The global smartphone market grew by 6% YoY to reach 296.9 million unit shipments in Q1 2024.
Samsung dethroned Apple to become the top smartphone player globally, accounting for 20% shipment share.
Apple’s shipments declined 13% YoY, however, the brand’s ASP grew to a record first quarter high driven by improved performance of the Pro models.
Among the top five OEMs, Xiaomi grew the fastest, registering 34% YoY shipment growth.
Global smartphone revenues also grew 7% YoY and reached highest-ever for a first quarter.
London, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing, Denver, Buenos Aires – May 3, 2024
Global smartphone shipments increased 6% YoY in the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service. The growth is mostly attributed to the strong performance in key regions such as Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Caribbean and Latin America (CALA).
Commenting on overall market dynamics, Senior Analyst Prachir Singh said, “Smartphone shipments grew during the first quarter as emerging markets continued their strong momentum, while Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe, grew the most compared to a difficult Q1 2023. Consumer demand in these markets has been growing gradually and the inventory levels have improved. MEA was the fastest growing region due to the strong shipments of TECNO, Xiaomi and HONOR. China also grew YoY owing to strong Lunar New Year sales and Huawei’s comeback. The India market also saw growth thanks to exiting 2023 with healthy inventory levels. The mature markets of North America and Japan declined relative to the same period in 2023.”
Global smartphone revenues grew by 7% YoY in Q1 2024 and reached the highest-ever in a first calendar quarter. The >$800 price segment was the fastest growing, registering double-digit growth and accounting for 18% of smartphone shipments in Q1 2024, up by 2pp compared to Q1 2023. Apple led the smartphone market revenues with a 43% share, although its revenues declined by 11% YoY. Samsung’s revenues grew 2% YoY, propelled by its increasing ASP while shipments remained flat. Among the top five OEMs, Xiaomi’s revenue growth was the fastest due to strong performance in its key markets. Revenues for the market beyond the top five OEMs also grew significantly, driven by increasing revenues from Huawei, HONOR and Transsion brands.
Commenting on Apple’s performance, Research Director Jeff Fieldhack said, “Tough competition in China, record low upgrades in the US and a difficult compare from last year due to iPhone 14 Pro’s supply shifting to Q1 2023 all weighed on iPhone performance. However, there were upsides as well. An improved product mix with 15 Pro’s performing better than its predecessors, and an increasing footprint in emerging markets, helped Apple in arresting some of the declines. Emerging markets especially provide long term growth opportunities. We also expect the inclusion of GenAI later this year to contribute to iPhone upgrades.”
Samsung re-captured the top spot and led global smartphone shipments during the quarter, driven by the early refresh of the Galaxy-A-series and strong performance of the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung reached its highest-ever ASP during the quarter as well. Among the biggest smartphone brands from China, Xiaomi and vivo registered growth. While Xiaomi registered growth in almost all its key markets, vivo posted strong performance in emerging markets of Asia Pacific including India. Huawei, HONOR and Transsion were the other key brands that gained during the quarter. Huawei made huge gains in China and won share from the leading brands. HONOR gained in CALA and MEA, in addition to having a strong share in China. The Transsion brands, TECNO, itel and Infinix, performed strongly in APAC, Eastern Europe, India and the MEA. OPPO* experienced a shipment decline due to stiff competition in key markets like China. The brand also prioritized value over shipments, with a shift to pushing higher ASP devices in emerging markets.
Commenting on the near-term outlook, Research Director Tarun Pathak said, “Growth is expected to be slow but steady in the near term. However, revenues are expected to grow faster as the ongoing premiumization trend is likely to persist, especially with the rise of newer form factors and capabilities such as foldables and GenAI. More than 10 OEMs have launched over 30 GenAI-capable smartphones so far. We estimate that GenAI’s share of overall smartphone shipments will reach 11% by 2024.”
*OPPO includes OnePlus since Q3 2021
Note: Pricing analysis is based on wholesale prices.
Feel free to reach us at press@counterpointresearch.com for questions regarding our latest research and insights.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech
Motorola, with its newly launched smartphones, is taking a different approach in a world obsessed with megapixels and hardware specifications. The brand is focusing on design and user experience with its new launches. At the Motorola Edge 50 Pro launch event in India, Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint, sat down with Ruben Castano, Head of Design and Experience at Motorola Mobility, to talk about the brand’s strategic shift towards its lifestyle image, collaboration with Pantone and much more.
