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Samsung Gadgets to Expect in 2024: Galaxy S24, Z Flip 6 and More

If Samsung’s past launches are anything to judge by, we can expect new premium Galaxy phones, wearables and more in 2024.

Generative artificial intelligence, or AI that can create new content after being trained on data, took the tech industry by storm in 2023. Smartphones are no exception, as Google proved with its Pixel 8 launch and Qualcomm showed with its new Snapdragon chip. Samsung could be the next major smartphone maker to sprinkle AI smarts into its mobile products: It just introduced its own gen AI tool.

Samsung makes a lot more than just phones and wearables; its product lineup spans TVs, monitors, laptops and home appliances. But Samsung holds significant influence in the mobile market as one of the two dominant players that makes up the majority of worldwide smartphone shipments. Its Galaxy S launch is usually the first major smartphone launch of the year, meaning it could set the tone for what to expect throughout 2024.

Like many tech companies, Samsung tends to release new smartphones and smartwatches on an annual basis. While only Samsung knows precisely which new Galaxy products will be launching and when, it’s possible to make educated guesses based on the company’s launch patterns in years past. 

For example, Samsung usually starts the product year sometime in the first quarter by releasing new versions of its flagship Galaxy S phones, while its new foldable phones typically arrive in the late summer. 

Here are the mobile products we’re expecting to see from Samsung next year based on the company’s typical product launch cycle, reports and leaks. 

Galaxy S24 series

The Galaxy S23 (left) and S23 Plus (right) against a brick wall

Assuming Samsung follows the same launch pattern as in years past, the Galaxy S24 lineup will likely arrive in the first couple of months of 2024. Samsung announced the Galaxy S23 family in early February, while a report from Korean news outlet SBS Biz suggests the new phones could debut on Jan. 17. If the report ends up being accurate, the Galaxy launch would happen just days after the CES 2024 tech conference in Las Vegas.

Artificial intelligence will likely play a big role in the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung on Wednesday announced its new generative AI model, called Gauss, which is essentially its answer to ChatGPT. As with similar AI tools, Samsung says Gauss can compose emails, summarize documents and assist with writing code. The company hasn’t said which products Gauss will eventually arrive in, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it in the Galaxy S24. Also, in October Samsung announced its Exynos 2400 processor, which it says boasts a 14.7x boost in AI performance and enables text-to-image AI generation. 

Samsung usually only puts its Exynos chip in certain Galaxy models sold in specific markets and uses Qualcomm’s latest chip in areas like the US. But Qualcomm too has supercharged its next mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with more AI prowess. Qualcomm in late October showcased the chip’s AI features during its Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, potentially indicating that AI could be prominent on both the Exynos and Qualcomm versions of Samsung’s expected new phone. A report from the blog Sam Mobile suggests that will indeed be the case, as it says Samsung plans to emphasize AI features in the Galaxy S24. 

We don’t know what that will look like yet, but the camera seems like a plausible area to infuse with AI. Samsung recently announced a new feature for its 200-megapixel camera sensor called Zoom Anywhere, which should allow future phones to zoom in up to 4x when shooting moving objects. But since Samsung specifically says this feature is based on its 200-megapixel sensor, it would likely only be available on the rumored Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

Samsung already uses AI for its Bixby Custom Voice Creator, which lets users record sentences that the assistant can analyze to copy one’s voice and tone. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Samsung explore more voice-related AI features following Google’s recent improvements to the Google Assistant, such as its more realistic voice for screening calls.

Galaxy A55 5G

The Galaxy A54 5G

Samsung’s Galaxy A series phones aren’t as well-known as the company’s Galaxy S devices. But they stand out for their premium features — like multilens cameras and screens with high refresh rates — at lower prices. But keep in mind that they often compromise in certain areas like performance and camera quality. 

Samsung usually releases new versions of its Galaxy A phones in March, as was the case with the Galaxy A54 5G in 2023 and the Galaxy A53 5G in 2022. There haven’t been any leaks or rumors about the Galaxy A55 yet, but we can likely expect routine upgrades to the processor, camera and design. 

