SAN JOSE, California — Samsung is amplifying the integration of artificial intelligence in its latest series of Galaxy smartphones, aiming to enhance the convenience of daily life while fostering greater reliance on devices that people often carry with them.
On Wednesday, Samsung introduced three models of the Galaxy S25 in San Jose, marking the second generation designed specifically for the AI era. This follows Apple’s foray into AI technology with the launch of the iPhone 16 last September. While the hardware of the Galaxy S25 remains largely consistent with the previous year’s models, notable improvements include a faster processor and an upgraded ultrawide camera lens.
Samsung is marketing the Galaxy S25 as an “AI companion,” capable of understanding natural language, recognizing users’ routines, anticipating their needs, and performing advanced functions like eliminating background noise from videos or identifying songs on request. The AI features are set to enhance the multitasking capabilities on the device by seamlessly navigating across various applications to retrieve, summarize, and manage information and content stored within.
In a bid to further establish the device as essential, Samsung has developed a “personal data engine,” which creates tailor-made digital profiles based on users’ behaviors and characteristics. “Everything you see here is the beginning of a new reality,” remarked TM Roh, a Samsung executive overseeing smartphone development, highlighting the innovative capabilities of the new devices.
Similar to Apple’s approach to AI, Samsung assures users that their privacy will be safeguarded while utilizing these advanced technologies. The protection mechanism involves storing all data collected by the AI directly on the Galaxy devices, secured in a digital environment humorously compared by the company to the Fort Knox military base, known for housing gold reserves.
Prices for the Galaxy S25 have been retained at last year’s levels, with the base model priced at $800, the Plus model at $1,000, and the Ultra model at $1,300. Consumers can expect these devices to hit retail stores starting February 7.
According to Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson, the Galaxy S25 series is expected to provide a more intuitive experience, characterized by integrated voice interactions and cross-application functionalities. However, he notes that AI features alone are not yet compelling enough to drive consumers to purchase new smartphones.
After experiencing a positive impact on sales from its AI focus, Samsung is continuing to invest in this aspect of its technology. The company recorded sales of 32 million units of the Galaxy S24 between January and September of the previous year, marking a 25% increase from the same timeframe the year before, as reported by Canalys.
However, in the budget smartphone sector, Samsung faced challenges due to competition from low-cost devices from Chinese manufacturers. This situation contributed to a 1% decline in Samsung’s total smartphone shipments last year, resulting in a slight lag behind Apple in the global market, according to research from International Data Corp.
Continuing its collaboration with Google, the Galaxy S25 will leverage AI enhancements developed by the tech giant, which has long provided the Android operating system that powers Samsung smartphones. Some of the innovative AI capabilities, like Google’s “circle to search” technology for swiftly identifying music titles in videos, will debut on the Galaxy S25 prior to becoming available on other Android devices later in the year. While Google is integrating more AI into its own Pixel phone, it continues to trail both the iPhone and Galaxy in terms of market share.
