The Galaxy S24 Ultra got a price increase and here’s why

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The Galaxy S24 Ultra got a price increase and here’s why
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Samsung just unveiled the Galaxy S24 series and you may have noticed that the Ultra model costs more than its predecessor. It starts at $1,299.99, $100 more than what the Gaalxy S23 Ultra’s base variant cost at launch. The company says it had to increase the price this year because of hardware upgrades. This has nothing to do with the new AI features.

Hardware upgrades resulted in the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s price increase

As expected, Samsung launched three flagship Android smartphones today. We got the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra. While the former two don’t see many notable hardware upgrades, there are a few new things to talk about the Ultra’s hardware this year. Firstly, it has a flat display instead of a curved one, allowing for a more efficient use of the S Pen.

Samsung has also replaced the aging 10MP 10x optical zoom camera with a 50MP 5x lens. With this change, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can record 8K videos at 5x magnification using the new zoom camera. Last year’s model can record 8K videos only with its primary camera. Higher resolution and improved processing means you get optical quality at 10x zoom too, so you aren’t losing anything.

Last but not least, the Galaxy S24 Ultra gets a Titanium frame. It’s another major upgrade from an Armor Aluminum frame found on the 2023 Ultra. Since Titanium is more expensive than Aluminum, this added to the total BOM (bill of materials) cost of the phone. Coupled with increased costs of other components, the new Ultra ended up costing $100 more.

The other two Galaxy S24 models don’t see any price change, and that isn’t surprising. They get no notable design change (already had a flat display), no camera hardware upgrade, and still feature an Armor Aluminum frame. The vanilla model costs $799.99 and above, while the Plus starts at $999.99. You can pre-order the new flagships from Samsung’s official website and other retail channels.

All three models boast the same set of AI features

Samsung’s new AI features are available on all three Galaxy S24 models. The Ultra has a more powerful camera setup and gets some extra AI-powered camera features, which aren’t compatible with other models due to hardware constraints. Apart from that, Galaxy AI offers the same experience across the lineup. There is no difference between the AI features offered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Exynos 2400 versions of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+.

Galaxy S24/Galaxy S24+

Galaxy S24 Ultra


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Galaxy AI to reach nearly 100 million Galaxy devices within 2024

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Galaxy AI to reach nearly 100 million Galaxy devices within 2024
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You have probably heard about Galaxy AI, Samsung‘s latest contribution to developing AI-based features. This AI development will reportedly make its way to nearly 100 million Galaxy devices just in 2024.

In the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event, the launch event for the Galaxy S24 series, TM Roh, President and Head of Samsung MX (Mobile Experience) said “Galaxy AI in the Galaxy S24 series is a hybrid AI using both on-device and cloud-based AI. This year, we will introduce Galaxy AI to about 100 million Galaxy smartphones for the global expansion of mobile AI,”

Some key features of Galaxy AI

One notable and hyped addition by Galaxy AI to the Galaxy S24 series is the ability to search anything on your screen just by drawing a circle around it. Galaxy AI recognizes the subject and works with Google to show you similar results from the internet, just like Google Lens does, but in a more seamless way.

This feature is called ‘Circle to Search’ and was developed by Google. Notably, Circle to Search will also be available to the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro starting from January 31.

Another talked-about addition offered by Galaxy AI to the Galaxy S24 series devices is the ability to live translate your calls and conversations in general. This could be seriously helpful for select users such as travelers, given that voice recognition works flawlessly. Additionally, Galaxy AI also converts your voice to text and will also provide a summary of the conversation later, if you ask. Again, this will be a great feature once the voice recognition becomes fully accurate.

There are also some one-click photo editing capabilities added to the new series of flagships. It includes features like blurring the background or auto-framing the subject.

Galaxy AI feels too good to be true?

