Samsung Galaxy S24: When is the phone released and what new features does it have?

More than 13 years since the launch of the Galaxy S range, you may be wondering what else the high-end phones have to offer. 

We’ve already seen models that pack dazzling OLED screens, 8K video recording and insane zoom cameras. So, where does the bestselling phone go from here? 

Well, Samsung will attempt to answer that question with the launch of the Galaxy S24 next year. Facing stiff competition from the Google Pixel 8, Samsung is said to be banking on AI and a nifty camera upgrade to gain the title of best Android smartphone.

Here’s everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy S24, including its rumoured release date and features.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 should be the next generation phone in Samsung’s long-running Galaxy S series. 

Although the Korean company hasn’t made it official, it typically releases a new range like clockwork near the start of every year.

Since 2020, Samsung has offered three high-end Galaxy S-series models with each new version: a regular phone, a plus model with a larger screen, and an Ultra model with the best upgrades. 

To give you an idea of their price, this year’s trio of Samsung Galaxy S23 phones started from £849, £1,149, and £1,249, respectively. A more affordable Galaxy S23 FE (or “Fan Edition”) phone is due on December 8 for £599.

While the new phones haven’t been announced, Samsung has started to reveal some of the features that are likely to debut with the new range.

Earlier in October, the company released a demonstration of a new “zoom anyplace” technology that relies on its high-resolution 200-megapixel camera sensors. The feature can “simultaneously capture the full field of view and zoomed-in areas on video” and automatically track and film a moving subject within the frame. 

Some of those tricks are already available on the Honor 90 phone, and Meta’s discontinued Portal smart home camera. But, Samsung says its version will be able to record in higher-quality 4K even when zooming in up to 4x.

By the sounds of  it, the tech should take advantage of the rumoured 200MP main camera on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Its predecessor also comes with the same snapper, but a notable leaker claims the new version has incremental improvements.

Samsung’s advert also shows a logo for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which is rumored to be powering the S24 Ultra globally. The new mobile chip promises to deliver a raft of AI features that will run natively on phones, instead of on remote computers that are accessed over the internet.

A recent report suggested that Samsung is planning to capitalise on the upgrade with tech that allows you to type to create images and improved audio transcriptions. The improvements could be a boon for its unloved Bixby voice assistant. 

Both Amazon and Google have already teased AI makeovers for their digital helpers, and Samsung clearly doesn’t want to be left behind.

Finally, the company recently announced that it will start offering emergency satellite communications with its flagship phones in early 2024. The feature lets you call emergency services where there’s no signal or WiFi connectivity.

Apple already introduced Emergency SOS via satellite with the iPhone 14 lineup in 2022.

This time around, Samsung could debut the Galaxy S24 slightly earlier than usual. Whereas the S23 was unveiled in February, rumours suggest the next launch event could take place in mid-to-late January.