SALTZMAN: Samsung goes all-in on ‘Galaxy AI’ for next devices

At its latest “Galaxy Unpacked” event held Wednesday at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, Samsung unveiled its newest Galaxy smartphones and other devices in front of media, analysts, retailers and celebrities – including Sydney Sweeney.

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And the South Korean company livestreamed the showcase online to the world.

But unlike previous Unpacked events – the tech titan’s biannual reveal of new gadgets – the real story here is the company’s Galaxy AI, adding deeper artificial intelligence capabilities to these phones for greater productivity, creativity and communication.

AI, of course, is the buzzword among many of the world’s top tech brands, evident by recent announcements from the likes of Apple, Intel, and Microsoft. In partnership with Google Gemini on some of these tools, Samsung’s Galaxy AI lets you live transcribe a call with someone who speaks another language, circle an image to easily search for it online (like a jacket you saw someone wear that you’d like to buy for yourself), or get help with math homework.

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Not including the much-hyped Galaxy Ring – a sleek, health-centric wearable that’s not coming to Canada just yet – the following is a high-level look at some of the hardware highlights and the impressive AI baked into them. All are available for preorder now, with availability on July 24.

GALAXY Z FLIP6

While January’s Galaxy Unpacked is tied to Samsung’s flagship S series phone family (including the Galaxy S24), the July event focuses on the Z series, tied to flippable and foldable phones.

When closed, the Galaxy Z Flip6 fits snug in your pocket or clutch purse, plus you can use it like this to see some content on its 3.4-inch display, or snap photos. But flip open the bendable phone to reveal a 6.7-inch display whenever you want more real estate.

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It doesn’t look much different than last year’s Z Flip5, but the main camera has been upgraded from 12-megapixel to 50MP, along with a longer-lasting battery and more durable design.

To help save you time, the outer display (called a FlexWindow) can also show you AI-powered suggested replies when messaging with someone, based on your conversation. In other words, it’s contextually relevant and not just generic replies like “OK,” “Talk later,” or “No.”

Also leveraging AI, you can open the screen halfway, so it looks like an “L” and place it on a table between you and someone who speaks another language. Now, you’ll each be able to read the text of what the other person is saying, in real-time, in your own mother tongue.

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Not including trade-in offers or carrier discounts when bundling with a plan, the Z Flip6 starts at $1,462.99.

GALAXY Z FOLD6

A more significant upgrade over last year’s model, the Galaxy Z Fold6 is also an AI-enhanced Android phone – but it can transform into a tablet as well.

For those with a healthier budget, the Z Fold6 (from $2564.99 before any potential discounts) looks like a slim 6.3-inch phone when the screen is closed, but you can open it like a book to reveal a 7.6-inch tablet, which is perfect for entertainment (TV shows, games, ebooks) or multitaskers who’d like several apps open at the same time (like a web browser on one side of the screen and a word processor on the other).

The new Z Fold6 is much slimmer and lighter than its predecessors, yet with a brighter and wider screen, and with a better battery.

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It, too, has many Galaxy AI features, including an integrated Google Gemini app, AI-powered camera upgrades, email draft suggestions (composing messages for you), on-device language conversion, and fun tools like converting a sloppily sketched drawing into a 3D work of art (seriously, it’s cool).

As a journalist, I love how the voice recorder, now built into the Notes app, can not only transcribe what up to 10 different people are saying near the microphone, but it can also give you an AI summary of the conversation. This could be super handy in the boardroom or classroom.

GALAXY WATCH ULTRA, WATCH7

A pair of new smartwatches were unveiled at Unpacked, led by the large and ruggedized Galaxy Watch Ultra, from $879.99.

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(Curiously, borrowing the exact naming convention as Apple’s Apple Watch Ultra for adventurous types.)

Built for extreme durability, the 47mm Galaxy Watch Ultra is made with tough Titanium Grade 4 material and features a superbright display, 10ATM water resistance, and, incredibly, up to 100 hours of battery life (in power saving mode), says Samsung.

All models support an optional eSIM for cellular connectivity (about $10/month with your carrier).

It tracks multiple activities and health markers, can be used in extreme temperatures and altitudes, and houses a dual-frequency GPS system for greater accuracy. It also has an emergency siren if, say, you find yourself lost in the worlds during a camping trip.

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The smaller Galaxy Watch7 (from $409.99) is available in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, and also helps you monitor health insights, like heart rate monitoring and blood pressure readings. But for the first time in a smart watch it can also detect sleep apnea. Very cool.

It also tracks about 100 different workouts and includes the same dual-frequency GPS system as Apple Watch Ultra.

GALAXY BUDS3, GALAXY BUDS3 PRO

Finally, AI is added to Samsung’s latest earbuds, too.

Galaxy Buds3 (from $209.99) and Galaxy Buds3 Pro with a 2-way dual-amp (from $329.99) includes an interpreter mode to directly translate one language into another, when paired with a Z Flip6 or Z Fold6 – perfect for your overseas summer trip, perhaps.

Along with clearer calls, AI-powered adaptive noise control can block out ambient noise for you to better enjoy your music or calls when walking past a construction site. But thanks to siren detect, the buds can let in the sound of an approaching ambulance, police car or fire engine.

Both feature a new bladed (stem) design and a choice between the Buds3 Pro’s “Canal” type for more immersive sound or the Buds3’s “Open” type fit.

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