In an interesting yet disheartening event, TM Roh talked about Samsung not reviewing the option of charging users for the AI features yet. He confirmed that users will get to enjoy the AI features at least until 2025. It leaves us with an implication that users will have to pay for the (or at least some of the) currently available AI features in the Galaxy S24 series going forward.

Samsung may bring more advanced AI features to its Galaxy devices in the future which may require significant R&D. And here comes the concept of subscription for features on your phone. Galaxy AI involves both server-side and on-device models, and we will need to see whether Samsung considers charging for features that are running on-device.


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Galaxy S24 Ultra has a flat display because customers wanted it

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Galaxy S24 Ultra has a flat display because customers wanted it
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Samsung today launched the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a major design change over the 2023 model. The new phone features a flat display instead of a curved one like the Galaxy S23 Ultra has. The company has explained the rationale behind this decision.

Samsung explains why the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a flat display

For the past several years, Samsung has used a curved display on its Ultra flagships. While curved screens are more susceptible to cracks and damage during falls, they make the device look sleek and premium. The Korean behemoth kept the design unchanged even when it added S Pen support to the lineup with the Galaxy S21 Ultra in 2021.

The next year, Samsung offered the S Pen built-in with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Last year’s model also comes with the digital stylus pen out of the box. All this while, the firm kept using a curved screen, though it has been gradually decreasing the curvature. It is now bidding adieu to this design, equipping the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a flat panel.

According to Samsung, its Ultra customers wanted it to make this change. A flat display allows for a more efficient use of the S Pen. You can utilize the full width of the screen when using the stylus pen. So, while a section of its fans may dislike the redesign, it appears the company has the backing of most users. It must have thoroughly evaluated the implications before going ahead with this change.

Despite the screen no longer extending onto the sides, Samsung is still giving you a 6.8-inch display. It has made that possible by shrinking the bezels and making the Galaxy S24 Ultra wider than its predecessor. We are talking about fractions of a millimeter here, but everything adds up to ensure that you get a display “optimized not just for viewing but also for productivity.”

Corning’s Gorilla Armor protects the screen

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S24 Ultra with Corning‘s Gorilla Armor panel to protect the screen. The new glass panel is “optically enhanced and demonstrates superior durability against damage caused by everyday scratches.” The company claims a 75% drop in light reflection too, ensuring a comfortable viewing experience across a wide range of lighting conditions. If you plan to buy this phone, it is available with 12GB RAM and 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. Prices start at $1,299.99, with Samsung offering a free storage upgrade with pre-orders.

Buy At Samsung – Galaxy S24

Buy At Samsung – Galaxy S24 Ultra


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Enter to Win a Samsung Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Ultra with Android Headlines!

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Enter to Win a Samsung Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Ultra with Android Headlines!
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It’s 2024, which can only mean one thing – the Samsung Galaxy S24. And with a new phone comes a brand new giveaway from Android Headlines. This year, we’re giving out a Galaxy S24 and a Galaxy S24 Ultra. You can enter and win either one; no purchase is necessary, as always. That doubles your chances of actually winning a brand-new phone; who doesn’t like that?

About the Samsung Galaxy S24

The Galaxy S24 is what many might call the “Vanilla” version of Samsung’s new flagship, but that doesn’t make it a poor choice for a new phone. Instead, the Galaxy S24 is likely going to be one of the best “small” phones of 2024. As usual, Samsung has packed this phone with the latest and greatest specs and features. This includes the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The display has also grown this year, now 6.2 inches, thanks to the bezels shrinking yet again. And the battery is larger now, at 4,000mAh capacity.

But that’s not the real story with the Galaxy S24; Galaxy AI is. Samsung is debuting a bunch of new features with the Galaxy S24 series this year, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 being the best AI processor on the market. Some of my favorite AI features on the Galaxy S24 include Transcript Assist and Chat Assist. These are built into the Samsung Keyboard and allow you to have your messages rewritten or translated into another language. Transcribe Assist only supports 13 languages right now, but we expect that to increase in the coming months.

It’s a pretty incredible phone from Samsung, and you can enter to win one today!

