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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

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

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Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

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Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”

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