The Interview
Key takeaways from the discussion:
Lifestyle branding, new design language:
• Motorola is transforming into a lifestyle brand with a new design language that prioritizes ergonomics.
• Castano emphasized ageless and genderless aesthetics.
• Castano also underscored the importance of color, material, and finish (CMF) as a decision factor for consumers.
• The Motorola Edge 50 Pro features a vegan leather back, offering consumers a better grip and a way to express themselves with their devices.
• The new pearl finish was developed in partnership with high-end fashion brand Mazzucchelli.
Strategic partnership with Pantone:
• Motorola has collaborated with Pantone, a world leader in color expertise.
• This partnership gives Motorola access to color trend forecasting about 6-18 months in advance.
• Pantone’s expertise is also being used for display calibration and ensuring color accuracy from capture to display.
• Motorola focuses on both global and regional customization based on research in specific markets.
AI integration:
• Moto AI focuses on AI that is meaningful for consumers by offering enhanced experience.
• AI in camera to improve photography and videography, Style Sync feature to create personalized wallpapers using AI, and background optimizations to elevate performance, battery, display, and more.
Focus on user experience and connected ecosystem:
• Motorola is moving beyond tech specs in marketing and focusing on user experience.
• Motorola is also leveraging Lenovo’s security solutions for enhanced phone protection.
• Smart Connect, a cross-platform connectivity solution to connect Motorola smartphones seamlessly and wirelessly with Windows PCs and tablets.
• Seamlessly drag and drop to transfer content like photos and videos, or copy text across devices, into presentations, and more.
Analyst takeaways:
• Motorola has been doing well lately, one of the key reasons is that the brand is riding on the premiumization trend driven by its Edge and Razr portfolio. Motorola’s premium series (>$600 wholesale) sales grew 33% YoY globally in Q1 2024.
• Motorola is aiming to strive for meaningful device experiences by integrating AI across its ecosystem products and taking a beyond-device approach, shifting the conversation beyond specifications.
• Motorola is taking up deeper and more strategic industry partnerships instead of a wide range of partnerships. One such example is its partnership with Pantone which helped it to differentiate its devices from design, display, and camera perspectives.
• According to Counterpoint, product design is one aspect where Motorola is doing better than some of its competitors.
77% of respondents prioritize product quality when buying smartphones.
Samsung, realme and vivo are top-rated for smartphone product quality.
54% of respondents rated realme as the No. 1 brand for smartphone build quality.
realme is also the No. 1 smartphone brand in product quality in the sub-BDT 20,000 (around $180) price band among users in the 16-20 age group.
New Delhi, Beijing, Boston, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – April 29, 2024
As many as 77% of smartphone consumers in Bangladesh consider product quality a very important parameter when purchasing smartphones, according to Counterpoint Research’s recent consumer survey in the country. The survey further reveals that Samsung, realme and vivo are the top brands in Bangladesh when it comes to smartphone product quality.
According to Counterpoint Research’s quarterly smartphone shipment tracker for Q1 2024, 80% of Bangladesh’s smartphone market belongs to the sub-BDT 20,000 (around $180) price band and has an average selling price (ASP) of BDT 20,700. In the sub-BDT 20,000 price band, the consumer survey reveals, realme is the No. 1 brand for product quality in the 16-20 age group. Further, realme tops the overall market in terms of build quality, a sub-parameter of product quality, with 54% of the survey respondents preferring the brand. When asked what brand would they recommend to others for product quality, 83% of the respondents expressed a strong inclination for realme.
Source: realme Bangladesh Smartphone Consumer Survey, 2024 Note: Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Commenting on realme’s positioning in Bangladesh’s smartphone market, Senior Analyst Arushi Chawla said, “As smartphones have become an integral part of daily life, their quality is increasingly gaining importance. Besides, product quality is also important for securing a favorable resale value. Factors like camera quality, battery life, processor, build quality and display are key considerations for smartphone buyers in Bangladesh when evaluating the product’s quality. Among various brands in Bangladesh, realme is particularly popular among young users in the affordable price range. This is because realme offers a well-designed and tailor-made portfolio for the Bangladeshi market. In addition, its innovative software and trusted build quality make it a top choice for smartphone buyers.”