About the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Onto the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which represents the very best features, specs, and software that Samsung has to offer today. That includes a 6.8-inch flat display this time around. Samsung has said this is due to the S Pen making it easier to use. It also has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.

Much like the Galaxy S24, the Ultra also has a slew of AI features. On top of the ones I mentioned already, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has quite a few camera-based AI features. For example, you can use Generative AI to edit your photos, straighten them, remove objects or people, and even move objects or people. Samsung will add a watermark to the corner, indicating that it has been edited with Generative AI. Additionally, Space Zoom is still here, and it is even better than before, still with 100x digital zoom.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra was the phone of the year for most of 2023, and we expect the Galaxy S24 Ultra to be the same for 2024. So, who wouldn’t want to win one of these incredible phones? Read on to find out how to enter and the rules of the giveaway.

How To enter

To be entered for a chance to win the Samsung Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Ultra, all you need to do is take part in the giveaway widget below. To get started, enter the contest with your email address.

Once you have entered, you’ll have the opportunity to gain additional entries by completing various actions, including visiting Android Headlines social media channels.

You are entitled to complete as many actions as you like; each action offers a unique number of entries, and each entry has the potential to be the winning one.

This Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Ultra giveaway is a USA-ONLY contest and will close promptly at 2:59 pm PST on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Enter now for a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Ultra, courtesy of Android Headlines.

  • This is a USA-only Giveaway.
  • Entrants need to be of a suitable age to enter.
  • Shipping issues are not controlled by Android Headlines or our partners. You should be aware that things can go wrong. Android Headlines or our partners are not responsible for items lost in transit.
  • It only takes one email entry to win, so only enter using one email address. Entering with more than one email will not improve your chances of winning and may result in disqualification. Email addresses are checked and confirmed.
  • The winner (s) will be emailed, and if no response is given within 48 hours, another entrant(s) will be selected.
  • Anyone deemed to be ‘spamming’ the contest will be disqualified.
  • Android Headlines reserves the right to make changes to this contest/giveaway.

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Alexa could be smarter and more useful… if you’re willing to pay

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Alexa could be smarter and more useful… if you’re willing to pay
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Amazon’s Alexa has been able to carve out a niche for itself in the voice assistant market despite not having a dedicated platform. While it’s a very useful tool, it has not been making the company any money. Well, the massive e-commerce company could be looking to change this by bringing a paid version of the voice assistant. According to sources, Amazon might introduce a paid version of Alexa called Alexa Plus.

Alexa remains one of the more useful voice assistants that you can use, and it sits apart from the other three major assistants. Google Assistant comes pre-installed on all Android devices, Bixby comes on Galaxy devices, and Siri is an iOS mainstay. Alexa, is different in that it’s a free agent. It comes pre-installed on Fire devices (Fire tablets and Fire TV devices), but you can also install it on other Android devices. It even came installed on a few Lenovo laptops.

Regardless of that fact, Amazon has been struggling to find ways to make money from it.

Well, Amazon might have a solution in the form of Alexa Plus

Back in September, Amazon announced that Alexa was going to get a boost thanks to generative AI. The company touched on it, during the presentation, but it’s been silent about it over these past few months. Well, we’re now finally starting to hear about it again. This is still early information about the product, so you’ll want to take it with a grain of salt.

According to sources, Amazon is planning on offering a product called Alexa Plus. This could be the Alexa voice assistant that uses generative AI. So, you’ll simply ask it to generate stories, recipes, poems, etc. and it will give you a vocal response. We saw some examples of this during the original presentation.

Amazon said that it was going to eventually launch it, but there was one important bit of information that it left out. The word is that this version of Alexa is going to cost money to access. Right now, we don’t know what the company will charge for it, so we’ll need to wait for that information. This is just speculation, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Alexa Plus is also a perk included in Amazon Prime.