But don’t expect it to have the same chip as the Galaxy S24 lineup, considering the processor in Samsung’s Galaxy A phones is usually a step below what’s found in its flagship devices. The Galaxy A54, for instance, uses the company’s Exynos 1380 processor, which is a noticeable step back from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 series. That means if Samsung does release a successor to the Galaxy A54, it likely won’t have the same AI features we’re expecting to see in the Galaxy S24. 

Galaxy Z Flip 6

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 pictured half-open against a wall of colorful cassette tapes.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 was a significant step up from the Galaxy Z Flip 4, largely thanks to its bigger cover screen, gapless design and improved camera. The rumored Galaxy Z Flip 6 will likely build on the Z Flip 5 with typical upgrades like a fresh processor and perhaps more software features that take advantage of its foldable design. A report from the blog Galaxy Club indicates that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 could have a 50-megapixel main camera sensor, which would represent a notable step up from the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s 12-megapixel camera. 

See also: I Visited Samsung’s Home Turf to See if Foldable Phones Are Really the Future

The company also usually puts the same chip from its flagship Galaxy S series into the Galaxy Z Flip, so there’s a chance it will inherit the same AI tricks as the Galaxy S24 series. Of course, this is all just speculation for now; we won’t know for sure until Samsung makes an announcement.

Samsung typically announces new Galaxy Z Flip phones in the August timeframe, although it announced the Z Flip 5 slightly earlier this year, in July. 

Galaxy Z Fold 6

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 phone showing the camera lenses

Like the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung’s newest Galaxy Z Fold also usually arrives in the late summer timeframe. Rumors about what’s next for the Z Fold are scarce. But a recent patent showing a device that looks a lot like the Galaxy Z Fold with an S Pen slot has generated speculation that Samsung’s next book-shaped foldable will finally have a place to store its stylus. That could make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 more useful as a productivity device. 

Based on Samsung’s previous Galaxy Z Fold launches, the Z Fold 6 could have a new processor that matches the one in the Galaxy S24, some new software features and a slightly improved design. But we’ll likely have to wait until the summer to know for sure. 

Galaxy Watch 7 series

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

While we don’t know what’s next for Samsung’s smartwatch lineup, we can expect health tracking to remain a big theme. Samsung has been focused on sleep; it even conducted what it claims is one of the largest single health sleep studies ever by examining the sleep behaviors of Galaxy Health users worldwide. Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch software update from earlier this year also puts sleep statistics front and center on the company’s smartwatches. 

The biggest changes between the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 6 had to do with software, screens and battery life, as my colleague Lexy Savvides wrote in her review. It’s possible that Samsung could take a similar approach with the Galaxy Watch 7. Given the company’s expected focus on AI next year, it also wouldn’t be surprising to see AI features baked into the next Galaxy Watch. 

Galaxy Buds 3

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 offer an improved design

Samsung launched its pair of “fan edition” Galaxy Buds in 2023, but it’s been a while since it’s released regular and pro models. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro arrived in August 2022, and the Galaxy Buds 2 came in August 2021. While both pairs of earbuds got high marks from CNET’s David Carnoy for their comfortable design and good sound quality, there’s room for improvement. 

Some Galaxy Buds 2 Pro features only work with Galaxy phones, for example, which could limit their appeal to other Android phone users. And the regular Galaxy Buds 2 have low-level, IPX2 water resistance. Hopefully Samsung’s next generation of Galaxy Buds addresses these shortcomings and others. 

Galaxy smart ring

Oura 3 ring, with green LEDs lit on inside

Samsung has been selling smartwatches and wireless earbuds for years, but the tech giant may expand into a new genre: smart rings. A report from Korean news outlet The Elec indicates that Samsung could release a smart ring in the third quarter of 2024 or early 2025. The ring is expected to be a wellness device similar to the Oura ring and may come in four sizes, according to the report. 

While Samsung hasn’t made any announcements yet about plans to release a smart ring, health tracking seems like a plausible use case for such a device. The Oura ring, for example, has two big advantages over smartwatches: It’s more discrete and compact, making it easier to wear overnight. And it offers significantly longer battery life than a smartwatch since it doesn’t have a screen. 

New Galaxy foldable

Samsung has a lot of ideas about where foldable phones could go next, but none of its future concepts have graduated to becoming real products yet. At CES 2023, for example, Samsung showcased the Flex Hybrid, which has a tablet-sized screen that can extend to provide more screen space. That’s just one of several concepts Samsung has shown over the years; it’s also created prototype mobile devices that bend in multiple areas like an accordion.

