Another great Samsung Galaxy S24 feature could come to Galaxy S23 phones very soon

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review apps
The Galaxy S23 Ultra (above) will be hugely improved by Samsung's One UI 6.1 update (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

We recently reported that a selection of Samsung’s new Galaxy AI features are coming to previous-generation Galaxy phones soon, and now we’ve got wind of another AI-powered feature that’s set to make the jump down to the Galaxy S23 line.

According to a moderator in Samsung's Community Forum (via SamMobile), Samsung plans to bring the Galaxy S24’s Instant Slow-Mo feature to last-gen Samsung devices, specifically the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Tab S9 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Instant Slow-Mo uses AI-powered frame generation to let you turn almost any regular video into a slow-motion video. As Samsung’s moderator notes, the feature requires 16.6 milliseconds of processing time for smooth real-time video playback, which rules out its future inclusion on older Samsung devices like the Samsung Galaxy S22, as they're not powerful enough. 

Those aforementioned 2023 flagships, however, will likely get Instant Slow-Mo as part of Samsung’s One UI 6.1 update, which will reportedly become available to download on Galaxy S23 phones as soon as next month.

Samsung's Instant Slow-Mo feature in action

Samsung's Instant Slow-Mo feature in action (Image credit: Samsung / Camera 1 person)

Instant Slow-Mo will join Circle To Search, Live Translate, Note Assist, and Photo Assist in the suite of Galaxy AI features available on last-gen Galaxy phones.

In the same Community Forum, Samsung’s moderator also notes that Samsung will improve the functionality of Instant Slow-Mo in future software updates. Specifically, the feature will soon be compatible with 10-bit videos, 480p resolution videos, and MOV video files. At present, Instant Slow-Mo is limited to 8-bit videos, 720p to 8K videos, and MP4 files.

Suffice to say, the imminent inclusion of Instant Slow-Mo on last-gen Samsung devices is another big win for Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 owners, who may have feared that the AI-powered Galaxy S24 line would leave their smartphones feeling outdated.

Samsung Galaxy S24 S24 Plus S24 Ultra hands on back angled camera closeup

OneUI 6.1 is tipped to release on the Galaxy S23 line in March (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

That said, if you’re considering picking up a Galaxy S23 Ultra on the cheap instead of splashing out on the pricey Galaxy S24 Ultra, think again. As TechRadar’s US Mobiles Editor, Philip Berne, wrote in a recent article: “Whatever you do, don’t buy a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.” 

At the time of writing, Samsung hasn’t yet dropped the price of its 2023 flagship down to a reasonable level, so we’d suggest going all out on the (absolutely fantastic) Galaxy S24 Ultra if you’re able to do so. You’ll get seven years of updates (instead of four) from Samsung’s newer phone, too.

For our full verdict on Samsung's latest phones, check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 review, hands-on Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.

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Axel Metz
Senior Staff Writer

Axel is a London-based Senior Staff Writer at TechRadar, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest movies as part of the site's daily news output. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.