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AI injection will make affordable Galaxy phones unbeatable: Huge win for Android users on a budget

Updated: Aug 10, 2024, 7:19 AM

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AI injection will make affordable Galaxy phones unbeatable: Huge win for Android users on a budget

As a bit of a “tech nerd”, I’ve seen the rapid evolution of smartphone hardware and software over the years, and in 2024, it’s clear that (practical) AI features are transforming our mobile experience in ways we could only imagine a few years ago.

And while phone-makers tend to preserve AI tricks for flagship phones in the $800-1,300 price range, we’re now starting to see this trend shift, opening up the possibility of having “AI” features on phones at half the price of a “flagship”.

Examples include the $500 Pixel 8a and OnePlus Nord 4, which share a ton of AI with their more expensive flagship siblings, the Pixel 8 and OnePlus 12. In fact, these two are (currently) the only on-device-AI mid-range phones sold in western markets.

Lucky for millions of Android folks, and according to leaked info, this is about to change as Samsung is preparing to drop the AI-enabled One UI 6.1.1. update for the mid-range Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55 (as soon as late August or September).

With what would be an unexpected AI injection, and Samsung’s latest suspiciously generous move, the South Korean giant won’t only make budget buyers happy but it could also change the “vibes” in the mid-range smartphone market pretty much overnight.

Here’s why!

Galaxy AI is coming to mid-range Samsung phones: Which Galaxy S24 AI features will Samsung decide to keep/drop?

Back when Samsung announced that Galaxy AI is coming to Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22. So far, the information for AI coming to the Galaxy A series is just a leak/rumor.

Starting with what’s arguably the best and most practical “AI” trick on the Galaxy S24 series, you can be 99% sure “Circle to Search” is coming to Samsung’s mid-range series.

That’s because Circle to Search really doesn’t require any special hardware to run on mid-range and budget phones. In fact, it’s highly debatable whether it’s an “AI” feature at all - but that’s a different story.

Moving on, the “Summarize” feature, which can summarize web pages, notes, and emails has got me on the fence.

Summarize certainly requires more hardware power compared to Circle to Search. However, it’s a rather basic feature, which leads me to believe Samsung will be generous enough to add it to the Galaxy A series - unless there are hardware limitations (like RAM, for example).

“Call/chat translate” is another super useful “real AI” trick, however, this one would require quite a bit more CPU and RAM than the other two. It’d be simply awesome if Samsung made it available on the Galaxy A35 & A55.

All in all, “Circle to Search”, “Summarize”, and “Chat translate” would be more than enough AI to make the Galaxy A series an unbelievable deal. Bear in mind, the AI Object Eraser feature, which removes unwanted objects from photos, is already available on the Galaxy A35 & A55.

The good news is that Samsung has been very generous in the past few years, having upgraded the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 series with virtually all the same AI as the Galaxy S24.

In other words (and I’m repeating myself), if the hardware constraints aren’t a factor, this means the much newer Galaxy A35, A55 (and upcoming Samsung mid-rangers) might get even more AI.

Samsung’s generous AI boost could make Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55 the easiest Android to recommend

At $330 in the US, £260 in the UK, and €240 in Europe, adding Galaxy AI to the Galaxy A35 would make it the undisputed budget champ of 2024.

In conclusion, practical AI features in budget Android phones enhance the user experience in meaningful ways, and aren’t to be overlooked when making a purchase decision.

For example, Circle to Search is my favorite new feature on both my Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra but these phones cost $1,000 and $1,300. Therefore, getting practical AI on a $400 phone would be a real selling point for someone like me, and (I believe) for anybody.

I’d go as far as to say that the AI-enabled Galaxy A35 and A55 might become the easiest Android phones to recommend to the majority of “normal” users out there - like my friends and family.

Let’s not forget that the Galaxy A35 and A55 also have excellent cameras, battery life, and even IP67 dust/water resistance. Not to mention they are available almost anywhere in the world, with their only real drawback being the somewhat underpowered (and at times sluggish) Exynos chips.

Even with that in mind, for as little as €240 in Europe, the Galaxy A35 seems like a deal that’s impossible to beat right now, and with Galaxy AI on the way, Samsung’s popular budget champ could become… untouchable.

The only two AI-enabled alternatives to the Galaxy A35 & A55 right now are the Pixel 8a and OnePlus Nord 4. However, both cost much more than €250/£260/$330, and while the OnePlus makes a decent case for being more expensive, Google’s dated design and tiny 6.1-inch display make the Pixel 8a the loser for many people.

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.