Disclaimer
This survey, commissioned by realme Bangladesh, aimed to learn what people think about product quality when buying smartphones. Counterpoint Research conducted the survey in Bangladesh, reaching over 1,000 respondents with questions in Bengali and English. Both online and offline methods were used to gather insights from smartphone users aged 18 and above. We anticipate the results to be accurate within +/- 4%.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
Although smartphones have become an indispensable tool for many, the environmental impact of these devices has also emerged as a growing concern. To address these concerns, smartphone makers are moving towards sustainable practices like using recycled materials, removing charging bricks from the box, and even making these devices easier to repair. The Fairphone 5 from Dutch smartphone maker Fairphone is the world’s most sustainable smartphone, thanks to its focus on ease of repairability and longevity. At MWC 2024, Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, sat down with Monique Lempers, Fairphone’s Chief Impact Officer, to discuss the company’s mission and how it stays ahead of the curve in the sustainable smartphone space.
The interview
Key takeaways from the discussion:
Focus on sustainability and reducing e-waste:
• Fairphone is committed to focusing on real innovation and tackling e-waste.
• E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream globally.
• The Fairphone 5 is the most sustainable and circular smartphone on the market.
• The Fairphone 5 is designed to last longer, be easily repaired and reduce CO2 footprint and waste.
Fairphone vs competition:
• Fairphone started as an awareness campaign to inspire the industry.
• Eventually, it evolved into a company offering scalable solutions.
• Fairphone focuses on product longevity compared to the competition which focuses on recycled materials and the traditional sales-driven model.
Longevity beyond hardware:
• The Fairphone 5 comes with 10-year software support.
• Fairphone chooses components like chipsets that will also be used for IoT products, thus ensuring they come with broader software support.
Analyst takeaways:
• Fairphone is undoubtedly the most sustainable smartphone company in the world. As a pioneer of smartphone circularity, it sets the benchmark against which other manufacturers should be compared. In an ideal world, all smartphones would be made the Fairphone way.
• But this is easier said than done. It is one thing to create a sustainable smartphone when you are selling a few hundred thousand of them a year. It is entirely another thing to replicate when you have hundreds of models in your portfolio and sell hundreds of millions of phones a year.
• Nevertheless, consumers are becoming increasingly aware and concerned about the environmental impact of smartphones, so sustainability among smartphone OEMs will become more and more important. By blazing the sustainability trail and showing others what can be achieved, Fairphone can influence larger players, such as Samsung and Apple, and especially most Chinese OEMs who are sustainability laggards, to up their game and move the industry in a fairer direction.
China’s smartphone sales grew 1.5% YoY and 4.6% QoQ in Q1 2024, marking the second consecutive quarter of positive YoY growth.
Huawei stood out as the best performer among all OEMs during the quarter, enjoying 69.7% YoY growth; HONOR also saw double-digit growth.
vivo took the top spot followed by HONOR and Apple.
Apple’s sales dropped 19.1% YoY in Q1 as Huawei’s comeback directly impacted the premium segment.
The market is expected to see low single-digit YoY growth in 2024.
Beijing, Boston, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, San Diego, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – April 23, 2024
China’s smartphone sales grew 1.5% YoY in Q1 2024, marking the second consecutive quarter of positive YoY growth, according to Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service. Huawei stood out as the best performer among all OEMs during Q1, growing 69.7% YoY. Huawei’s growth was largely attributed to the successful launch of the 5G-capable Mate 60 series as well as its enduring brand reputation, helping it to gain a massive share in the $600+ premium segment. Despite Huawei’s comeback, HONOR still managed to grow 11.5% YoY in Q1 driven by its popular models, such as the X50 and Play 40, and its expansion in offline channels.
Source: Counterpoint Market Pulse Service Notes: OPPO includes OnePlus; Xiaomi includes Redmi; vivo includes iQOO; Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Commenting on the market dynamics, Associate Director Ethan Qi said, “Momentum seems to be building on a recovery as China’s smartphone sales continued their growth trajectory and grew 4.6% QoQ in Q1 2024. The sales promotions during the Chinese New Year festivities were the biggest growth driver. The average weekly sales during the four weeks leading up to the Chinese New Year saw a robust growth of 20% when compared to a normal week, according to Counterpoint’s China Smartphone Weekly Model Sales Tracker.”
