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Smartphones have been the gateway to artificial intelligence (AI) for millions in 2024, showcasing exciting possibilities but also revealing significant gaps. With companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google leading the charge, generative AI tools have reached unprecedented levels of integration into daily life. However, these advancements have yet to deliver the seamless, transformative experiences many users anticipated.
This year saw major tech players rolling out bold AI features. The timeline began with Samsung’s Galaxy AI, announced in January, which offered advanced voice assistance and personalized recommendations. Google followed in August with its Pixel AI tools, including Magic Eraser for simplified photo editing. Apple joined the fray in September, debuting Apple Intelligence as part of its iOS update, offering notification summaries and ChatGPT assistive writing tools.
By embedding AI into smartphones, companies made the technology ubiquitous. The devices served as an entry point for millions to explore generative AI capabilities. This surge in adoption helped familiarize users with AI’s potential, driving broader acceptance across industries. For instance, Samsung saw a 40% increase in customers switching to Galaxy AI-powered devices from Apple, highlighting successful marketing.
Gimmicks or game-changers?
Yet despite the fanfare, a recent study showed that 73% of Apple users and 87% of Samsung users felt these features added little to no value. “For every feature that works flawlessly, there are a bunch that just don’t work as advertised,” noted Lewis Painter, mobile editor at Trusted Reviews.
The competition also brought about a host of flashy yet underwhelming tools. Google’s Magic Eraser can sometimes struggle with precision, leaving users frustrated. Apple faced a flack from the BBC over an inaccurate news summary about a high-profile murder case.
Manufacturers have also struggled to balance on-device AI processing with cloud computing. Apple’s Private Cloud Compute was marketed as a privacy-forward solution, but it often came at the expense of real-time performance. Samsung and Google, on the other hand, relied more heavily on cloud-based AI. This provided slightly better functionality but raised concerns over data security.
Looking ahead to 2025
While 2024 highlighted the limitations of smartphone AI, it also laid the groundwork for future innovation. Companies are refining their tools with hopes that 2025 will bring more practical applications such as enhanced language translation and advanced healthcare diagnostics.
OpenAI is bringing ChatGPT to WhatsApp, making it accessible without requiring a specific device or OpenAI account. Google will reportedly double down on AI and photography tools for the Pixel 10 while Samsung plans to integrate ChatGPT in its next Galaxy lineup entry.
With lessons learned and ambitions intact, 2025 could be the year smartphone AI finally delivers on its promises.
