Samsung Galaxy S24 Launch in India Live Updates: Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S24 series in San Jose, USA (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)Samsung announced its new flagship Galaxy S24 series on Wednesday, a little earlier than usual, pitching the new smartphones as AI-centered, as the competition in the high-end phone segment heats up. The S24 lineup comes in three models: the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra. The S24 starts at a price of $1299, the S24+ will cost $1,000, and the S24 will retail at $800. During the Unpacked event in San Jose, California, Samsung demonstrated the phone’s AI capabilities, including how users will be able to use AI features from day one. Samsung is also promising seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates across the three devices, a move on par with Apple.
Live Blog
That's all, folks!
With the launch concluded, be sure to go through our other coverage of the latest Samsung hardware including first impressions and more.
Samsung teases smart ring
Samsung calls it the Galaxy Ring. The company has only provided a glimpse into its design for now and more details are awaited.
Galaxy S24 Series pricing revealed
Galaxy S24 Ultra gets a titanium body
Enhanced CPU, GPU, and NPU performance
Samsung claims that the Galaxy S24 series are the best devices for gaming. And with larger batteries across the lineup, you'd be able to game for longer as well.
Galaxy AI for camera
The camera is perhaps the biggest winner in terms of Galaxy AI features. Using this you can select an object in the photo and move it around with the AI filling up the remaining space. It can also straighten frames and change angles, as the AI patches the gaps. Additionally, you can turn videos slo-mo by producing additional frames wherever needed.
Galaxy S24 Ultra gets new 5x optical sensor
When it comes to the camera, most of the focus in the new Ultra was on the 5x optical lens. Basically, the 10x optical zoom 10MP sensor combo on the S23 Ultra has been replaced by a 5x, 50MP combo in the new version. There is still 10x, but it will be a crop of what the combo captures.
Circle to Search also works on video
Google demonstrated another instance of Circle to Search highlighting that it also works on video. All you have to do is to long-press on the home button to invoke it. Google says the feature will be available across all three Samsung handsets.
Google announces new search experiences in collaboration with Samsung
A new search feature on the new Galaxy smartphones will let you highlight, circle, scribble, and perform other actions on stuff you see on your screen to search for more context regarding it. This, Google says, is faster than the previous way of screenshotting and reverse image searching - and of course, manually Googling it.
Samsung announces Note Assist
Jotting down rough notes on the Galaxy S24 Ultra? Note Assist will now clean it up, giving it a better structure to enhance readability. After that's done, Galaxy AI can generate summaries based on these notes which you can use yourself or share with peers.
Translation features available for texts too
Samsung shows off a demo of Chat Assist on the Google Messages app which translates your texts in real-time, allowing users to communicate better in different languages.
Galaxy AI will transcribe and translate your calls
This new feature supports 13 languages and all processing will be done on the device itself.
Longer software support than most phones last?
Samsung has promised 7 years of security and generation updates starting with the Galaxy S24 series, following in the heels of Google with its Pixel 8 series.
Event kicks off with talks about AI
A minute into the event and we can already tell it's going to be all about Galaxy AI.
Huge venue is packed
The SAP Centre is packed with media, analysts and Samsung partners from all over the world for the Galaxy Unpacked event. Lot of influencers peppered around the gigantic venue streaming live to their audiences, as journalists peer into their laptops posting live updates on their blogs.
Stage is set, lights are on
We are inside the venue and with the stage set and the lights on, we'll be bringing you first-hand information, as well as commentary from the ground reporting with photos and videos - so stay tuned.
Countdown for Galaxy S24 series launch begins with less than an hour left for the event
With less than an hour left to go, don't miss the launch of Samsung's next flagship lineup, featuring spec upgrades and groundbreaking AI features. You can watch the event live on Samsung's official YouTube channel or any other streaming platform of your choice. The Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra are expected to be a leap forward in smartphone technology. We'll bring you live updates from San Jose, where the event is taking place. Stay tuned for more.
