Samsung is preparing to unveil its next-generation Galaxy S24 flagship phone lineup in early 2024. Recent leaks indicate that the new devices will introduce substantial artificial intelligence (AI) powered improvements to the camera experience and image processing capabilities.
Timeline of Events Leading Up to the S24 Launch
Samsung typically releases its S series phones early each year. The current S23 line debuted in February 2023. Rumors and leaks about the S24 family began circulating before the S23 lineup even launched.
Over the past year, tips have pointed to significant camera advancements and potentially the use of a new 200MP image sensor on the top-end S24 Ultra model. More details have emerged in recent weeks about the AI features Samsung is building to take mobile photography to new levels.
The company has now confirmed its next Unpacked event for January 18th, 2024 where the Galaxy S24 range is expected to be the highlight announcement.
S24 Camera Hardware: Conflicting Rumors
There is some debate based on leaks so far about whether the S24 Ultra will utilize an upgraded 200MP primary sensor or reuse the existing 108MP camera from the S22 and S23.
Renowned leaker @UniverseIce claimed in October that Samsung will opt for the current 108MP sensor, while other reports in December pointed to a new state-of-the-art 200MP Isocell HP2SENSOR.
The flagship S24 Ultra may be the only model set to get the advanced camera hardware if the rumors of a next-gen sensor prove true. The leaks indicate the S24 and S24+ would continue using the older 108MP and 50MP cameras respectively.
| Model | Main Camera Hardware |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S24 | 108MP, no change from S23 |
| Galaxy S24+ | 50MP, no change from S23+ |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | Possibly new 200MP sensor |
Major AI-Enhanced Photo and Video Capabilities
Whether featuring an upgraded camera or not, the Galaxy S24 lineup will introduce substantial improvements to image quality and processing through AI techniques. The phones are expected to run Samsung’s new One UI 5.1 interface over Android 14, which enables significant software photography innovations.
24MP Default Resolution Photos
One of the most exciting upgrades for the S24 Ultra is a quad-pixel sensor, likely to be either 108MP or 200MP, that supports full 24MP resolution photos with 4-to-1 pixel binning.
By default, the S24 Ultra camera will output extra-detailed 24MP pictures rather than the standard 12MP shots of past Galaxy flagships. At 24MP, the S24 Ultra should capture finer textures, sharper edges, and more precision.
Enlarged digital zoom photos will also benefit from starting at 24MP instead of 12MP.
AI Photo Enhancements
On top of 24MP native resolution, Samsung is introducing an advanced AI image remastering technique it calls AI Photo Remaster. The feature analyzes photos and applies custom enhancements individually tailored to each image. Changes could include relighting, color correction, sharpening, noise reduction and more.
Remastered photos are expected to look significantly cleaner with better highlights and shadows. The AI Photo Remaster will run on all S24 models, though the S24 Ultra is likely to see the biggest improvements from its upgraded camera hardware.
Improved Low Light Photography
Low light photos on the S24 line will also excel thanks to both software and hardware advancements.
The phones may use Samsung’s Nightography algorithms for capturing and fusing multiple frames. Rumors point to a sizable improvement in aperture size on the S24 Ultra lens, letting in more light. And its new sensor is tipped to have 2.4X better light sensitivity. Plus starting shots at 24MP will reduce noise compared to 12MP when light is limited.
Combined, these changes could make the S24 Ultra a class-leading performer for nighttime and indoor photography.
Upgraded Portrait Mode
Samsung is planning major upgrades to Portrait Mode on the Galaxy S24 family. The phones are likely to add a new AI Stereo Depth Map capability for creating more sophisticated depth maps. Along with better edge detection and background blur, AI Stereo Depth Map enables more advanced Portrait Mode features.
On the S24 Ultra, Portrait Mode photos will gain the option to refocus the foreground and shift perspective after capturing the image. Users can adjust the level of background blur as well. These changes allow much more versatility when editing Portrait shots.
Portraits are also expected to benefit from the overall image quality improvements of 24MP resolution and AI photo enhancements discussed above.
Enhanced Durability with Titanium Frame
Along with the AI camera upgrades, another significant design change rumored for the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a titanium metal frame. After Apple adopted titanium alloys for its high-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models, Samsung appears ready to follow suit. Titanium promises increased hardness and scratch resistance compared to aluminum, though with less weight than stainless steel.
The S24 Ultra frame will likely use a titanium alloy mixture. Coupled with an even tougher Victus 3 scratch-resistant glass panel on the display, the S24 Ultra shape up to be a very durable device.
These material changes may contribute to speculation that Samsung could raise the price on the S24 Ultra compared to past entries. Other factors like camera hardware upgrades, AI capabilities, and a reported starting storage bump to 256GB could also play into pricing. But Samsung may absorb higher costs itself to maintain sales volumes.
Outlook for the Upcoming Launch
As Samsung’s next premium flagship, the Galaxy S24 lineup needs to push mobile photography and performance to the next level while offering meaningful improvements over previous generations. The heavy emphasis on AI-enhanced features evident in early leaks gives every indication this will be the most intelligent Galaxy S series ever.
With its January Unpacked event weeks away, Samsung still has time to build anticipation and energize its fanbase for the S24 roll out. But the company will need to deliver on the lofty camera promises to compete with Google’s Pixel phones and Apple’s next wave of advanced iPhone 15 Pro devices also arriving in 2023.
If early rumors and leaks ring true though, Samsung appears ready to reassert the Galaxy S line as the smartphone camera king with the S24 family launch. Boasting 24MP native resolution, optimized low light and portrait performance, and customized AI photo remastering, the S24 Ultra in particular could be a content creator’s dream phone. And for average users, the upgrades add up to Samsung’s easiest point-and-shoot camera experience yet.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