The company hasn’t said when or if any of these concepts will make it to market. But shipments of foldable phones are expected to grow, even though they only account for a small portion of the mobile market today. Worldwide shipments of foldable phones are expected to grow 43.9% compared to 2022, according to market research firm International Data Corporation. 

Galaxy VR headset

Samsung Gear VR 2017

It’s been a big year for mixed reality, with Apple introducing its first headset, called the Vision Pro, Meta launching the Quest 3 and Sony debuting the PlayStation VR 2. But Samsung’s plans for mixed reality are still largely a mystery. 

Samsung, Qualcomm and Google are working on a mixed reality project, although we haven’t heard much about it since the three companies announced their partnership in February 2023. It’s possible that we’ll hear more at Samsung’s expected Galaxy S24 launch event since it may take place roughly one year after the partnership was announced.

Samsung hasn’t mentioned whether any specific mixed reality products, like a new headset, are under development.

“It’s more of a declarative announcement about how we are going to get it right in trying to build the XR ecosystem,” T.M. Roh, president of Samsung’s mobile division, said through a translator in an interview with CNET in February.

Although we don’t know what the company’s plans for mixed reality are yet, Roh hinted in a separate CNET interview in July that phones will play a big role in the experience.

“So for the short term, perhaps many features or experiences [in] mixed reality would be in connection with [the] smartphone,” he said. 

We’ll know more about Samsung’s product plans as 2024 unfolds. But what seems clear, given the tech industry’s direction, is that AI will be a big part of what’s next. 

Technologies

Passengers and crew foil co-pilot’s apparent attempt to crash FlyDubai flight to Israel

One of the pilots on a FlyDubai flight headed for Israel stabbed the second pilot, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On-duty flight crew and passengers managed to foil a pilot’s apparent attempt to crash a FlyDubai flight, after reports emerged of a fight in the cockpit.

The incident on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv happened when a co-pilot stabbed a pilot, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised the victim’s quick thinking.

“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.

FZ1073 was diverted to the Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, the airline said, after being successfully secured and diverted by flight crew.

FlyDubai in a statement said that an “altercation” occurred on the flight deck of the plane, but did not mention a stabbing.

However, the airline added that the underlying reasons and motives for the clash is currently unknown, urging all parties to refrain from speculation.

The injured pilot was identified by Netanyahu as Indian national Smit Machchhar. No details have been released on the identity of the attacker, except that he was being interrogated by Saudi authorities.

The Indian embassy in Riyadh said on X that Machchhar is in a hospital in Tabuk, and is reported to be in stable condition.

The Israeli Prime Minister also identified the passenger who broke into the cockpit as Yaniv Hayun, calling him a “hero” and adding he deserved “a global medal of honor.”

Flight data from tracking site FlightRadar24 showed that the plane had experienced extreme altitude fluctuations before broadcasting a “general emergency” squawk code.

FZ1073 had dropped from over 14,000 feet in just 29 seconds, and FlightRadar24 also added that vertical speeds ranging from approximately -30,000 to +10,000 feet per minute were observed from the transponder data.

For context, vertical speeds during normal operations rarely exceed plus or minus 4,000 feet per minute, it added.

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South Korean President Lee Reins In Alaska LNG Project Participation Following Trump’s Endorsement

South Korea’s proposed $200 billion U.S. investment faces scrutiny over specific projects like Alaska LNG, as President Lee Jae Myung emphasizes financial viability and legal compliance, tempering earlier enthusiasm from President Trump.

South Korea’s proposed $200 billion investment in the U.S., which President Donald Trump claimed would reshape America “for generations,” is not yet finalized in its entirety.

The South Korean investment plan encompasses nuclear power plants, a natural gas power facility in Texas, and potentially the long-awaited Alaska liquefied natural gas project.

Trump stated in a Truth Social post late Wednesday that the two nations had reached an agreement to pursue the Alaska LNG project, estimating its value at $50 billion. In response, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung cautioned on Thursday that involvement in certain projects still hinges on commercial considerations.

