Powering smartphones with AI
Izwan Ismail
ONE of the major phone launches that I always look forward to every year is the Samsung Galaxy S series, and this year, the Galaxy S24 Ultra again caught my attention, not because of its design, but the camera feature upgrade, and Samsung's bold focus on artificial intelligence (AI).
To me the focus on AI is timely, and in fact, Samsung is the first mobile player to adopt this technology in a big way in its mobile phone.
AI amplifies nearly every experience on Galaxy S24 series, from enabling barrier-free communication with intelligent text and call translations, to maximising creative freedom with Galaxy's ProVisual Engine, to setting a new standard for search that will change how Galaxy users discover the world around them.
While the sleek design remains captivating, it's the significant advancements in camera features and Samsung's bold emphasis on AI that steal the spotlight.
Photography
I love photography, and I've become a true believer in the current capability of high-end smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
While the previous Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra already set a high bar for smartphone camera performance, the Galaxy S24 Ultra builds upon its predecessor's strengths with enhancements in zoom capabilities, low-light photography, image stabilisation, AI editing tools, and video recording capabilities.
After testing it for a while in various photography genres and lighting condition, I can say that the S24 Ultra delivers more impressive and versatile camera experience, catering to a wide range of photography and videography needs.
Improved zoom capabilities: The Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts a Quad Tele System with a new 5x optical zoom lens. This enhances optical-quality performance at various zoom levels, including 2x, 3x, 5x, and even up to 10x magnification with Adaptive Pixel Sensor technology. It also represents a significant advancement over the Galaxy S23 Ultra's zoom capabilities, potentially resulting in sharper and clearer images, particularly at higher zoom levels.
I tried taking some photos of birds sitting on a street light during sunset, and got quite impressive results.
Low light photography
In the low light department, this phone shines with its Nightography capabilities, which ensures that photos and videos are captured in low-light conditions. The Space Zoom feature helps to maintain quality and detail. This improvement addresses one of the common challenges faced by smartphone cameras and may result in significantly better performance compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra in dimly lit environments.
Besides that, the Galaxy S24 Ultra incorporates wider optical image stabilization (OIS) angles and enhanced hand-shake compensation, reducing blur in photos and videos, especially when capturing scenes with motion or in challenging shooting conditions.
Since AI is the focus, the Galaxy S24 Ultra introduces innovative AI editing tools, such as Edit Suggestion and Generative Edit, which leverage AI to suggest and implement edits automatically, as well as fill in background elements seamlessly.
These tools offer users greater creative control and convenience, potentially elevating the overall image quality and editing capabilities.
Enhanced video recording
Both the front and rear cameras of the Galaxy S24 Ultra are equipped with Dedicated ISP Blocks for noise reduction during video recording. Additionally, the device analyses gyro information to distinguish between the filmer's movement and the subject's, resulting in clearer videos, even in low-light conditions or when capturing fast-moving subjects. These improvements may lead to superior video quality compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
AI is the future
Samsung leads the charge in integrating AI into mobile phones on a large scale. The Galaxy S24 Series leverages AI to enhance almost every aspect of the user experience.
From enabling seamless communication across languages with intelligent text and call translations to revolutionizing online search with intuitive, gesture-driven Circle to Search functionality, the Galaxy S24 Series marks a new era in smartphone intelligence.
Another helpful feature of the phone is how it makes everyday communications easier even among different languages.
The Live Translate facilitates real-time voice and text translations within the native app, eliminating the need for third-party applications. Additionally, Interpreter allows for split-screen live translations, ensuring smooth conversations even without cellular data or Wi-Fi. So going to a restaurant in a different country like Korea for instance will no longer be challenging when it comes to ordering food.
Creativity enhanced
The Galaxy S24 Series empowers users to unleash their creativity like never before. The ProVisual Engine offers a suite of AI-powered tools that revolutionise image capturing and editing. From enhanced zoom capabilities to improved low-light photography, the Galaxy S24 Series ensures every shot is picture-perfect. AI editing tools simplify post-processing, making it easier to erase imperfections, re-compose scenes, and even generate background elements with Generative Edit.
And with AI becoming increasingly integral to daily tasks, the Galaxy S24 Series delivers unparalleled performance to meet the demands. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, the Galaxy S24 Series boasts remarkable AI processing efficiency. Whether it's gaming, video editing, or multitasking, the Galaxy S24 Series delivers a seamless and responsive experience.
Security-wise, the phone is fortified with Samsung Knox, offering multi-layered protection against vulnerabilities. Advanced Intelligence settings provide users with full control over their data, ensuring transparency and trust in AI-driven features.
Design
Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Galaxy S24 Series exudes sophistication. The titanium frame in the Galaxy S24 Ultra enhances durability, while the streamlined design of the Galaxy S24 and S24+ offers a seamless and aesthetic appeal. Inspired by Earth minerals, the colour palette adds a touch of elegance to every device.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Series represents a significant leap forward in mobile technology. With its groundbreaking AI features, unparalleled performance, and commitment to sustainability, it sets a new standard for smartphone innovation.