On January 18th, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series was finally unveiled. Right from the beginning of the launch event, Samsung made a major announcement — starting from the S24 series, Samsung phones will now support system updates and upgrades for a remarkable 7 years!
While the S20 series promised 3 years of updates and the S21, S22, and S23 series extended it to 4 years, the S24 series now kicks off with a provision for 7 years of system upgrades. This implies continuous updates potentially up to Android 21. However, the question remains whether the OLED screen and battery of the phone can endure for 7 years. It raises curiosity about whether Samsung indeed has enough manpower to maintain the system for such an extended period.
Samsung made a bold move by introducing the star of the launch event right away — the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
The first highlighted feature undoubtedly revolved around the much-praised Galaxy AI, supporting 13 languages, including Chinese. One of the functionalities it showcased was the real-time translation during phone calls, a feature teased during the pre-launch hype.
Samsung also conducted a live demonstration of Galaxy AI's translation and automatic formatting features, receiving positive reactions. In terms of specifications, the telephoto lens of the Samsung S24 Ultra has transitioned from the S23 Ultra's 10x optical zoom to 5x optical zoom. Despite the reduction in optical zoom, the presentation claimed an increase in pixel count to 5000W pixels. This means that capturing at 10x only requires using the 5x optical zoom, cropping with 5000W pixels, and employing super-resolution algorithms, ensuring a similar effect. It continues to be touted as a "concert artifact"!
However, it can be affirmed that although Samsung has eliminated the 10x optical zoom, they have made reasonable adjustments in the focal lengths. In the primary camera with a whopping 200 million pixels, the support for 2x optical quality zoom is retained. The 1000W pixel telephoto lens now supports 3x optical zoom, while the 5000W pixel telephoto lens supports 5x optical zoom and 10x optical quality zoom, presenting a more balanced approach in focal lengths.
Additionally, unlike the approach taken by Chinese smartphone manufacturers in AI object removal, Samsung's Galaxy AI not only erases people and objects but also allows the selection of people and objects for movement, enabling AI to automatically fill in the missing parts. For unavoidable issues like ghosting and reflections in photos, Galaxy AI offers a one-click removal solution.
From the demonstrated results, these new applications of the two existing features seem quite interesting. Regarding the screens, besides increasing the brightness to 2600nit across the entire S24 series, both the Samsung S24+ and S24U feature a 2K screen, while the S24 remains with a 1080P screen. This indeed creates a noticeable distinction between the S24 and S24+.
A special feature has arrived! The Samsung S24 Ultra boasts an exclusive new type of glass material. The launch event mentioned a 50-year deep collaboration with Corning, resulting in the creation of the next generation of Corning Gorilla Armor glass. This glass is more resistant to scratches and drops, and its most remarkable aspect is its anti-glare property, which can reach a maximum of 75%.
In terms of appearance, the entire Samsung S24 series has returned to a completely flat screen. However, upon closer inspection, the S24U still has a slight curvature. The Samsung S24 and S24+ still feature aluminum alloy frames, and apart from a 0.1-inch increase in size, the overall design remains consistent with the S23 generation.
The significant change lies in the fact that the Samsung S24U has adopted titanium alloy, keeping up with the times. However, compared to the weight reduction approach of the iPhone 15 Pro Max using titanium alloy, the S24U utilizes titanium metal for enhanced durability, but there is no significant reduction in weight.
Finally, in terms of pricing:
Galaxy S24: Starting at $799
Galaxy S24+: Starting at $999
Galaxy S24 Ultra: Starting at $1299