Amazon is currently testing this new platform, and it could possibly hit the market officially on June 30th this year. That’s still quite some time to wait, but eager Amazon fans will be marking their calendars.


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Samsung Galaxy S24 official colors — here are your options

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Samsung Galaxy S24 official colors — here are your options
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Samsung’s highly anticipated Galaxy S24 line of flagship Android smartphones is finally official. The company unveiled three models at its Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California earlier today. As expected, pre-orders opened immediately after the launch event, with seven different colors to choose from. Here’s a rundown of all official color options for the Galaxy S24 series.

The Galaxy S24 series comes in seven different colors

Samsung usually offers a handful of color options for its flagship smartphones, with a few available exclusively through its online store. It is no different this time around. The company has readied the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra in four standard colors available generally across all retail channels and three Samsung Store-exclusive colors each.

The standard colors for the former two models are Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, and Amber Yellow. The Ultra also comes in similar shades but Samsung prefers to call them Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, and Titanium Yellow. This is because it features a Titanium frame. The other models have an Armor Aluminum frame, unchanged from the Galaxy S23 series.

Samsung Galaxy S24 series AM AH 080

If you pre-order or purchase the Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24+ from Samsung’s official website, you can also pick the devices in Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, or Sandstone Orange color. The three limited edition colorways for the Galaxy S24 Ultra are Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, and Titanium Orange. The Korean firm could introduce more colors later, but these are the seven options available today.

As stunning as the new Galaxy flagships look in these shades, they are more sustainable too. Samsung has used recycled cobalt and rare earth elements in various components. The Ultra has 50% recycled cobalt in its battery and 100% recycled rare earth elements in the speakers. The phones also feature recycled steel and pre-consumer recycled TPU. The packaging box is made from 100% recycled paper.

You can pre-order the phones now

Samsung Galaxy S24 series AM AH 075

Samsung has opened pre-orders for the Galaxy S24 lineup in several markets, including the US. Prices start at $799.99 for the vanilla model, $999.99 for the Plus, and $1,299 for the Ultra. Pre-order benefits include a free storage upgrade. If you pre-order the 128GB variant, you get the 256GB variant at no additional cost. Likewise, Samsung will upgrade 256GB pre-orders to 512GB and 512GB pre-orders to 1TB for free. General sales of the phones begin on January 30.

Buy At Samsung – Galaxy S24/Galaxy S24+

Buy At Samsung – Galaxy S24 Ultra


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Caseology debuts its line of protective cases for Galaxy S24 series

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Caseology debuts its line of protective cases for Galaxy S24 series
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Accessory maker Caseology has just debuted its line of protective cases for the newly launched Galaxy S24 series. The firm has updated its existing case designs to fit the new Samsung flagships. Which means you can get cases for any of the three devices, including the Galaxy S24 Ultra. There are three designs to pick from, headed by the popular Parallax case.

Buy At Amazon – Caseology – Galaxy S24 Series

Caseology unveils its collection of Galaxy S24 cases

Samsung’s Galaxy S flagships are among the most popular Android phones globally. All major accessory makers usually debut their case collection for the devices as soon as the Korean firm launches them. It’s no different this year. As it unveiled the Galaxy S24 series, firms like Casetify, Mous, and Caseology have quickly introduced new cases for the lineup.

Caseology’s Parallax covers have always been a hit and the firm is keeping the design unchanged. The case features a dual-tone, 3D Hexa Cube design with textured grip on the edges. It offers military-grade protection with Air Space Technology for shock absorption. There are raised bezels around the camera and display for added protection. All of this sturdiness comes without affecting the phone’s wireless charging capabilities.

This case is available for all three Galaxy S24 models. Caseology has readied the cover in Matte Black, Sage Green, and Navy Violet colors as standard for the entire lineup, with the Ultra also getting an Ash Gray option. The firm has priced the Parallax case at $16.99 regardless of the color variant or device model. You can purchase it from Amazon starting today.