India gets new custom like animation on Twitter ahead of event
Is this our clearest look of the S24 series to date?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Exynos 2400? We're still not sure
This isn't usually the case but this year is particularly confusing as far as the chip in the S24 series goes. It's still a matter of speculation as different reports suggest different scenarios. Some claim that the S24 Ultra will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the US and South Korea, and the Samsung Exynos 2400 in other regions, while others say that the S24 Ultra and S24 Plus will both get an optimised version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 worldwide.
The Exynos 2400 is said to have better multicore performance and GPU than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and A16 Bionic, but not as good as the A17 Pro or the rumoured Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy may also have lower efficiency cores to save battery life. Leaked benchmarks show that the S24 Ultra is close to the iPhone 15 Pro Max in terms of speed, but not quite there yet. FCC filings confirm the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the US models.
Generative AI could take center stage at Unpacked 2024
The upcoming event could be all about generative AI on Galaxy smartphones. Galaxy AI aims to enhance communication, productivity, and creativity on Galaxy devices, with features such as AI Live Translate Call, which offers private and real-time translations during phone calls. Samsung may integrate generative AI into Galaxy S24 apps, such as camera and messaging, to offer users more ways to express themselves. Galaxy AI is Samsung's response to Apple's rumoured generative AI plans, and a way to showcase its leadership in mobile AI.
Other design changes on Galaxy S24 series
While initial renders suggest the overall look of the Galaxy S24 series will stay relatively similar to the S23 lineup, a number of thoughtful design refinements are expected. The S24 and S24+ will likely feature fully squared-off edges for a premium feel in hand, while the S24 Ultra appears set to keep its signature contoured edges and sleek silhouette.
However, Samsung looks poised to finally adopt flat displays across the S24 range, with the S24 Ultra rumoured to be equipped with an expansive 6.8-inch 1440p flat OLED display capable of an exceptionally bright 2500 nits peak brightness.
Big win for bezel haters
The Samsung Galaxy S24 series is expected to feature slimmer bezels across the board, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra seeing the most significant trimming out of the three models. While the Ultra has so far retained a chin even as the other two models have been sporting equal bezels all around, this year's set to be different, at least if the leaked renders are to be believed.
Samsung Galaxy S23 series performance: What to expect
Rumors around the upcoming Galaxy S24 models, set to debut in the US and globally, hint at their potential reliance on Qualcomm's cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Building on the success of the S23 series, which utilised a customised Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 variant, Samsung might join forces with Qualcomm again for a specially tailored S24 chip.
Yet, conflicting reports add a layer of uncertainty. While some sources anticipate a uniform lineup featuring Qualcomm's latest, others propose that specific countries, such as India, may receive models equipped with Samsung's Exynos 2400 chip instead.
Samsung Galaxy S24 series might use different chips
According to leaks and speculations, Samsung could make use of different chips for the standard Galaxy S24, S24+, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra in select markets. As per the reports, the Indian variant of the Galaxy S24 Ultra could be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, while the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24+ might be based on the Exynos 2400 SoC.
Samsung highlights the evolution of mobiles ahead of Unpacked 2024
Samsung's first mobile phone was released back in 1988, and the company has now shared a short video of how Samsung mobiles have evolved over the last few decades, which includes the launch of the world's first TV phone in 1999, water-resistant smartphones in 2014, Samsung Pay, and the launch of foldables in 2020.
Pre-reserve Galaxy S24 series
You can also pre-reserve the Galaxy S24 series by just paying Rs 1,999 via the Samsung India website or Samsung Shop app. With every pre-order, Samsung is offering an additional Rs 5,000 worth of coupon, and pre-reserved users will also be able to buy the Galaxy S24 series of smartphones a few days earlier than the initial sale date.
Samsung teases Galaxy AI
Samsung has highlighted that the upcoming Galaxy S24 series of smartphones will include a lot of new AI-backed features, powered by on-device generative AI capabilities, which could improve the camera capabilities, gaming performance, and could enable new experiences on the Galaxy S24 series of smartphones.
Samsung might launch three new smartphones
Samsung at the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 might launch three new smartphones within the Galaxy S24 series -- The Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. As per the leaks and speculations, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to feature a titanium frame, while the overall look and feel of the device might remain the same. Similarly, the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24+ are expected to look identical to their predecessors.