Galaxy AI headed to not just Galaxy S24, but other models of phones and tablets
Samsung is following through on its promise earlier this year to bring One UI 6.1 to older Galaxy devices. In an official announcement, the company has confirmed that rollout will begin on March 28th for select models, bringing with it the AI-powered set of tools that debuted with the Galaxy S24 series: Galaxy AI.
Phones:
Tablets:
- Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
- Galaxy Tab S9+
- Galaxy Tab S9 WiFi
You can expect the update to hit your device in the U.S. if you bought it directly from Samsung.com, from popular carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, UScellular, or from retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon. Unlocked versions of the Galaxy S23 series, S23 FE, Z Fold5 and Flip5 will begin to receive the update in April.
Galaxy AI is coming soon
Aside from the usual bug fixes and security patches that come with a software update, One UI 6.1 will also unlock some truly transformative AI tools that were originally exclusive to the Galaxy S24 series. Here's a summary of the Galaxy AI features that will now trickle down to more devices:
- Circle to Search with Google: This feature streamlines the way you search for information. You can now "Google" an object on your screen by simply circling the item or text, and Google Lens will search it for you and give you the most relevant results. All this without needing to leave the app you are currently in.
- Live Translate: An invaluable tool to break down those language barriers, Live Translate works during phone calls, providing you with both voice translation and live captions of what is being said on the other line.
- Chat Assist: This handy feature can be found within Samsung's own keyboard and can offer suggestions for improving your grammar or even translate messages into thirteen different languages.
- Generative Edit: A fan favorite, Generative Edit is like a mini photo studio in your hands, found within the Samsung Gallery app as a suite of advanced AI tools. It offers the ability to easily remove unwanted objects or people from photos, resizing of objects, or even fill your photo's background to fill an even larger canvas.
It should be noted that, as previously stated by the company, Galaxy AI will be provided for free until the end of 2025, at which point it is unknown what the plan is going forward to continue using these features. Additionally, some of these features (like Circle to Search, Live Translate, and Generative Edit) do require an internet connection in order to work.
During my time using the Galaxy S24 Ultra, I came to appreciate the helpfulness of some of these tools, particularly Circle to Search and Generative Edit. Although some may feel differently regarding the usefulness of AI on smartphones these days, Circle to Search is one such feature that I am sorely missing now on my Pixel device, the Pixel Fold. Since I got a chance to experience it on a Samsung device, it feels like this should now be a standard feature on all smartphones. I hope that this trend of bringing AI to older devices continues with all OEMs, as long as the processor can handle it.
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