While this is the only case Caseology has made for the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, it also offers a couple more covers for the Ultra. The Nano Pop, which is a snug-fit silicone cover with a slim profile, is available in Black Sesame, Blueberry Navy, and Light Violet colors. It also boasts military-grade protection with Air Space Technology and has a raised ring around the camera system. Caseology has priced it at $16.99.

The Athlex case comes in just one color

Caseology also offers its Athlex case for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It is only available in Black and costs $13.99. Despite a lower price, you get the same level of protection thanks to a military-grade build with Air Space Technology. The case features a hybrid fusion of polycarbonate and TPU with joined dual layers and extra cushioning. It has textured edges for a stronger grip. Caseology’s Athlex case is an affordable yet stylish option for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Buy At Amazon – Caseology – Galaxy S24 Series


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Free access to ThreatDown Application Block: Elevate your Windows security at no cost

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Free access to ThreatDown Application Block: Elevate your Windows security at no cost
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Malwarebytes continues to add value to its ThreatDown Bundles with the inclusion of Application Block as free for all ThreatDown Nebula accounts (excluding Mobile only accounts). Users don’t need to activate this new feature: the policy has been enabled in their account by default.

For as many applications out there that help you keep business running as usual, there are just as many that can spell big trouble for your network security. Threat actors can embed malicious code in seemingly legitimate applications, which end users then innocently execute on their Windows endpoints. (And the bad guys are in).

Or threat actors can find an application on your network with a known vulnerability for which no patch has been developed. (And again, they’re in.) 

Application threats also don’t just stop at cybercriminal gangs: organizations also just might not want employees using unproductive or unapproved applications and the security risks that follow.

All of this is to say that having the ability to blocklist certain applications from running is a key part of an effective layered defense. Malwarebytes is adding Application Block for free in all ThreatDown Bundles to make it easier for under-resourced orgs to meet this important security requirement.

Let’s dive in to see how it works!

Features

  • Log and monitor blocked application activity on endpoints.
  • Block device access to specified software applications, though this does not include cloud applications.
  • Block list rules are created and applied to policies across the console or sites.
  • Dashboard and reporting for blocked applications.

For a technical overview of Application Block for Nebula, click here: https://service.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/sections/10604417341587-Application-Block

Enable Blocking

When setting or modifying a policy in the Nebula console, go to the Software management tab at the bottom.

There you’ll find the Application block option for Windows. Let’s go ahead and check it and then save this policy.

Block Rule Creation/Management

Heading over to the Monitor tab, we’ll find Application Block near the bottom of the drop-down menu. Let’s click into that. 

We’re taken to an activity log dashboard of blocked applications. Find the Rules tab near the top and click “New rule”. 

Rules in Application Block for Nebula define which software applications and executables are blocked across your endpoints. We can apply this rule globally or to specific policies only.

Basic application block rules select the Application or Vendor name to block the service. Advanced rules are available to use file information to block the service including Certificate property, File path, File property, and Hash value.

Let’s save this rule and head back over to our activity log!

Application Block Activity Log

The Activity Log tab displays blocked applications across all your managed endpoints. Blocked records are retained for approximately 90 days.

View the following information for each endpoint’s activity record, including agent version, application data, and time blocked!

For auditing or external reporting purposes, you can even download Application Block activity information to your local machine by selecting all or checking specific boxes for the rows you want to export and clicking Export.

We can get a full and quick picture of our endpoint data by heading over to the Nebula Dashboard. Here we can add, remove, and rearrange widgets—including one for Application Block—that give us insight into what applications were blocked and their frequency.

Plugging the holes in your Windows endpoint security

Together with free Vulnerability Assessment, which effectively identifies and prioritizes critical security vulnerabilities, Application Block enhances overall security protection by preventing unauthorized software usage, offering a comprehensive security solution at no additional cost in all ThreatDown Bundles.


