Andrew Martonik / Digital Trends
If you’reusing a Samsung phoneright now , you have TM Roh to give thanks for it . He ’s been the principal of Samsung ’s Mobile division for four twelvemonth , manage some of the party ’s most successful phone launches . He ’s navigated the pandemic , an onslaught of high - destruction Android earpiece from strong competitors , ever - shifting consumer preference , and lengthening earpiece upgrade cycle .
I was offered the rare opportunity to talk with Roh , crucially right beforethe Galaxy S24 headphone were unveiled , and get his first - manus take on how Samsung got to where it is today and what ’s next for the Galaxy S agate line .
Andrew Martonik / Digital Trends
Democratizing technology
From a phone fancier ’s position , Samsung is n’t seen as pushing the envelope as of previous . The company has consistently delivered technical initiation at a high level , year after year , that it ’s gotten to the level of being perceive asboring . But Roh impart that into perspective for me : Samsung , as a company , is centre on “ democratize technology ” and make it usable for everyone for years to come . “ What we aim to do is fulfill the expectations of various consumer , ” Roh say . “ We wish to ply the right mathematical product at the right time with the optimum features . ”
That can top towhat feels like a slow - and - steady approach , which may not get the fan scintillating to buy a new earpiece every year but is ultimately better for the modal phone purchaser . Samsung has focused on standardizing more feature film across its Galaxy S card . For instance , this year , the S24 and S24 + beak up the same varying refresh pace and brightness exhibit as the S24 Ultra .
Samsung ’s finish is to make the later tech available to everyone , in a wide range of equipment .
The decisions for which features to admit or change to make are base on theactual useof existing phones . “ We are gaining insights base on utilization , ” Roh said , which is inform what goes into the next multiplication . It ’s an interesting counterpoint to anyone on the outside who take to make out what the great unwashed want — Samsung knows what multitude are really using .
Roh also recognize that Samsung is a bit of a dupe of its own winner : People are hold onto their telephone set longer on average than ever before . That drift may only deepen now that Samsung supportsthe S24 lineup with seven years of software update . He expressed that this is why it ’s crucial for Samsung to focus both on what it can do for the masses with the S24 and also for the fans with the S24 Ultra .
This is , of course of instruction , an rising battle . While Roh is excited by the Galaxy S24 Ultra ’s move to a Ti consistency , new cover glass anda duad of important camera improvements , he at least implicitly recognizes that making year - over - year bound is n’t the ultimate goal . He noted that the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold provide a bit of a release valve for people who desire something truly different , and Samsung can render an altogether new experience only a folding can offer .
AI is here to stay
If it somehow was n’t clean by now , unreal intelligencewill be an integral part of our telephone set experiences for age to total . Samsung ’s “ Galaxy AI ” branding is all - encompassing , rounding up dozens of AI - powered features , which is a bite overwhelming . But Roh does n’t see it that means — because he view the introduction of AI in what I would regard to be therightway , with AI being a fundamental engineering that will just improve every speech sound user ’s experience .
It was refreshing to hear Roh excuse that AI is not , in itself , a feature of speech — it ’s a new engineering thatenablesnew experiences and features on the phone . The new AI features on the Galaxy S24 solve real problems and make real enhancements to the daylight - to - twenty-four hour period use of a Galaxy S24 — fromin - keyboard words transformation to generative AI photo editing — and ultimately , it does n’t weigh to the user whether it ’s “ AI ” or not . “We wanted to apply AI to the most popular feature and substantial use - subject scenarios , ” Roh said .
TM Roh know that ‘ AI ’ in itself is n’t a feature film — it has to enable a newfangled experience .
From a technological view , it ’s still impressive to sleep with that much of the AI processing occur on the twist itself rather than processed in the cloud , something Roh said “ we focused on in particular . ” The features simply would n’t be potential with this amphetamine and preciseness without the economic consumption of AI models . But sire back to Samsung ’s core principles , these AI feature are only here because they are approachable and usable by the average person — not just powerfulness users . And this is how Samsung“intends to set the globose standard for mobile AI . ”
And that let in owners of existing phone . Samsung is bringing some of these AI features to old Galaxy phones through package updates rather than gatekeeping them behind a new $ 1,000 + Galaxy S24 purchase . I ’m certain that ’s a tough line to take the air , deal it ’s interested primarily in sell raw phones , but when we know the S23 series is physically capable of processing these models , it ’s heavy to see Samsung unlock those capabilities for free .
The Ultra model is popular
Despite some phone enthusiast lamenting Samsung ’s boring and steady border district of innovation , mainstream consultation still see features deserving bear extra for in the most expensive model , and the gross sales prove it . With the Galaxy S23 series , a full 50 % of gross revenue werethe Galaxy S23 Ultra , with another 30 % being the base S23 and the concluding 20 % the S23 + .
This was downright scandalous ; I would ’ve expected the opposite to be true , given the gamey cost and the aforementioned feeling among fans that Samsung is n’t innovating enough . But when it comes down to it , buyers constellate to the top end . Roh was proud to say that Samsung ’s premium phones wield their sales event despite the overall smartphone food market declining in the class . He say Samsung ’s goal is forthe Galaxy S24 Ultra to increase that share further ; suddenly , the clear depiction between the Ultra and the other fashion model , design- and features - wise , makes more sensory faculty .
I went into this consultation thinking the Galaxy S24 batting order was just yet another year of ho - hum ironware refreshes and a few new software feature . After 45 minutes talking with TM Roh , understand the decisions and intellection processes that went into these phone helps bring it all into perspective . Samsung is , indeed , democratize access to technology through its telephone set — while walking a delicate line endeavor to fulfil the sky - high outlook its fans have set .
