With its One UI 6.1 update, Samsung continues to port AI functions from its new Galaxy to older models, notably the S22 and S21. However, certain tools will remain exclusive to S23 and S24.
If you own a Samsung smartphone released a few years ago and you were hesitant to fall for one of the new S24s available since the start of the year, you may have done well not to rush. After deploying Galaxy AI on the S23, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 and Tab S9, Samsung had not closed the door to updating older devices. However, the company explained that it was facing problems with the performance of the latter, but also with the resources necessary in the cloud to be able to support all the functions of its AI. But the manufacturer finally found the solution and confirmed, on his korean forum, One UI 6.1 update on high-end 2022 and 2021 devices.
Suffice to say that your smartphone will take a serious hit as soon as you have installed One UI 6.1. This software update from Samsung will bring almost all the new functions introduced in the S24 range. It is therefore not a question of a small refresh of the facade but of providing these previous generation mobiles with the capacity to exploit artificial intelligence in the Samsung (and Google) style. This means that you don’t need to have the latest generation of mobile phones to take advantage of it. But be careful, some functions will unfortunately not be included…
Which devices are affected by One UI 6.1?
Samsung is currently offering the update to its One UI 6.1 software overlay on a limited number of devices. As of late March, the following devices were supported, in addition to the Galaxy S24 line:
But after announcing the rollout of Galaxy AI to these newer devices, Samsung is preparing to roll out the update to the following older devices:
- Galaxy S22
- Galaxy S22+
- Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Galaxy Z Fold 4
- Galaxy Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Z Tab S8
- Galaxy Tab S8+
- Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Please note, however, that not all of these devices will benefit from all of the AI functions, but from those of the “Galaxy S23 FE AI level”, that is to say without the “Instant Slow Motion” option in the Gallery application, which allows you to press and hold while watching a video to transform this segment into slow motion (see below). The following four devices, released in 2021, will also not benefit from certain functions, such as “Surround to search” and “Magic editing”, which are powered by the cloud:
- Galaxy S21
- Galaxy S21+
- Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Galaxy Z Fold 3
- Galaxy Z Flip 3
Samsung has not given a specific date for the rollout. To check if the update is available for your device, open Settings then navigate to the “Software Update” menu at the bottom of the list. Then press “Download and install”.
What are the new AI functions for the Galaxy?
At the end of March, we installed the One UI 6.1 update on a Galaxy S23 Ultra. First observation: it works very well. We did not notice any slowdowns in using the interface. The fluidity remained there. Then, we were able to see that most of the functions highlighted in Samsung’s promotional spots to promote its new Galaxy S24 answered the call.
Circle to search. A long press on the bar at the bottom of the screen triggers the adapted version of Google Lens to surround an element displayed on the screen, regardless of the app open, and carry out a search on the Web. A function that is also found on Google’s Pixel 8 smartphones.
Translation of telephone calls. This function appealed to us during our test of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S24/S24+. During a call, simply trigger the translator so that the conversation is translated on the fly and in both directions by a synthetic voice. Very convenient.
Assistant interpreter. Here again, real-time translation is carried out during a face-to-face conversation with an interlocutor. It is done in audio but is also transcribed on screen.
Automatic transcription. The voice recorder allows you to transcribe discussions during a meeting. The AI can translate the exchanges and produce a summary.
Text generation. The Samsung virtual keyboard allows you to modify text entered for example in a message by varying the styles (professional, casual, etc.), check grammar and spelling but also translate the text.
Translation and summary. In the Samsung Internet browser, you can request to translate the displayed page and/or request a summary for faster reading.
Image generation. Photo editing in the Gallery app allows you to move elements in the image and replace the empty area with AI-generated content. It still works very well. It is also possible to copy an element from one image and paste it into another.
AI-generated wallpapers. If you are tired of your wallpapers, you can try to create new ones by asking artificial intelligence for help. The framework is still a little strict (you have to choose from several options) but it’s fun.
Controlled slow motion in videos. AI makes it possible to apply slow motion to a video that was not originally intended for that. For a sequence captured at 30 or 60 frames per second, it is possible to apply slow motion at 240 frames per second (the AI is responsible for generating the intermediate frames to create the illusion). Please note that this function is not available on the Galaxy S23 FE. Please note, this function is not available for all devices.