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Protect your Galaxy S24 with a new Kevlar case from UAG

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Protect your Galaxy S24 with a new Kevlar case from UAG
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With the Galaxy S24 now officially available for pre-order, your next order of business should be to secure it, and you can do that with the new cases from UAG. Otherwise known as Urban Armor Gear, UAG provides lightweight and rugged cases for a variety of phones. The Galaxy S24 series is the latest set of devices to join the lineup, and there’s a wide selection of options to choose from.

There are 12 cases in total and all but one of them are familiar staples in the UAG family. Including the Monarch Pro Kevlar and Monarch Pro cases, which are the most rugged cases that UAG offers. They have 25 feet of drop protection so you can feel better about accidental drops. It also has a soft, impact-resistant core to help prevent damage to that beautiful new device. Additionally, they’re compatible with wireless chargers and feature a raised screen surround to help protect the display.

Worth noting is that this is also UAG’s most expensive case, retailing for $99.95 for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. But it provides the best protection, and that’s certainly worth the extra money.

All UAG cases for the Galaxy S24 series are built to protect the device

The great thing about UAG cases is that they’re all designed to give your device extra protection. The Monarch Pro series might be the most durable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t expect good protection from the other cases in the lineup. And that’s a good thing because there are some truly good options available. The new Plasma XTE series case for instance is an excellent case. It still provides you with 20 feet of drop protection and you get some nice extra features.

Like the fold-out kickstand so you can set your phone down at a desk and watch videos hands-free at a more ergonomic angle. It also has an “integrated magnet module” which UAG says is compatible with third-party accessories. If you were wondering which accessories, it should be anything that’s MagSafe-compatible including stands, wireless chargers, and more. The Plasma XTE cases start at $59.95 too, which is quite a bit less than the Monarch Pro Kevlar option.

You could also go for the Plyo series cases that start at $39.95 and still get some protection from damage. It has 16 feet of drop protection and a raised screen surround. Like all of the other cases, it’s also compatible with wireless charging. It does not have the magnet module though. All 12 cases are available from January 17 and you can grab them all on Amazon or directly from UAG.

Buy At Amazon – UAG – Galaxy S24

Buy At Amazon – UAG – Galaxy S24+

Buy At Amazon – UAG – Galaxy S24 Ultra


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Circle to Search is coming to the Pixel 8 in just a few weeks

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Circle to Search is coming to the Pixel 8 in just a few weeks
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On Wednesday, Samsung introduced us to the new Galaxy S24 phones complete with new AI features. There were a bunch of features unveiled, and you can read up on them in our rundown. One of the features unveiled was Circle to Search, and it’s making it to the Pixel 8 really soon.

If you want to know more about the Galaxy S24, check out our Galaxy S24/S24+ preview. We also have our Galaxy S24 Ultra preview. Lastly, if you want to get your hands on one of these great devices, then you’ll want to place your order. If you use the links below, you’ll get $50 off of your order.

Pre-order the Galaxy S24 Ultra

Pre-order the Galaxy S24/S24+

Circle to Search is coming to the Pixel 8 soon

While this feature was first unveiled on the Galaxy S24, it’s not exclusive to Samsung’s phones. This is a Google product. Also, it’s a pretty neat feature that makes searching the content in images that much quicker. Google Lens is a great tool for analyzing images, and Circle to Search makes the functionality much more accessible.

If you see an image on your screen that you want to search, rather than going to the Google Lens tool, all you have to do is access Google Assistant. Once it’s up, simply circle the item in the image that you want to search. Google will then hone in on the item you circled and do a Lens search for it. The whole process takes less than a second to complete. However, the speed will depend on the processor you’re using and your internet connection.

For the time being, this feature is going to be reserved for only a few phones. It’s coming with the Galaxy S24 phones, but it’s also going to make it to Google’s phones. Circle to Search is going to land on the Pixel 8 phones on January 31st. That’s just under two weeks away.

If you own the non-Pro model of the phone, you won’t be out of luck with this AI feature. It appears that this feature will be available for both versions of the Pixel 8.


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