Further commenting on the market dynamics,Senior Analyst Mengmeng Zhang said, “Q1 2024 was the most competitive quarter ever, with only 3% points separating the top six players in terms of market share. Smartphone OEMs compete fiercely during the festive period, finalizing various marketing and promotional strategies well in advance. In particular, Chinese OEMs, with their ample cost-effective offerings, capitalize on the surge in sales in the low-end segment as migrant workers purchase more affordable, budget smartphones when returning home for the holidays. This trend further narrowed the market share gap among major players.”
Commenting on OEM performance, Senior Research Analyst Ivan Lamsaid, “vivo gained the top spot this quarter with 17.4% share driven by strong sales of the Y35 Plus and Y36 models in the low-end segment and the S18 in the mid-end segment. HONOR ranked second with a 16.1% share, followed by Apple with a 15.7% share. Apple’s sales were subdued during the quarter as Huawei’s comeback has directly impacted Apple in the premium segment. Besides, the replacement demand for Apple has been slightly subdued compared to previous years.”
Looking forward, Lam saw the possibility of an iPhone recovery: “We are seeing slow but steady improvement from week to week, so momentum could be shifting. For the second quarter, the possibility of new color options combined with aggressive sales initiatives could bring the brand back into positive territory; and of course, we are waiting to see what its AI features will offer come WWDC in June. That has the potential to move the needle significantly longer term.”
Counterpoint Research estimates low single-digit YoY growth for China’s smartphone market in 2024. The advent of generative AI has already seen Chinese OEMs integrating such features into their flagship devices. We anticipate smartphone OEMs will continue to explore new AI applications, with these advancements further trickling down to the mid-end segment.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
Postpaid iPhone promotions in the US were generally very competitive in Q1 2024, with carriers offering similar deals on the iPhone 14 and 15 series.
In the second week of January, AT&T ended some holiday promotions and increased prices for many iPhone 14 and 15 series models.
We think AT&T faces some risk of underperforming for the quarter relative to competitors in part due to these softening iPhone deals and lack of high-value device promotions.
At the start of Q1 2024, postpaid iPhone promotions in the US were very competitive, with carriers offering similar deals on iPhone 15 and 14 series devices. All carriers have had offers to get the iPhone 15 Pro for free and the iPhone 15 Pro Max for $199.99 since device launch. In the case of Verizon and T-Mobile, promotions remained consistent throughout the quarter, with the two offering most of the same deals at the end of the quarter as they did at the turn of the new year.
However, in the second week of January, AT&T ended holiday promotions and increased prices for the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and 3rd Generation iPhone SE. During the holiday season, the big three carriers all had deals to get the iPhone 15 for free, but after the promo change, AT&T’s best offer for the iPhone 15 stood at $129.99.
In February, AT&T further increased the price of the iPhone 15 Plus to $395.64 with the purchase of a new line. There are currently no listed trade-in deals for the model. AT&T has had the highest price for this device since launch, where its best offer was $99.99. T-Mobile and Verizon both had, and still have, deals to get it for free. For many customers looking to trade in a device, it is cheaper to get an iPhone 15 Pro Max at AT&T than it is to get an iPhone 15 Plus. This could be affecting the sales of the Plus model at AT&T stores.
AT&T Best Offer for iPhone Devices, Weeks 1-13 of 2024
At Verizon and T-Mobile, iPhone pricing has remained consistent. All Apple devices are priced the same as they were at the start of 2024, with the exception of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. T-Mobile lowered the cost of the 14 Pro Max by $99.99, offering it for free with a trade on a Go5G Next plan.
iPhone 15 Minimum Prices at Big 3 Carriers, Week 12 of 2024
The current iPhone promotion landscape for carriers is very competitive, with T-Mobile and Verizon offering promotions of similar types and values. Most of the recent promotional changes have been price increases at AT&T, which has distanced it from the other two carriers. It is either maintaining the status quo with the other carriers or falling behind in terms of minimum cost for Apple devices. This could impact its subscriber retention and addition.
The main thing AT&T has going for it is that its deals are universal. Almost all AT&T device promotions apply to both existing and new customers, whereas there are sometimes specific requirements customers have to meet to get better promos at other carriers. For example, AT&T has the 3rd Generation iPhone SE listed on its website for $71.64 (or $1.99 per month) after discount with the purchase of a new line. T-Mobile offers the device for free with the purchase of a new line and trade-in of an old device. But without the trade-in aspect of the deal, T-Mobile is selling the device for $215 with the purchase of a new line. So, when comparing similar deals, AT&T’s prices are actually very competitive. However, it only offers one standard deal on most devices while T-Mobile and Verizon often have 3-5 different promotions for a particular model. Therefore, it is important for consumers to read the details of these promotions. Some of the deals on T-Mobile and Verizon’s websites will look very strong, but may only be available for specific plans and customers, or require trade-ins. In contrast, AT&T often boasts more modest discounts, which tend to apply to a wider range of buyers.