Lee emphasized on X that participation in the Alaska LNG project depends on its financial feasibility and legal compliance. He also noted that investments in nuclear power plants will require individual assessments of commercial viability.

The U.S.-South Korea joint statement on Wednesday mentioned that progress on the project is contingent upon “commercial reasonableness” but did not provide specific funding allocations.

The Alaska LNG project aims to transport natural gas approximately 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from fields on Alaska’s North Slope to the state’s southern region for liquefaction and export to markets such as Asia, according to Yonhap. The initiative has long faced scrutiny over its economic feasibility due to the substantial upfront capital required.

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan labeled the project “high-risk” last year, stating that involvement would be challenging without ensuring adequate cash flow.

Overall, the investment package includes $22.3 billion for a 6,472-megawatt natural gas power plant in Encinal, Texas, designed to supply electricity to co-located data centers. The project will be spearheaded by developer Related Cos. and U.S. energy company NextEra Energy.

Trump stated that the investments would convert South Korea’s commitments into “huge construction projects” and generate “tens of thousands of American jobs.”

“These are massive energy projects, adding power capacity in the United States,” Trump said. “This is new construction, new manufacturing, and great jobs for American workers.”

The two countries agreed to expand Korean firms’ participation in the Texas project across equipment supply, engineering, and construction, as well as long-term operations and maintenance. The U.S. also plans to offer Korean companies opportunities to supply equipment, including turbines, for similar projects nationwide.

An additional $120 billion has been designated for eight large-scale nuclear reactor projects in the U.S. Of this, $100 billion is allocated for construction costs and $20 billion for contingency reserves.

The nuclear agreement was signed by both governments along with Westinghouse Electric, Korea Electric Power Corp., and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. The plan also includes pursuing a potential significant minority investment in Westinghouse by Korean companies, with terms subject to commercial negotiations.

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SEC Advances Crypto Custody Rules as Major Legislation Languishes in Congress

The SEC has proposed new crypto custody rules for investment advisers and funds while comprehensive legislation remains stalled in Congress, creating a regulatory pathway for digital asset holdings.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has unveiled proposed regulations designed to simplify the process for investment advisers and regulated funds to maintain cryptocurrency holdings for clients, as American regulators move forward with crafting digital asset rules following the stalling of comprehensive legislation on Capitol Hill.

The proposal, revealed Thursday, would create a specialized framework governing how registered investment advisers, investment companies, and business development companies maintain custody of crypto assets.

The modifications aim to update decades-old custody requirements and eliminate regulatory obstacles that the SEC says have restricted advisers’ capacity to provide crypto-related investment options.

Under the proposed regulations, crypto assets could be held in self-custody under “certain circumstances,” while state trust companies could also function as custodians for crypto assets belonging to clients and regulated funds.

The changes could also grant regulated funds expanded authority to offer investors crypto-related investment strategies, according to the SEC.

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated that existing regulations had not kept pace with the rapid growth of digital assets, which have evolved into a multi-trillion-dollar market.

“Today’s proposal would provide a clear regulatory framework for the custody of crypto assets, giving investment advisers and funds a compliant pathway where none existed before,” Atkins said.

The proposal arrives as U.S. regulators advance the construction of a crypto rulebook under their existing authority after the Clarity Act, a comprehensive crypto market structure bill, stalled in the Senate in September.

This represents another step in the SEC’s broader initiative to reshape the U.S. regulatory framework for digital assets under Atkins, and will be open for public comment for 60 days following its publication in the Federal Register.

With broader crypto legislation stalling in Congress, regulators are exercising their existing powers to address individual segments of the market, said Jeff Ko, chief analyst at blockchain infrastructure service provider ViaBTC.

“What we’re increasingly seeing is the SEC using the authority it already has to solve individual bottlenecks one by one, issuance, tokenization, trading exemptions and now custody,” he told Verum via email.

The changes could also intensify competition among crypto custodians, potentially reducing the cost and complexity of investing in digital assets, he said, adding that institutional custody has historically been concentrated among a relatively small number of providers.

The regulatory push also coincides with crypto markets showing signs of renewed momentum following a volatile start to the year. Bitcoin has rebounded over 40% from its July low, as improving risk appetite has helped revive demand for digital assets.

The recovery follows a prolonged downturn from late 2025 into the first half of 2026.

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