Samsung has recently announced that some functions of its Galaxy AI will be adapted to the Galaxy S22/S21 and other models. This was made public by Samsung officials in its official Korean Community. The officials also revealed that One UI 6.1 will get a new update in early May. However, we can not tell whether this update will only be for the Korean or global models. The decision to bring Galaxy AI to these models comes after relevant chip performance considerations. Devices launched in 2021 may get only two AI functions. According to Sammobile, one of these features will be instant search and the other is magic rewriting. However, devices that launched in 2022 will support all the features except “real-time slow motion”.
What is Galaxy AI?
Galaxy AI is a suite of generative AI tools that Samsung has introduced, which is integrated into Samsung phones. It uses onboard and cloud technology to provide meaningful recommendations to Galaxy users. Galaxy AI is not an app or downloadable software but is built directly into specific Samsung smartphones. It includes features such as
- Live Translate and Interpreter for real-time language translation
- Chat Assist for generating text relevant to conversations
- Note Assist for creating summaries with headings and bullet points
- Transcript Assist for transcribing and summarizing voice recordings
- Circle to Search for information by circling, highlighting, tapping or scribbling on any image or word
- Edit Suggestion
- Generative Edit
- Instant Slow-mo
- and more
Galaxy AI is designed to improve efficiency and enhance the user experience. It differs from Bixby, which is a virtual assistant that allows users to make quick searches for things like music, and weather, or to make phone calls and send texts.
Specific Models
The specific models that will be receiving the One UI 6.1 update and Galaxy AI features include:
- Galaxy S21 series
- Galaxy Z Fold 3
- Galaxy Z Flip 3
- Galaxy S22 series
- Galaxy Z Fold 4
- Galaxy Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Tab S8 series
Samsung’s Previous Position
Samsung previously stated that it would not be bringing Galaxy AI features to the Galaxy S22 series due to hardware limitations. However, Samsung’s Head of Customer Experience, Patrick Chomet, mentioned that the company was learning and going step-by-step, with Galaxy AI working well on the Galaxy S24 series and the Galaxy S23 series.
Samsung’s Current Position
Samsung’s Head Honcho, TM Roh, has since teased that Galaxy AI features could be coming to older Galaxy phones like the Galaxy S22 series. This is due to Samsung’s efforts in developing on-device AI technology that is greatly affected by hardware performance.
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Possible Reasons for the Change
The possible reasons for Samsung’s change in position include:
- Improved understanding of the intensity of AI usage for the average customer
- Improved understanding of the on-device resources of older Galaxy phones
- Better compatibility of the Exynos 2200 chipset with Galaxy AI features
Furthermore, Galaxy AI seems to bring a lot of good fortune to Samsung. Thus, the company has no choice but to launch it for older devices. According to research by Worldpanel ComTech, 25% of consumers who purchased the Galaxy S24 series mobile phones did so due to the value they place on these AI functions.
The research conducted in February 2024 across five European countries (France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain) and two other countries (the United States and Australia) revealed that Samsung’s Galaxy AI marketing strategy effectively influenced consumers to choose the Galaxy S24 series.
Among the surveyed buyers, one in four stated that Galaxy AI played a significant role in their decision to purchase the phone, with Australian buyers showing the highest percentage at 27%. Specifically, 28% of this group desired real-time translation functions, 24% sought enhanced camera features, and 17% were interested in the “circle-select and search” function, which allows users to trigger a web search by circling selected pictures. These features were heavily promoted by Samsung before and during the launch, aligning with consumer preferences and contributing to the success of Samsung’s Galaxy AI marketing strategy.
Will Samsung gatekeep Galaxy AI?
There have been speculations that Samsung may gatekeep the Galaxy AI to boost the sales of its newest mobile phones. However, looking at the current trends, it does not appear that the company will gatekeep the Galaxy AI feature. This feature seems to be driving traffic to Samsung mobile phones irrespective of the model. Thus, users who are unable to afford the newer phones may go for the older and cheaper ones. This seems to be a good marketing strategy for the company.
At the moment, the Galaxy AI feature is already on the Galaxy S21. The company still supports the Galaxy S20 but this device should reach its end of life this year. The previous Galaxy S10 hit its end of life last year. Since Samsung will discontinue support for the Galaxy S20 this year, it is unlikely to release the Galaxy A1 feature for this device.
Conclusion
Samsung’s announcement that some functions of its Galaxy AI will be adapted to the Galaxy S22/S21 and other models is a positive development for users of these devices. The One UI 6.1 update is expected to roll out in early May, with specific AI features varying by device. Samsung’s previous position of not bringing Galaxy AI features to the Galaxy S22 series may have been due to hardware limitations, but the company’s current position suggests that this may no longer be the case. However, Samsung may still decide to gatekeep its AI software from previous-generation Galaxy phones to drive sales of the best Samsung phones.