We think AT&T faces some risk of underperforming for the quarter relative to competitors in part due to these softening iPhone deals and lack of high-value device promotions. In Q4 2023, AT&T executives described the company’s device promotions as “disciplined” while labeling competitors’ promotions as “rich”. The carrier was proud that it was able to out-add Verizon despite these weaker promotions. But this may not be duplicatable in Q1, especially due to the additional customers AT&T likely lost following its network outage on February 22, along with the fact that a lot of iPhone promos at AT&T are weaker than they were in Q4 when compared to the competition.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous technology. However, a major downside is that AI processing in the cloud requires a massive amount of power. In this regard, on-device AI can be a boon for sustainability as it processes data directly on a device, which translates into less energy consumption and a smaller carbon footprint. Qualcomm is already focusing on on-device AI, energy-efficient chipsets, and collaborating across industries to promote sustainable practices. At MWC 2024, Jan Stryjak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research had a quick chat with Angela Baker, Qualcomm’s Chief Sustainability Officer on the company’s sustainability efforts and initiatives in this area.
The Interview
Key takeaways from the discussion:
On-device AI for efficiency:
• On-device AI processing is a key driver for sustainability.
• Energy consumption can be reduced by processing data on the device, rather than sending it to the cloud.
• Qualcomm is already researching to quantify these efficiency gains.
5G for efficiency across industries:
• Beyond smartphones, various industries can benefit from Qualcomm’s tech.
• 5G is a good example as it is 90% more efficient than 4G networks.
• It can improve efficiency in agriculture, manufacturing, and connected vehicles.
• With future generations like 6G, Qualcomm will focus on building even more energy-efficient networks.
Balancing sustainability with growth:
• It is always a challenge to align business practices of selling new devices versus promoting sustainability.
• Qualcomm is addressing this by extending software updates for IoT devices (8-10 years).
• Qualcomm is also diversifying into new markets like automotive and IoT.
Adapting to regulations:
• New regulations around sustainability reporting (e.g. CSRD in Europe) are driving Qualcomm’s efforts.
• Qualcomm is conducting a double materiality assessment to align its ESG reporting with the financial strategy.
Analyst Takeaways:
• Qualcomm is at the forefront of AI innovation, and its key messages at MWC were around on-device AI, energy-efficient chipsets, and collaborating across industries to promote sustainable practices.
• There are two key questions around sustainability for tech companies in the AI era. The first is how to improve or even maintain energy efficiency given the vast requirements of 5G networks and AI processors. The second is how to balance sustainability (for example, by increasing device durability) with business growth (for example, through the sale of more devices).
• Qualcomm has a good answer to the first: 5G is more efficient than 4G, and combined with AI, it can bring about efficiency improvements in other sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and connected vehicles, not just the mobile space. As for balancing sustainability versus growth, this is much more of a challenge, but diversification into new markets like automotive and IoT can help.
• To become truly sustainable, companies need to ingrain their eco targets into their business KPIs and not just a part of marketing or CSR/ESG reporting. Qualcomm is doing this better than many other companies, as sustainability appears to be more tightly aligned with the company’s goals and business models.
Samsung’s latest Galaxy S24 smartphones have introduced a significant leap in Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, with an emphasis on generative AI (GenAI) features. Leveraging the power of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC for Galaxy for on-device processing and super-fast 5G, and Google Cloud for hybrid AI functionalities, the Galaxy S24 lineup shows Samsung’s commitment to AI integration with Galaxy AI.
Using Gemini LLM’s AI capabilities, Samsung and Google are bringing new ways to search with the new ‘Circle to Search’ feature. Gemini Nano brings the new Magic Compose feature to Google Messages (the default messaging app on the Galaxy S24 series) enabling different messaging styles, completely on-device, without needing an internet connection. There is also the Gemini Pro which powers summarization features, cutting long stories short, in apps like Voice Recorder, Samsung Internet Browser, and Samsung Notes. Lastly, using Google’s Imagen2 with text-to-image diffusion technology, Samsung is bringing intuitive photo editing with the new Generative Edit feature. Both Generative Edit and Summarization features require an active internet, making them hybrid AI features.
