Galaxy Ecosystem Vanguard Z6 Unveiled... Samsung Solidifies Lead in Mobile AI

Over 1,000 Attend Galaxy Unpacked in Paris on the 10th
Focus on Galaxy AI User Experience and Ecosystem Expansion
Interest in Whether Mobile AI Gap with Competitor Apple Will Widen

Samsung Electronics, which unveiled the ‘AI Foldable Phone’ Galaxy Z6 series, has embarked on a full-scale move to build the Galaxy AI ecosystem. Not Tae-moon, President of Samsung Electronics’ MX Division, revealed plans to increase Galaxy AI-supported devices to 200 million and stated that there are no plans to monetize Galaxy AI for the time being, signaling the company’s determination to maintain its leading position in mobile AI through the popularization of Galaxy AI.

On the afternoon of the 10th (local time) at 'Galaxy Unpacked 2024' in Paris, France, the foldable phones 'Galaxy Z Flip6' and 'Galaxy Z Fold6' were unveiled. Photo by Samsung Electronics

Leading the charge in building the Galaxy ecosystem, the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 captivated attendees with various features at the ‘Galaxy Unpacked 2024’ event held on the afternoon of the 10th (local time) at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France. The event was filled with about 1,000 attendees, including influencers such as the b-girl dancer Yeri and actress Sydney Sweeney, as well as domestic and international journalists.

The Galaxy AI applied to the two foldable phones showed an evolved form compared to the AI first introduced earlier this year with the Galaxy S24 series. Notably, the AI features available on the large 193.2mm (7.6-inch) display when unfolding the Z Fold6 and on the 86.1mm (3.4-inch) cover screen when folding the Z Flip6 stood out. The newly added ‘Voice Recording to Text Conversion’ feature and PDF overlay translation function in Samsung Notes’ Note Assist provided even greater productivity when paired with the large screen of the Galaxy Z Fold6.

In the case of the Z Flip, when a message arrives, the AI suggests three suitable replies on the cover screen, considering the difficulty of typing on the small screen. The Z series is equipped with the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy’ chipset, optimizing AI processing.

Samsung Electronics, which introduced foldable-optimized AI, is focusing on expanding Galaxy AI usage experiences among phone users. President Noh explained the accelerated release cycle of the Z6 series by saying, "We decided on the release timing with the goal of enabling consumers to use the AI features embedded in foldables as soon as possible." This is interpreted as an intention to further solidify Samsung’s position in the mobile AI market by securing users.

Wearable devices linked with the Samsung Health application, such as the ‘Galaxy Ring,’ ‘Watch Ultra,’ and ‘Watch7,’ are also expected to play a key role in expanding the Galaxy AI ecosystem alongside smartphones. Matthew Wiggins, head of Digital Health at Samsung Research America, said, "Samsung Health provides measurements such as sleep patterns, heart rate, activity levels, and stress," adding, "AI processes this information to inform users how to rest or whether they can be active."

Particularly high interest was shown for the Galaxy Ring at the event. When the Galaxy Ring video was shown, exclamations of admiration erupted throughout the venue. Lucas Zakar, a reporter from Slovakian IT media Techbyte, who was present at the event, said, "The product I’m most interested in among the new releases is the Galaxy Ring," adding, "I enjoy active exercise, so it seems helpful for measuring health information." The Galaxy Buds3 and Galaxy Buds3 Pro can use AI translation functions through the earphones when paired with the new foldable phones.

Collaboration with Google for AI advancement is expected to continue. At the event, Google’s Gemini User Experience Vice President Jenny Blackburn and Platform & Device Business Head Rick Osterloh appeared, emphasizing the cooperative relationship between Galaxy and Google.

On the afternoon of the 10th (local time) at 'Galaxy Unpacked 2024' held in Paris, France, attendees are experiencing the 'Galaxy Z Flip6' and 'Galaxy Z Fold6'. Photo by Samsung Electronics

As Samsung Electronics focuses on expanding ‘Galaxy AI’ users, there is interest in whether it can widen the mobile AI gap with competitor Apple. Apple plans to apply AI for the first time in the iPhone 16 series this fall. At the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 held last month, Apple announced plans to build its own AI system called ‘Apple Intelligence’ and previewed applying AI functions to the voice assistant ‘Siri’ in collaboration with OpenAI.

However, the European Union’s (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulatory law for tech companies, is expected to pose challenges to Samsung’s AI ecosystem development. The DMA was enacted by the EU to prevent abuse of market dominance by global big tech companies. Apple is considering not adding new AI features to devices in EU countries, arguing that the law could degrade the security of its products and services.

Samsung Electronics collaborates with Google, which is targeted by DMA regulations. In response to concerns about potential impacts, President Noh stated, "We will respond to regulations by providing users with the choice between on-device and cloud-based AI services, granting autonomy over personal information when using AI services."