[Interview] How Samsung is enriching 100 million lives with One UI 6.1

One UI 6.1, Samsung’s latest major software update, is all about Galaxy AI. The Galaxy S24 came with it out of the box, enabling us to experience how an AI phone can transform the way we interact with our devices and the world around us. It goes without saying that Galaxy AI is impressive and it’s one of the reasons why the Galaxy S24 series has performed so well in the market.

The question on everyone’s mind was if, or when, might Galaxy AI be released for existing devices. Samsung had confirmed pretty early on that a handful of existing flagship devices will receive the One UI 6.1 update that brings Galaxy AI. That day has finally come today, as Samsung is now rolling out One UI 6.1 for eligible devices, which include the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Tab S9 series, and the Galaxy S23 FE.

We sat down with Samsung’s Vice President of Mobile eXperience for Europe, Nick Porter, to learn more about the company’s vision for Galaxy AI, what it has aimed to achieve with this update, and what the future may hold.

Answers have been paraphrased for brevity and clarity.

Q1: Can you explain the thought-process behind One UI 6.1, what consumer pain points was the team focused on addressing?

Samsung’s goal with Galaxy AI is to make artificial intelligence more accessible, transform the way people connect with the world around them, and enable experiences not possible on smartphones before. We understand that consumers want to use their devices to the full extent of their capabilities to benefit their lives. While some of the benefits that AI delivers will be small and some outsized, we believe in the democratization of these premium experiences.

With the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy AI, we’ve ushered in a new era of phones, making it the intelligent phone. We’re now bringing that collection of features and experiences to more than a 100 million users globally. Innovation is in our DNA and we drive our relentless pursuit of innovation by listening to consumers’ feedback and giving them what they want more of.

Q2: How do you anticipate the various Galaxy AI features making a noticeable difference in the way people use Samsung products?

We’ve been pleased to see how consumers have been engaging with the Galaxy AI, using the powerful features to enrich their lives. Live Translate, Chat Assist, and Circle to Search are some of the key features that consumers are really loving and we’re happy with the reception that Galaxy AI has received.

For Samsung, AI is the future, and we’re at the forefront of expanding it not just on your phones but across the wider Samsung ecosystem. From on-device AI on Samsung’s latest smart TVs and other home appliances to recipe personalization in Samsung Food and supporting energy usage and conservation through SmartThings, we’re focused on bringing the benefits of AI in the hands and homes of consumers across the globe.

Q3: How important do you think AI will be in informing customers’ purchase decisions going forward?

We see that consumers are buying the latest smartphones because they want to experience and enrich their lives with these artificial intelligence functionalities. With Galaxy AI, people are able to do on their phones what they couldn’t before. It’s only just ramping up. This is the beginning of a new era and I don’t see it slowing down because of how impactful it is.

Q4: What specific feature or change proved to be the most challenging to implement in One UI 6.1?

Our big focus for this update was to expand Galaxy AI to the broader flagship range by listening to consumer feedback, understanding how they want us to improve our products and experiences. We’re bringing the transformative Galaxy AI experiences to more than 100 million users globally while ensuring that the quality of those experiences is as good as it is on the Galaxy S24 series.

Q5: Beyond the models already confirmed, what can you reveal about support for older models?

For now, our focus remains on expanding Galaxy AI to our current flagship range, which includes 100 million devices across the Galaxy S, Galaxy Z and Galaxy Tab lineups globally. I’m not aware of a roadmap for older models at this point in time, but perhaps this could be something we discuss in time.

Q6: Is there any concern that making Galaxy AI features available for the Galaxy S23 series so soon might hurt Galaxy S24 sales? Any particular reason why these features weren’t kept exclusive to the new lineup for longer?

We look to make devices that cater to as many consumers as possible, a fact that’s reflected in the diversity of our product range, whether that’s foldable phones, the mid-range Galaxy A series, or the Galaxy S flagships.

Regardless of the device, we want our customers to have the best experience that they demand from their phones. Expanding Galaxy AI rapidly ensures that more than 100 million users across the globe are able to experience best-in-class AI functionality on their devices.

Q7: How much was the decision to limit Galaxy AI to last year’s models driven by feasibility concerns related to cloud computing resources?

We’ve taken a hybrid approach with Galaxy AI to fine-tune seamless usage experience between cloud-based AI and on-device AI. Consumers value the various functions of on-device AI, they appreciate the immediate responsiveness and the extra assurance of privacy. We’re focusing on providing the right experience on the devices we do support right now so that consumers can effectively engage and use these features.

Q8: What’s the expansion timeline like for all supported devices, how quickly does Samsung intend to have this update out to all eligible users?

One UI 6.1 with Galaxy AI starts rolling out tomorrow for all eligible devices. We anticipate that over the coming days, users across the globe will be in a position to download One UI 6.1 and access all of the features. The roll out very much starts from tomorrow and we’re very excited to have it finally in the hands of consumers.

Q9: Did One UI 6.1 spend a longer time in development because of Galaxy AI? If yes, then can we expect Samsung to go back to its usual quick releases with One UI 6.1.1 and future One UI versions in general?

We’re very pleased with the success that One UI 6.1 has achieved after being launched with the Galaxy S24. Our aim with this release is to bring the same software experience to the broader flagship range at a similarly high level. This has been an area of tremendous focus and priority for us, that the experience consumers have as we expand Galaxy AI to more devices is as premium as possible and meets the expectations of the consumer.

Q10: In your view, what Galaxy AI feature will likely be used the most?

Circle to Search, Live Translate, and Chat Assist are some of the top features that consumers absolutely love. We see strong interest in those features right across the board, as they enable users to do what they found challenging or couldn’t do before on their smartphones. We’re proud of the reception that they’ve received and couldn’t be happier to see them expand to more devices.

Q11: What can you share about the future AI features that Samsung may be working on?

All I can say right now is, watch this space! AI is the future of technology and we’ve fully realized that with the launch of the Galaxy S24 that ushered in a new era for smartphones. AI is a technology that’s rapidly evolving. We’ll continue to listen to our consumers and their experiences, understand what they love and what they need to build new experiences.

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