There are also other features like Live Translation, instant slow-mo, and generative wallpapers that make Galaxy AI a differentiating feature, setting the Galaxy S24 apart from its competitors. We have been using the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for over three weeks now, and we will summarize our experience and how to use all these Galaxy AI features.
Senior Analyst Akshara Bassi, who tracks HPC and the cloud market, said, “Integrating AI, specifically at the Edge through native and cloud integration, will spur AI adoption across consumers who have yet to see its use beyond the text and image use cases. This will bring a more personalized user experience supercharged through Google’s multimodal AI – Gemini Pro. Additionally, the cloud-enabled solution will allow the likes of Google to tap into other smartphone players by letting them experience AI, thus turning into AI proponents, and possibly nudging them to upgrade to native AI-enabled chipsets for smartphones.”
WATCH: Galaxy AI: All the GenAI Features on the Samsung Galaxy S24
How to use Galaxy AI Features on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Series
Circle to Search: A new way to search, shop and translate!
Search has been fundamental to our internet experience, and after more than two decades, Samsung and Google are changing how we search. Found something intriguing while scrolling through Instagram Reels, a website, or even a photo? Simply draw a circle around it, and Galaxy AI will pull up relevant information along with links, be it a product, place, or even a piece of artwork.
The new “Circle to Search” feature combines Google Lens and text search, and it is activated by pressing and holding the home button. Users can even draw a circle around text to quickly translate it. All this takes place on the same screen, without switching between apps.
Activate the Circle to Search feature by heading to — Settings > Display > Navigation bar > and then toggle “Circle to Search.”
Live Translate: Break language barriers to communicate easily
Traveling to a foreign country or chatting with your international friends? Language will no longer be a barrier to your communication. With real-time translations for both voice calls and text messages, you can have a seamless conversation on the go. This feature works across apps like the dialer for phone calls, voice recorder, text, and instant messaging apps, be it WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and more.
The live translate feature is natively built into the keyboard app, so third-party apps are out of the picture. In the Samsung Internet Browser, you can also translate the entire web page to read comfortably in your native language. Users also get native interpreter mode for two-way voice translation. It is more like having a personal interpreter with you all the time. And as all this works on-device, even in-flight mode, your chats are secure without compromising on privacy.
Bonus: Users with Galaxy Buds TWS and S24 can speak directly into their Buds mic and listen to the translated voice without having to pass the phone back and forth.
AI Summarization: Save time by getting a gist of lengthy articles within seconds
No time to go through long-form text, lengthy articles and transcripts? The AI summarization works perfectly across web pages on Samsung’s Internet Browser, Samsung Notes, and the Voice Recorder app. Users will see a new Galaxy AI Star Icon on the browser tab of these apps, tapping the icon will provide a quick, short or detailed summary of the text in just a few, easy-to-consume bullet points. However, for the AI summarization feature, an internet connection will be needed.
Meanwhile, the Voice Recorder app can be used for transcribing voice to text, which also works in offline mode.
In the Samsung Notes app, users can get a quick summary of the notes in a few bullet points. The Galaxy AI can also correct spellings and translate text. What’s even more interesting is if you have jotted down meeting notes, the Galaxy AI can also format them with relevant headers and bullets and create a nice-looking cover image too. For these features to work, an internet connection and a minimum text length of 200 characters is required.
Chat Assist: Improve your conversational tone in messages and chats
Chat Assist enhances messaging across various apps, offering tone customization, spelling and grammar checks, and more. As these features are a part of hybrid AI, they need an internet connection to work.
Users can improve their writing style by choosing between different conversational tones (professional, casual, polite, or using emojis). This feature can come in super handy when communicating over messaging apps with your boss, colleagues, friends, and family. Users can also use AI to do a quick spelling and grammar check. As it uses hybrid AI, these features need an internet connection to work.
Magic Compose: Say goodbye to writer’s block!
Struggling to compose a text message? Magic Compose in the messaging app can offer context-aware, AI-generated suggestions and pre-composed replies for messages. When composing a message in the messaging app, users will see a sparkly pencil icon to pull up the Magic Compose option.
