What do you do if your one of the world’s leading smartphone Companies and you want to take smartphones to a new level, you pack it with AI and let two foreigners talk to each other despite neither being able to understand each other’s native language.

This is exactly Samsung has done with their brand-new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is so far ahead of Apple and their expensive iPhones that you have to seriously question why people keep buying technologically inferior smartphone for a premium price.

Oh, I forgot they want a brand over a really, really smart smartphone.

In its latest device Samsung has packed in live voice and text translation.

In theory, that means an Australian can have a discussion with someone in China and you both will understand each other, real time and it’s pretty neat.

Forget about how good the camera because it’s better than the S23, or how big the processor is, the magic in this device that takes the S24 to the top of the premium smartphone market, is their new Interpreter technology that allows you to freely communicate without being connected to mobile data or Wi Fi.

Basically, the S24 Ultra is so powerful that it can in real time allow you to talk to someone who does not speak your core language, or you their language.
But via the use of AI you will be able to have a conversation live and instantly.

A unique split screen display transcribes exactly what you are both saying to each other making it ideal for international business calls or when travelling.

There is so much AI amplified in the new Samsung S24 series that some brands are going to struggle to catch up.

For example AI built into the Samsung Keyboard can also translate messages, emails and more in real-time in 13 languages.

The S24 is the first device to pack in intuitive, gesture-driven Circle to Search via Google.

The new tool allows you to discover information via a simple gesture.

All you do is initiate a long press on the home button, circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap virtually anything on Galaxy S24’s screen to get high-quality search results.

For example, if you see a landmark or a feature such as the Opera House all you do is circle it and you instantly are presented with information on the landmark.

This device is not only packed with new hardware it’s the software that is far more intuitive and capable because of the new processing power packed into the S24 series that is delivering a totally new experience for smartphone users.

I first saw this device at CES in a private briefing and the first thing you notice is the new material feel of the casing. That’s because it’s manufactured from titanium, a first for Samsung.

The body is thinner than past models resulting in a better grip. On the Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, a streamlined one-mass design delivers a more aesthetic standard with seamless connection between the device’s rear cover and side frame.

And for those of you who are conscious of what colour smartphone you want to buy Samsung has seriously delivered with a mix of really neat new colours that include, Titanium Grey, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet and Titanium Yellow.

Online exclusive colours include Titanium Blue, Titanium Green and Titanium Orange with these models only purchased via the Samsung web site.

The introduction of a new AI powered ProVisual Engine allows you to easily play tricks with images.

You can simply transform image capture for social media.

Gone are shaky, pixelated images when you zoom.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Quad Tele System, with new 5x optical zoom lens, works with the 50MP sensor to enable optical-quality performance at zoom levels from 2x, 3x, 5x to 10xxi magnification due to the Adaptive Pixel Sensor.

Now you can capture clear images than you did with the S23 which had the best camera capability of any smartphone until today.

Now you can capture clear images using up to 100x zoom, in the past this was a bit of a stretch with images breaking up.

Basically, AI is reassembling the image on the fly to deliver images that are way clearer than in the past.

As for Nightography as Samsung calls it you now have new capabilities both when shooting stills and video.

Basically, you can capture more light in dim conditions because of the introduction of a new sensor that is 60% bigger than the current model S23 Ultra.

Blur is reduced because Samsung has introduced a wider optical image stabiliser (OIS) that delivers better images.

When recording videos, both front and rear cameras are equipped with Dedicated ISP Block for noise reduction, and Galaxy S24 analyses gyro information to distinguish between the filmer’s movement and the subjects. This allows more effective noise removal and clear videos in the dark, even from far away.

When you have captured a shot there is a suite of Samsung AI editing tools that allow you to to make simple edits like object, reflection and shadow eraser, re-compose, and remaster photos.When a picture is crooked, AI can help fill in the borders.

When an object needs to be slightly moved to be in the perfect position, AI can help users adjust the position of the subject and generates a perfectly blended background in its original spot.
I saw this in action, and it was seriously easy and the image was hard to pick where the edit was.

Anytime Galaxy S24 deploys generative AI to amplify an image, a watermark will appear on the image and in metadata.

And if an action-packed video needs to be slowed down, new Instant Slow mo can generate additional frames based on movements to smoothly slow down action-packed moments for a more detailed look.

In another move, Google has used the S24 launch to introduce Circle to Search, a gesture-based way to quickly find info without leaving your app. The feature will be exclusive to the new Galaxy S24 and the Pixel 8 / Pixel 8 Pro starting at the end of January.

Google pitches Circle to Search as “a new way to search anything on your Android phone without switching apps.” You can activate the feature by long-pressing the home button or navigation bar. Then, circle something on your screen with your finger and see the results pop up at the bottom. To return to what you were doing, “simply swipe away and you’re right back where you started,” Google Search VP Cathy Edwards wrote in a company blog post.

This device has also been designed for next generation gaming.

Every Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy.

Optimised especially for Galaxy users, this chipset delivers big NPU improvement for more efficient processing.

In all three Galaxy S24 models, 1-120 Hz adaptive refresh rates also improve performance efficiency.

The top end Galaxy S24 Ultra delivers an optimal thermal control system with 1.9 times larger vapour chamber, which delivers better device surface temperature while also maximising sustained performance power.

Ray tracing enables life-like visuals with superior shadow and reflection effects.

I am not going to give away anymore, details until we get our full review sample and that will be soon.

Now comes the bill shock, pricing.

The Galaxy S24 Series comes in three storage variants, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, starting at $1,399. The Galaxy S24 series comes in Earth mineral-inspired colour tones.
On Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 colours include: Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet and Amber Yellow. Online exclusive colours include Sapphire Blue, Jade Green and Sandstone Orange.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy S24 series start from 18th January 2024, with general on-sale availability from 7th February 2024.
• The S24 starts at A$1,399 for the 256GB storage model
• The S24+ starts as A$1,699 for the 256 GB storage model
• The S24 Ultra starts at A$2,199 for the 256 GB model
The Galaxy S24 Series smartphones will be available from JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys tomorrow and direct from the Samsung web site.

Pick your colour