Samsung is starting 2024 with an AI smartphone + information on market developments

If there was a big tech topic last year, it was “generative AI.” There are now many types of artificial intelligence that create content - text creation and chatbots, image generation and fake photos, animation and videos, spoken content and music, etc. There are also some big names with ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney, Firefly, Bard and the like can establish. But what is the big topic for 2024? Samsung seems to have the answer and wants to do so at the “Samsung Unpacked” event on January 17, 2024 Galaxy A.I. introduce. This will probably be a generative AI running on the latest Samsung smartphone.

Samsung is taking on the new smartphone trend

Samsung is not afraid to take up new trends in the smartphone sector and implement them no matter what. Speaking of bending and breaking: Almost five years ago, the company introduced the Samsung Galaxy Fold, its first mobile phone with a foldable display. This device, which iFixit classified as fragile and almost impossible to repair, received a lot of criticism, but it did not dissuade Samsung from further developing the foldable smartphone market. There are currently various models from the manufacturer, the Galaxy Z Flip5, the Galaxy Z Fold5 and so on.

After almost five years and sticking to the folding device series, the Korean technology manufacturer is taking on a new challenge: generative AI in your pocket. Here, too, one can expect that the first major attempt will be met with criticism - whether in terms of usability, the scope advertised and ultimately delivered, or the possibility of using the new feature for negative purposes. Last but not least, there is also the question of meaningfulness. But in this regard, it remains to be seen which areas and tasks Galaxy AI will ultimately cover. You can find the announcement for the event on January 17th here: b. in this Twitter post.

Samsung is ready to start, Google has long since started

One should not forget that other AI smartphones are already on the market. For example, Google has this in October 2023 Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro presented. These devices, confidently advertised as “AI smartphones”, offer various options for using artificial intelligence: the “Magic Editor” as a comprehensive tool for image editing and manipulation, the “Magic Audio Eraser” for removing background noise in audio recordings, AI Summaries of audio recordings/transcriptions in the “Recorder” app, creating AI wallpapers and more.

The AI ​​tools for photography, image editing, audio editing and the like that are limited to specific tasks are not necessarily “generative” AIs. They serve to process existing material and do not recreate it. However, at least the bullet-point summaries in the recorder app and the background images created by text prompts can be attributed to generative AI. Even if this is a comparatively small step in the big world of this tech sector, Google has been able to gain a lead here. Whether this is only good for quick income or actually brings advantages for users remains to be seen.

Apple lost its way along the way

Let's stick with the race comparison with regard to Apple's development. So while Google has already started and Samsung will soon give itself the starting signal, Apple is just now finding its way to the racetrack. I can hardly imagine the frustration at Apple, which has been working on the Vision Pro AR glasses for the last seven (or more) years to bring the next big thing to market - and only to do so going in completely the wrong direction. The iPhone got better and better cameras, the Neural Engine ensured functional AI implementations and stronger hardware made gaming possible. But there is no such thing as generative AI.

Apple has in recent months emphasized through various mouthpiecesthat their own devices and operating systems have already integrated various AI elements. These include input and content recognition when writing, object and text recognition in photos and videos, the associated translations, the registration, processing and processing of data (e.g. for fitness and health on the Apple Watch), and accident detection on the iPhone and Apple Watch , creating your own virtual voice, and so on. Generative AI is now being approached, but as always with Apple, with a great deal of caution. Regardless of whether it is text, voice or image creation: Apple wants to prevent the tools from having negative consequences.

The market development: From 4% to 40% market share in five years

A market assessment by Counterpoint Research shows that smartphones with generative AI (GenAI smartphones) will already be represented by around 2023 million devices sold in 47 thanks to Google's efforts. This should represent a market share of around 4%. By 2027, a total of 1 billion GenAI smartphones are expected to have been sold, with an expected 522 million units in 2027 alone. This means that the market share of this type of device in the mobile communications sector is expected to increase tenfold and then already amount to 40%. After Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Honor and Oppo will soon follow suit. In 2024 and 2025, Qualcomm in particular should benefit from this among the chip manufacturers.

You can read what Counterpoint Research calls a GenAI smartphone and which areas of application for generative AI are estimated to be important in this (translated) quote:

Counterpoint Research defines GenAI smartphones as a subset of AI smartphones that use generative AI to create original content rather than just provide pre-programmed answers or perform predefined tasks. These devices will natively run size-optimized AI models and come with specific hardware specifications. Our near-term GenAI landscape includes OEM roadmaps addressing four key areas: information delivery, imaging, live translation and personal assistance applications.

Mass AI distribution before its regulation

Fake photos with questionable content, deep fake videos, fake celebrity voices, and more are examples of generative AI products used for negative purposes. There are different examples, from Donald Trump and Barack Obama to the Pope in a down jacket to Olaf Scholz and Annalena Baerbock. As a convincing fake, some images and videos can put messages in the mouths of certain people or insinuate actions. Easily recognized fakes may not deceive media-savvy users, but they can still convey messages and be effective propaganda in the “right” circles.

To prevent misinformation, propaganda campaigns, harm to people and groups and other negative effects, regulation is needed with regard to generative AI. This must be clearly formulated, must not be too restrictive, but must consider all possible pitfalls. And that is precisely why individual countries and confederations of states such as the EU cannot keep up with technical developments. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, said with his industry knowledge in November 2023 that the first regulations would come in the following 12 to 18 months. But it remains questionable how they will look and act.

Conclusion on the trend around GenAI smartphones from 2024

The current development around generative AI and GenAI smartphones as mobile devices designed directly for their use remains more than exciting. Not least because generative AI was able to establish itself as a tool for (political) propaganda last year, it is important to remain vigilant in the run-up to various events in 2024 - US presidential elections, European Parliament elections, district and state elections in various federal states, etc. There will also be a federal election in 2025. We'll have to wait and see whether generative AI on smartphones will become dangerously strong by then or whether it'll just stick to creating background images.

Sources for this article and your further research

• Samsung Places AI at Forefront as 2024 Phone Launches Kick Off: Bloomberg
• Over 1 Billion Generative AI (GenAI) Smartphones to be Shipped Cumulatively During CY2024-2027: Counterpoint Research
• Top Google Pixel 8 AI features: Android Police
• 2024 will be the year of the AI ​​Phone – whether we like it or not: TechRadar
• Apple CEO Tim Cook on what it takes to run the world's largest company | Dua Lipa: At Your Service: YouTube

Johannes Domke

After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.