Users can keep changing the style of the auto-generated replies until they find the right words that fit the tone. They can choose between presets like formal, chill, lyrical, and even a Shakespearean tone. All this happens on-device, and the auto-compose features work even when there is no internet connection.
Generative Edit: Unleash your creativity and photo editing wizard with AI editing
Most of us capture a lot of photos using our smartphones and sometimes wish we could remove unwanted objects or people from the frame. Other times, we wish the frame was a bit different or the subject could have been slightly away from the center. Generative Edit can make that happen.
The Generative Edit is one of the most interesting GenAI features on the Galaxy S24 lineup. Using Google’s Imagen 2 text-to-image diffusion technology deployed on Vertex AI, Generative Edit brings some nice and intuitive photo-editing capabilities similar to Google’s Magic Eraser and Adobe’s Generative Fill.
Simply go into the Gallery App > Select the photo > Tap edit > then select Generative Edit, the blue circle with three stars. Next, using your finger (or S Pen), select the subject, and move around the screen or erase it. You can also pull up a subject from a different photo and add it to the edited one, thus creating a completely new photo. The editing is not always flawless, but the trick just works most of the time. This feature needs an internet connection to work though. Another thing to note is that photos edited in generative edit mode have a watermark on the bottom left and also add metadata, suggesting that it is an edited photo.
There are two more features in the Gallery App and they do not require an internet connection to work. When you select a photo in the Gallery App and tap on the “i” icon at the bottom, the AI will analyze the photo and offer suggestions to remove reflections and shadows from the photos. It works quite well, though sometimes the shadow removal feature could make the photos look washed out.
Instant Slow-mo: Add drama to your regular videos
As the name suggests, this GenAI feature lets you slow down your ordinary videos by adding a slow-motion effect. It works on videos shot between 720p to 4K resolution by filling in the gaps between frames using generative AI. In the Gallery App, users simply need to tap and hold the video to see what the effect will look like, and then tap on the edit button, select the portion that needs to be slowed, adjust speed, and save the video.
If your video was shot at 30fps, it can be slowed down to half or quarter speed, whereas 60fps videos can be slowed down up to one-eighth speed. We tried recording some videos at different resolutions and frame rates and noticed that videos shot at 60fps offer better results.
Generative AI Wallpapers: Create your own, unique wallpapers
A lot of us like to personalize our smartphones with different wallpapers and themes. Now, with generative AI, users can create their custom wallpaper using different themes such as Imaginary, Mineral, Terrain, Painting, and more. Each theme has a pre-defined key phrase where one can change up to three keywords to better describe an image they are looking to generate.
Users can let their imaginations run wild with the text prompts, but they cannot be changed beyond the pre-defined ones. Still, there are enough keywords and themes available to generate interesting wallpapers. The Generative Wallpapers can be created by heading over to Settings > Wallpaper and Style> Change Wallpapers > Generative (inside the creative category).
Initial thoughts
AI has existed on smartphones for more than half a decade now, but with on-device GenAI capabilities, smartphones have now become even smarter and more supercharged. The impressive new AI features will help boost productivity and creativity. We are only just scratching the surface, but as more OEMs and app developers start integrating more intelligence into their apps, the experience can be further redefined.
However, the Galaxy AI features are not perfect. Sometimes the translation is not accurate. The photos edited using generative edit are not pixel-perfect, but all these are still early examples, and with more data, new use cases, and wider adoption, it will likely improve, especially considering everyone is putting their efforts into AI.
Following its launch, the Galaxy AI features will be free until 2025. Although Samsung has not revealed its future pricing plans, it may go for a subscription model which could very well be an additional source of revenue via software services.
A new Google Store is now open on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts. This marks the fourth experience store that Alphabet has opened in the US.
Google is aiming to boost Pixel’s mind share and to showcase the latest Pixel features with these brick-and-mortar stores.
Stores focus on leaving consumers with new Android experiences and knowledge rather than trying to convert them over to a Pixel device.
A new Google Store is now open on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts. This marks the fourth experience store that Alphabet has opened in the US, with the first one opening in Chelsea Market, Manhattan, in 2021. Here are five takeaways from visiting the new store and speaking with several store representatives:
Boosting Pixel presence: Google Pixel’s presence in the US smartphone market has grown over the years, but the brand still in third place after Apple and Samsung in terms of premium smartphone sales. Google has done a lot in terms of marketing sponsorships over the years, from big WNBA and NBA partnerships to celebrating music and 50 years of hip-hop and supporting small and POC-owned businesses. Opening another experience store will help Google take Pixel to many of those who are not fully aware of Google’s offerings.
