Manufacturers are looking to artificial intelligence (AI) to rekindle consumer enthusiasm for smartphones as the incentives to upgrade diminish with each new model. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, this shift was made clear as companies displayed AI-enhanced features that will make smartphones the center of technological entertainment and utility rather than just competing on battery life or camera quality.
With features that seem like they belong in science fiction, Samsung, a leader in innovation, unveiled its Galaxy S24 series. Imagine a situation where get a call in a foreign language, and phone can translate it into 13 different languages—including Hindi, French, and Japanese—both visually and audibly in real time. Imagine AI-powered photo-editing programs that can alter photos while being incredibly contextually aware, seamlessly substituting produced backgrounds for erased objects.
Honor, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, also showcased its AI capabilities with the Magic 6 Pro. With its fast-reflex camera, it can perfectly capture the climax of any fast-moving scene. Eye-tracking technology also makes it possible for users to interact with apps without ever touching them, controlling operations with only eye movements. This feature was showcased by the incredible achievement of driving a car hands-free.
The substantial improvement in the computational capacity of AI chips integrated into the phones is what is responsible for this leap in capability, as it allows complex operations to be performed locally on the phone instead of depending on cloud computing.
Although integrating AI into smartphones seems to have many advantages and point to an exciting future, manufacturers will find it difficult to convince customers of these features when they may be wary of such cutting-edge technology.
Nonetheless, a spark is desperately needed given the noticeable decline in smartphone upgrades and the crowded market caused by negative economic factors and a perceived lack of innovation. Predictions indicate that by 2024, shipments of AI smartphones will account for nearly 15% of the total, suggesting that AI may be the spark the industry has been waiting for. It is reasonable to view the recent surge in smartphone technology as the start of a new era in mobile technology, as it has become increasingly integrated with everyday activities.
