STORY: Samsung has unveiled new AI smartphones in a bid to fend off Apple and Chinese rivals.
The new Galaxy S25 models were launched at an event in California on Wednesday.
They’re powered by chips from U.S. firm Qualcomm.
Company mobile experience chief TM Roh claimed they set a new standard in mobile innovation.
And a lot is riding on the new devices being a success.
Samsung’s preliminary fourth-quarter profit – released earlier this month – missed analyst forecasts by a wide margin.
Experts say the firm also faces flagging sales for its flagship foldable phones – once heralded as the next big thing for the sector.
The new handsets use Google’s Gemini AI system, and claim to offer more personalized service.
Google Deepmind CEO Demis Hassabis appeared in a recorded video at the event:
“We believe the next frontier for AI will be Agentic Systems, systems that are able to accomplish tasks and do useful things for you. And now we’re so excited to be partnering with Samsung to bring some of its groundbreaking capabilities to the Gemini app.”
The question is whether AI services will really prompt consumers to buy new phones.
Some industry watchers argue a really compelling new product is yet to appear.
But Technalysis President Bob O’Donnell says Samsung has taken a step in the right direction:
“So I thought today’s event was great because what I saw today, to be honest with you, was kind of the first real working examples of AI stuff that I think normal people are going to want to use. There’s been a lot of hype around AI and some of the things theoretically it could do, but I feel like today we started to get a hint at some stuff that regular people are going to want to use, and it will be truly impactful.”
Samsung touted features including its ‘Now Brief’ service, which can make personalized recommendations and display customized items ranging from calendars and news to bedroom temperatures.
The South Korean giant kept the starting price of the phones unchanged at $799.