Personalized shopping returns: After the COVID-19 pandemic, life for consumers has been very “digital first” when it comes to shopping. But Google and others like Verizon, which is opening hundreds of new ‘Total by Verizon’ locations across the country, are betting on a better in-person customer experience.
Showcasing Pixel’s capabilities: All the reps at the new Google Store came equipped with their own work Pixel devices to showcase Gemini’s large language model (LLM) LaMDA on the spot, or highlight Pixel’s prowess in photography and GenAI tools like the Magic Eraser. Customers should leave the store with at least a seed planted of the software capabilities of the latest Pixel hardware line-up. There are many features that Pixel has to offer but it is hard sometimes for consumers to fully understand everything these devices are capable of.
iOS conversion not a focus and that’s OK: When asked what a rep would do if an iOS user came to the store, the response was to show them interesting features of Pixel devices that iPhones don’t have, such as Gemini or the Pixel 8 Pro’s built-in VPN. However, it is understandable that an iOS user with multiple Apple devices, such as iPhone, AirPods, Watch and MacBook, won’t easily be converted over because the whole ecosystem of the consumer is iOS based and it would take a lot of money to switch over everything.
Events and experiences needed: Granted, this is a brand-new store, but hopefully there will be something planned for the future, like the Google Visitor Experiences that are available in the other locations. Flagship stores are a wonderful way to introduce new people, especially young and old (which are vital customer segments), to new technology and features.
Overall, this is a positive development for Google, especially if it is able to keep the footfalls high by organizing interesting events and experiences. Educating consumers on the latest Pixel hardware and software developments as well as the overall Pixel ecosystem of devices will be the key to Google’s longevity in the US market, especially the crowded and heavily consolidated US smartphone market.
In order to access
Counterpoint Technology Market Research Limited (Company or We hereafter) Web sites, you may be asked to complete a registration form. You are required to provide contact information which is used to enhance the user experience and determine whether you are a paid subscriber or not.
Personal Information
When you register on we ask you for personal information. We use this information to provide you with the best advice and highest-quality service as well as with offers that we think are relevant to you. We may also contact you regarding a Web site problem or other customer service-related issues. We do not sell, share or rent personal information about you collected on Company Web sites.
How to unsubscribe and Termination
You may request to terminate your account or unsubscribe to any email subscriptions or mailing lists at any time.
In accessing and using this Website, User agrees to comply with all applicable laws and agrees not to take any action that would compromise the security or viability of this Website. The Company may terminate User’s access to this Website at any time for any reason. The terms hereunder regarding Accuracy of Information and Third Party Rights shall survive termination.
Website Content and Copyright
This Website is the property of Counterpoint and is protected by international copyright law and conventions. We grant users the right to access and use the Website, so long as such use is for internal information purposes, and User does not alter, copy, disseminate, redistribute or republish any content or feature of this Website. User acknowledges that access to and use of this Website is subject to these TERMS OF USE and any expanded access or use must be approved in writing by the Company.
– Passwords are for user’s individual use
– Passwords may not be shared with others
– Users may not store documents in shared folders.
– Users may not redistribute documents to non-users unless otherwise stated in their contract terms.
Changes or Updates to the Website
The Company reserves the right to change, update or discontinue any aspect of this Website at any time without notice. Your continued use of the Website after any such change constitutes your agreement to these TERMS OF USE, as modified.
Accuracy of Information:
While the information contained on this Website has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, We disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. User assumes sole responsibility for the use it makes of this Website to achieve his/her intended results.
Third Party Links:
This Website may contain links to other third party websites, which are provided as additional resources for the convenience of Users. We do not endorse, sponsor or accept any responsibility for these third party websites, User agrees to direct any concerns relating to these third party websites to the relevant website administrator.
Cookies and Tracking
We may monitor how you use our Web sites. It is used solely for purposes of enabling us to provide you with a personalized Web site experience.
This data may also be used in the aggregate, to identify appropriate product offerings and subscription plans. Cookies may be set in order to identify you and determine your access privileges. Cookies are simply identifiers. You have the ability to delete cookie files from your hard disk drive.
