Samsung was the first to launch the One UI 6.1 update on the Galaxy S24 series of phones last year, introducing some new artificial intelligence features and other improvements. Last month, Samsung announced that it would push the One UI 6.1 update to older devices before the end of the first half of this year. Now, the company has announced a more specific update schedule.
Samsung has announced that it will start rolling out the One UI 6.1 update to the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and Galaxy Tab S9 series at the end of March 2024. This update will introduce some AI features on the Galaxy S24 series to older high-end phones. Some AI features can run on the device, while other features require a network connection.
According to IT House, Samsung aims to introduce Galaxy AI functions to more than 100 million Galaxy smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices by the end of 2024. The One UI 6.1 update will bring features such as browsing assistant, chat assistant, circle search, generative editing, instant slow motion, translator, real-time translation, note assistant, and transcription assistant to the above devices.
The Browsing Assistant feature allows users to create summaries of articles or web pages, but is limited to Samsung Internet Browser, helping users read and understand content faster. The Chat Assistant feature allows users to adjust the tone of language when messaging and provides grammar and tone improvements, supporting chat apps in 13 different languages. Circle Search allows users to circle anything on the screen and get more relevant information online.
Generative editing features allow users to select and erase unwanted objects in an image, as well as select and rearrange/reposition objects to make the image look perfect. You can also resize poorly angled images and use generative AI to create matching content to fill the remaining space. The Instant Slow-Mo feature lets users turn any regular video into a slow-motion video, using AI to generate in-between frames that double the number of frames in the video.
Translator mode allows users to talk to people who don’t speak their own language. This mode opens in split-screen mode on regular phones, foldable phones, and tablets. What Galaxy device users say is transcribed and converted into any other language of choice. The translated text is then converted to speech so that the other party can hear it in their language. Likewise, the Live Translation feature, which can translate languages in real-time during voice calls, also works on some supported chat apps like WhatsApp.
The Note Assistant function can help users summarize text content in Samsung Notes, and getting summaries can even be used with certain text format templates. The Transcription Assistant feature works with Samsung’s own Voice Recorder app to transcribe the voice in the recording into text, and can even tag up to ten speakers so users can better understand the content. All transcripts can be summarized, ideal for classroom and conference use.
It’s worth mentioning that some features introduced with the One UI 6.1 update, such as wallpaper support in the always-on display, will not be available on any Galaxy smartphones or tablets released before the Galaxy S24.
As for other Samsung phones, many models will also receive the One UI 6.1 update, but for now the AI features are expected to be limited to flagship devices Samsung releases in 2023 and beyond.
