In 2024, developments in smartphones promise new standards, merging affordability with advanced technologies.
2023 was a fairly solid year for the smartphone industry. Despite the decline in mobile shipments, there are positive reasons for potential consumers.
We've seen great Android phones, competition in the mobile phone space, and the continued democratization of expensive phone features into more affordable devices.
However, what is predicted for 2024 in the smartphone industry? We expect to see next year.
Generative AI takes center stage
There was never any doubt that Generative AI would be in the spotlight; the entire industry is pushing the technology with great zeal, and new processors for 2024, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, MediaTek Dimensity 9300, and Samsung Exynos 2400, feature enhanced AI hardware to support this upward trend.
Chances are, if you buy a new high-end Android phone in 2024, it will have the hardware for fast creative AI capabilities.
Specifically, we see the industry pushing features like super-fast text-to-image creation, Generative AI background portraits, and advanced photo editing packages. Qualcomm also says it offers AI-powered photo enhancement, with Samsung's One UI 6.1 hinting at offering this feature.
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There's more to Generative AI than just text and image generation. For example, Samsung says its Galaxy AI suite can provide real-time translation during calls, while a leak suggests the company could even offer text summaries of your phone calls. Google is also promoting a Zoom Enhance that lets you zoom in on images after they've been taken.
MediaTek's new Dimensity 8300 Ultra technology supports creative AI, paving the way for more advanced features in mid-range phones next year.
We also hope that Google will bring more creative AI capabilities to the device. The contradiction of using the cloud for various features is highlighted, while the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Dimensity 9300 processors that are expected to power high-end Android phones are exemplified. Both significantly upgrade their power.
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The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 features a new CPU layout with a large core, five medium cores, and two small cores, while the Dimensity 9300 ditches the small cores in favor of four large and four medium cores. Testing shows a performance boost, but there is a potential impact on their reliability in long-term use.
The REDMAGIC, focusing on gaming, maintained around 67% stability in a stress test, while the vivo phone only offered around 45%. While stress tests don't fully represent normal usage, it's hopeful to see better results from other phones with the new 2024 processors.
Interestingly, many of the new flagship smartphones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Dimensity 9300 have larger batteries, with the possibility of increasing their capacity in 2024.
Periscope cameras are gaining increasing popularity
2024 looks set to bring periscope cameras to more smartphones, with Realme, OnePlus, OPPO, and others incorporating them. We also expect an increase in camera resolution, such as the rumored 200MP periscope camera on the vivo X100 Pro Plus and the 160MP on the upcoming HONOR flagship.
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In contrast, the rumored OPPO Find X7 Pro is said to adopt two 50MP periscope cameras with 3x and 6x zoom.
We've seen more phones use high-resolution main cameras for cropped zoom at close distances (2x to 3x). According to Qualcomm, dedicated 2x telephoto cameras are expected to decline in 2024, with 10x and above requiring folded zoom cameras.
More foldable, and even more economical?
2023 was the first year that Samsung faced global competition for the best foldable phones, with multiple brands offering foldables. This momentum is expected to continue in 2024, with HONOR launching its first Flip foldable.
2023 saw the Motorola Razr/Razr 40 make an impression as the first mid-range foldable. We expect to see other brands offer similarly affordable flip phones next year. However, MediaTek predicts that this shape will remain mostly in high-end offerings in 2024, due to cost and engineering issues.
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2023 was a great year for mid-range phones like the Samsung Galaxy A54 and Google Pixel 7a, which introduced flagship features at a more affordable price. This trend is expected to continue next year.
The Galaxy A55 5G leak suggests a possible addition of a metal frame to the budget Galaxy phones, while rumors suggest that Samsung's Exynos processor will integrate AMD graphics, benefiting gamers. Older flagship processors, such as the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, are also expected to be used in mid-range models.
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There is a trend towards equipping mid-range phones with zoom cameras, as well as the use of flagship cameras in cheaper devices. In addition, the spread of super-fast wired charging continues to blur the lines between flagship and mid-tier categories.
Information source: https://www.androidauthority.com
