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 Introduction of New Feature to Boost Millions Of Samsung Galaxy Phones  

After promising to bring One UI 6.1 to more devices, Software updates coming to older Galaxy devices bring the latest AI features from the newest handsets. Samsung has confirmed it is bringing some of its latest software features to its Android Galaxy phones more than two years old thanks to a free update that’s just started rolling out. Until now, if you wanted the newest goodies from Samsung including handy AI tools which can search the web by circling images, translate a live phone call, or summarise a note or block of text for you, you’d have to have stumped up for the Galaxy S24 or S24 Ultra. Samsung is now rolling out the update to older Galaxy phones. Bringing with it formerly S24 exclusive Galaxy AI features to all of Samsung’s 2021 and 2022 flagships. The rollout has already begun in Korea and it will likely hit other territories shortly. The update will make its way to the Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy S21 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3.

Samsung has decided to bring the flashy new AI features to older phones. Circle to search, which you can call up by holding the home button or gesture bar to freeze your screen and then circle something to Google image search it, is now on Galaxy S23 phones and other models. The Galaxy S22 range, Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are getting almost all of Samsung’s current roster of AI features. This includes Live Translate, Circle to Search, Note Assist and generative image editing. The exception is the Instant Slo Mo camera feature, which is likely down to a lack of processing power in older handsets. Perhaps Samsung was encouraged to bring the handy new tools to more people after ti saw big uptake from users - the company says 8.8 million Galaxy owners across Europe have downloaded and used the AI features since the software updates went out. “Nearly 75 percent of Galaxy Z Fold5, 80 percent of S23 Ultra and nearly 65 percent of Tab S9 users across Europe have downloaded the One UI 6.1 update, making it one of Samsung’s most popular ever software updates,” Samsung said, adding it was “bringing Galaxy AI to even more Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Coverage will expand to the Galaxy S22 series, the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Z Flip4 foldable phones, and the Galaxy Tab S8 series tablets starting in May.”

This amounts to a big free boost for thousands of Galaxy owners across the UK. The S22 series and the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 came out in 2022, alongside the Tab S8 tablets. It’s great to see Samsung pushing its AI smarts to these still very capable older phones. The oldest devices on the list, the Flip 3, Fold 3 and Galaxy S21 series, will only get Circle to Search. This might be because of hardware limitations. Or, Samsung might want to keep some features reserved for new devices and push people into buying a new phone. While updating older phones with futuristic new features is welcome, and introduces people to the company’s AI tools that it’s rolling out across its TVs and home appliances, there’s a risk of devaluing its expensively-crafted, next-generation, AI technology.

Many phone companies are going big with AI in their latest handsets in an attempt to bring something new to entice customers as smartphone sales plateau globally, so it’s interesting to see Samsung bring features it could have kept exclusive to the newest Galaxy S24. The Galaxy S22 will likely still be serving you just fine in 2024, with no reason for you to upgrade - so perhaps Samsung is letting features trickle down quickly to its other customers to keep them happy, with an eye on their next smartphone purchase in a couple of years. Samsung might draw that line at its mid-range phones, like the recently released A55 and A35 handsets. The former’s Exynos 1480 chipset is newer than the base Galaxy S21’s Exynos 2100 processor, but it’s not wildly different in CPU performance. Considering that Circle To Search appears to be a polished version of Google Lens, which is widely available on older Android phones, these mid-range handsets should be able to run it.

Which devices are blessed with the update (and what features are available in that update) will be part of the Galaxy AI debate this year. Samsung is still figuring out its AI strategy for its many products. If you’re happy with your Samsung device for several years, you might be more likely to purchase another one when your current gadget gives up the ghost. We could end up with two tiers of Samsung devices: the haves and have-nots, which might impact price and resale value. In reaction to the One UI 6.1 update news, we can already see some grumblings from S21 users about not getting AI-powered image editing tools. Samsung is expected to launch its next-generation folding phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, later this year. It will also likely debut the Galaxy Ring, a smart ring with heart rate sensor.