Samsung’s new flagship phones can interpret a phone call as it happens. The company unveiled the Galaxy S24 series on Wednesday, January 17, calling it its first AI-powered phone lineup. Nikkei Asia reported that the launch kicks off a race to use generative AI to revive the smartphone market.
The series has three models: the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus and S24 Ultra. Prices in the U.S. run from $799 to $1,299. Nikkei said the phones run on Google Gemini.
How Live Translate works
The feature that drew the most attention is Live Translate, part of Samsung’s Galaxy AI package. It sits inside the phone’s native calling app. Audio and text translations show up in real time as you talk, Samsung said in a blog post, so no third-party translation app is needed.
Samsung’s own newsroom tried it on the S24 Ultra by booking a table at an Italian-American restaurant in downtown San Jose, California. A Korean-speaking editor tapped the Live Translate button, then dialed. When the hostess picked up, an automated voice announced, “Hello. This call is being translated and live captioned.”
The editor asked in Korean for a reservation on Thursday at 1:30 PM. The restaurant asked how many people. “Six,” she said. “Can I make a reservation for a window seat?” The phone passed each line to the hostess in English.
Samsung says the feature supports up to 13 languages at launch, with both audio and on-screen text. It remembers the language used for each contact and sets it automatically on the next call. It also works when the person on the other end is using a landline.
Translation happens on the device, Samsung said, which keeps calls private and secure.
Drianna Cardarelli, the restaurant’s general manager, said she could see the use. “I think it’s great for hospitality, especially for guests who don’t speak English,” she said. She pointed to the Spanish-speaking guests the restaurant often gets. “It would be great if they could just bypass asking to talk to someone fluent in Spanish,” she said.
Sources
- Samsung unveils 'Galaxy AI' with 'Live Call Translation' feature for upcoming Galaxy S24 smartphones
- Samsung unveils AI-powered Galaxy S24, starting new era in smartphone race
- [Galaxy Unpacked 2024] Breaking Language Barriers: Trying Out AI-Powered Live Translate on Galaxy S24 Ultra in San Jose, CA – Samsung Global Newsroom
