced, the AI was one of the standout features. It soon became a major selling point for Samsung’s flagships, as it is in active use on more than 100 million Galaxy devices.
Samsung projects the figure to increase to 200 million by the end of 2024, with the list including phones, tablets, and watches.
Samsung is also working on the One UI 7 based on Android 15, expected to come out later this year. The company will begin its Beta Program for the new operating system in South Korea and India in the coming months.
One UI 7 will debut with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series in January 2025.
Latest news: Samsung Confirms The Arrival Of S24 FE: Specs, Launch Date & Key Updates So Far
