Samsung’s first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year is set to take place on January 17, but that didn’t stop the electronics giant from making an appearance at CES 2024 – nor from mentioning the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 line in all but name.
Speaking about its “next flagship” during its CES keynote (via Android Authority), Samsung announced a new feature that will allow its upcoming phones to double as high-quality webcams. You’ll be able to switch between the front and rear lenses, and even apply AI camera features such as background blur and auto framing, Samsung said.
This isn’t an entirely new feature, per se, since other phones – the Google Pixel 8, for instance – can already double as webcams. The feature appeared briefly in the Samsung One UI 6 Beta 3, too, before being removed in subsequent beta releases. Now, though, it seems certain that the Galaxy S24 and its siblings, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, will be the first Samsung phones to offer remote webcam functionality.
We’re also confident that Samsung will market this feature as a timed exclusive for the Samsung Galaxy S24 line, since the company hasn't provided any of its existing phones with equivalent webcam functionality, and its “next flagship” is mentioned by name.
There are already plenty of third-party apps that let you use your phone as a webcam, but Samsung is clearly hoping to cut out the middleman with the Galaxy S24 line. Apple pulled a similar trick with its Mac-compatible Continuity Camera system, and Microsoft is also reportedly working on adding webcam functionality to its Phone Link app.
In other words, if you plan on picking up a Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus or Galaxy S24 Ultra device come January 17, you may end up getting one of the best webcams, as well as one of the best phones.
As for what else we expect to see from the Galaxy S24 line this month, it seems certain that AI will form a key part of Samsung’s next mobile offering. The company’s Galaxy Unpacked tagline – “Galaxy AI is here” – coupled with what we’ve already heard about Samsung’s new, proprietary AI model, Samsung Gauss, suggests that all three upcoming phones will boast a smorgasbord of AI-powered features, which could give them an edge over Apple’s best iPhones.
Check out our CES 2024 hub for all the latest news from the show as it happens. We'll be covering everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI, so stick with us for the big stories. And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!
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