Galaxy AI has been in all places for the previous week-ish. Samsung made a really huge deal of its AI-focused options on the Galaxy S24 launch, with AI taking entrance and middle stage on the occasion, and from begin to end, your complete Samsung Unpacked present felt extra like a Google Pixel occasion.
All that speak about software program utilizing the facility of AI to ship handy new instruments is correct up Google’s alley. In any case, it was options like Stay Translate, Stay Captions, and Magic Eraser that solidified the place of Pixel telephones as among the finest Android units within the business.
The humorous factor is, it was these options and functionalities that gave trendy Pixels the oomph they wanted to climb to the highest on the time. We anticipated exclusivity with these Pixel-only options, however it seems to be like this is not the case anymore. The Galaxy S24 collection picked up numerous the best options from Pixel telephones, making me suppose that Samsung’s new telephones are extra “Pixel” than they’re “Galaxy.”
For those who’re feeling just a little misplaced, let me current some examples. Samsung highlighted most of the Galaxy S24’s capabilities on the launch occasion. One in every of them was highly effective on-device translations powered by AI baked into the S24 — sound acquainted? That is proper, Stay Translate is what helped put the Pixel 6 collection on the map a few years in the past with on-device translation. I bear in mind being blown away once I first examined the function. Similar to Google, Samsung has now introduced sensible translations to all three of its S24 flagships natively.
Final yr, we witnessed the debut of Magic Compose. Google rolled out the AI-powered chatting device to Google Messages again in Could 2023. Magic Compose is sort of a texting assistant that helps you reply to messages in your required mannerisms, tones, and types.
It is arduous to not examine Google and Samsung’s AI instruments.
Very like Magic Compose on Pixel telephones, the S24 collection has one thing referred to as Chat Help built-in. You’ll be able to translate textual content and likewise craft messages with sure tones and higher grammar. As soon as once more, it is arduous to not examine Google and Samsung’s AI instruments. They’re so related in nature and may accomplish practically all the identical duties.
And it would not cease there. There’s Google’s Magic Eraser and Samsung’s Object Eraser. Stay Captions on Pixels and Interpreter on Galaxy S24 telephones. Photograph Ambient Wallpaper on the S24 and Cinematic Wallpaper on Pixels. Generative Edit from Samsung vs. Magic Editor on the Pixel 8 collection. I can go on and on.
Oh, and when you’re about to carry up Circle to Search, that function goes to be out there on Samsung’s S24 collection and Google’s Pixel 8 collection alike from January 31 onwards.
For all intents and functions, it seems to be like Samsung made a Pixel. That is evident whenever you examine the Galaxy S24 Extremely to the Pixel 8 Professional. And you already know what? I am glad as a result of which means I am going to lastly get a Pixel that comes with high-quality {hardware} that does not crap out on me in two years.
You might or could not have come throughout my Pixel 6 rant a few weeks in the past. A telephone that I cherished a lot turned its again on me, decreasing it to a mere shadow of its former glory in only a smidge over two years.
I am not alone; my distress has firm.
Final yr, the quantity rocker on my colleague Nick Sutrich’s Pixel 7 Professional fell off. Extra just lately, my different colleague, Harish Jonnalagadda, expressed his issues concerning the Pixel 8’s sturdiness. Similar to me with my Pixel 6, he has began to face worrying points and glitches along with his Google system.
Opposite to widespread perception, the three of us are main Pixel followers. We love the software program expertise that pure Google telephones ship. Do not even get me began on the unimaginable Pixel pictures that is so arduous to beat.
However it breaks our hearts and leaves us so very pissed off to see that Google’s telephones proceed to be constructed poorly and are not made to final.
For all intents and functions, it seems to be like Samsung made a Pixel.
That is the place the Samsung Galaxy S24 collection is available in. The Korean smartphone producer makes much more sturdy units, and now that they’re loaded with juicy AI options much like Pixels, we virtually haven’t any different motive to purchase a Google system. Virtually.
Samsung was doing properly with its AI-laden S24 bulletins. They even made the pleasant announcement that choose older Galaxy units will likely be getting these Galaxy AI options as properly. Nonetheless, issues soured actually quick when a footnote in Samsung Australia’s newsroom weblog got here to mild.
Because it seems, the swanky new Galaxy AI options are usually not going to be free perpetually. Samsung left a teeny tiny notice stating that Galaxy AI options will solely be usable freed from cost till the top of 2025. This contains each the Galaxy S24 collection and all different Samsung units slated to obtain mentioned options.
So, there’s a small likelihood that Samsung may pull the rug from underneath our toes. Other than third-party AI options like Circle to Search, most different Galaxy AI options solely introduced at Samsung Unpacked 2024 may ultimately be locked behind a paywall.
Whereas I’ve my doubts that Samsung will really observe by way of with this, it does put a damper on issues. Samsung made a Pixel that’s extra sturdy, and it has all the very best AI options from Pixel telephones. However the truth that it may all be taken away after 2025 is a irritating thought and will doubtlessly take away from their likelihood to beat Google at its personal recreation.