AI phones: present, future, and best models
AI is a hot topic everywhere right now, and the mobile phone market is no exception.
AI and generative AI are transforming advancements in phone technology, and they'll continue to revolutionise the capabilities of phones for the foreseeable future.
How do mobile phones use AI now?
Although AI feels like a new phenomenon, it has been used in phones for more than a decade.
Many everyday phone functionalities we rely on are powered by AI. For instance, Siri, Apple's voice assistant for iPhone, has been around since the launch of the iPhone 4S in 2011.
Here are some examples of AI phone technology you'll already be familiar with:
Predictive text and auto correct
Voice dictation and speech recognition
Language translation
Security, like facial recognition and fingerprint scanning
AI assistants, like Siri and Google Assistant
Photo tools, like night mode and portrait mode
Music identification apps, like Shazam
Identify usage patterns to prolong battery life
How are mobile phones starting to use generative AI?
AI and generative AI differ in that AI uses a discrete set of rules to solve specific problems, whereas generative AI is concerned with building new content.
We can only guess what the future of AI will be, but it seems likely that generative AI will play a large part.
Here are a few examples of how cutting-edge generative AI is used in recent phones:
Improved current features | AI camera | Improved AI processors for gaming | AI-powered replies |
---|---|---|---|
Expect better battery management and more sophisticated biometric authentication. Learn more about the phones with the best battery life | Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro include tools to choose the best facial expressions from people in your group shot and swap them between images. Read more about phones with the best camera | Personalised gaming experiences will be generated, including adaptive difficulty levels and dynamic storytelling. More information on the best gaming phones | Generated responses in different tones depending on the context. |
AI voice | Virtual assistants | Improved search | Ultra customisation |
An AI-powered answering assistant will be able to reply to calls in your voice. | Have your calls summarised with the main points extracted and receive recommendations. | Circle anything in an image and get instant search results. | Your phone will be more personal than ever before. Think dynamic wall papers, menus, and designs. |
Best AI phones
AI iPhones
The iPhone models that'll include Apple Intelligence¹ from December 2024 are:
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro Max was built from the ground up to accommodate Apple Intelligence¹. This leap in Apple AI technology will help you to write effortlessly and visually express yourself like never before. Make the most of iPhone 16 Pro Max's 6.9-inch display and play around with the new AI-powered image creation tools, like Image Wand and the Image Playground app.
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip means that Apple Intelligence¹ can run at its best. This advanced processor powers AI features, such as the ability to summarise lectures or lengthy message chains, Smart Reply, and notification prioritisation. Apple Intelligence makes life simpler on iPhone 16 Pro.
iPhone 16 Plus
Apple Intelligence¹ marks the beginning of a new era for Siri on iPhone 16 Plus - Siri will understand you at a deeper level and will be able to assist you like never before. For instance, Siri's all-improved product knowledge means you can ask questions about how to do something on your iPhone 16 Plus and Siri will walk you through the steps.
Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence¹ is a personal intelligence system that’s integrated into the latest iPhone models; it's designed to help you express yourself and boost your productivity.
For example, Apple AI powers new features like Writing Tools, summarises lengthy emails, and captures call summaries and transcripts, as well as Apple's novel privacy settings.
Apple Intelligence and images
With the launch of Apple Intelligence¹, we'll see leaps in image creation innovation. For example, the update for Apple AI phones will include:
Image Playground: an app that allows you to produce unique images in moments
Genmoji: a keyboard feature that allows you to make an emoji to reflect any occasion
Image Wand: this new feature in the Notes app transforms your rough sketch into a stunning visual
When Apple Intelligence launches in December 2024, we also expect to see more photo editing tools.
Samsung AI phones
The Samsung Galaxy phones that include Galaxy AI and camera AI are:
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Experience the new era of mobile AI with Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G. Use Circle to Search with Google²,³ to effortlessly search while browsing. No need to type, just use your S Pen or finger to circle an item on your screen, and you’ll see the Google Search results instantly
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is durable and sleek with a super-slim design and amazing Galaxy AI features. Take vivid, mesmerising pictures with the 12-megapixel, 50-megapixel, and 10-megapixel camera. Use Circle to Search with Google² to search effortlessly – just circle an item on your screen with your fingertip and you’ll see the search results instantly. Call Assist’s Live Translate³ feature allows people to speak and hear in their own language during phone calls.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
Galaxy AI transforms the Galaxy Z Flip6 into a powerful device that makes your day even easier. Use Quick Reply Suggestions² so you can answer without typing, Interpreter¹ to translate conversations in real time, and Transcript Assist³ for instant online lecture notes. Plus, when taking pictures you can use Auto Zoom, which detects subjects and backgrounds then automatically zooms in and out for the best angles.
Galaxy AI
How does Galaxy AI make your life easier?
Live TRANSLATE¹ makes booking things abroad easy with two-way, real-time translation
Circle to search with Google² gives you information about anything. Simply draw a circle around an object on your screen and get instant search results
Transcript Assist writes up meeting minutes (including who said what), and Live Transcript gives you summaries
Chat Assist gives you tone of voice suggestions based on the context in which you're writing
Note Assist allows you to structure and re-format your notes nicely and provides summaries of written content
Camera AI
How does Camera AI improve your photos?
Space Zoom (an advanced, AI-powered zoom) processes the relevant information to capture clearer, brighter pictures and videos from greater distances than ever before - enjoy 100x Space Zoom on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or 30x Space Zoom on the Samsung Galaxy S24+ and S24
Photo Assist provides recommendations and automatic edits, such as erasing objects and removing reflections from your images, so you can create the picture-perfect scene
Google AI phones
The Google Pixel phones that include Google AI are:
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Keep going all day with the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s durable battery, which charges to 70% in about 30 minutes⁴. Gemini gets the information you need instantly, just press and hold the power button or snap a photo. Pixel 9 Pro XL alerts you of nearby hazards such as flooding or fires and provides updates to help keep you and your loved ones safe. It can even detect if you’ve been in a car crash, in which case it will call emergency services, share your location, and notify your emergency contacts.
Google Pixel 9
Pixel 9 is designed to handle Google's advanced AI while it runs fast and smooth with 12GB of RAM. Gemini helps you supercharge your ideas and kickstart your productivity. The cutting-edge Pixel Camera with AI takes sharp, vivid photos and videos in any light. Photo Unblur sharpens your fuzzy pictures with just a few taps⁸. With Best Take, you can combine similar photos and create the perfect group picture – choose everyone's best expression or let Pixel find the best moment⁹.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Meet Pixel 9 Pro Fold with Gemini, your built-in AI assistant. Thanks to its folding design, powerful triple rear camera system, and advanced AI features, you can easily snap flawless selfies and group pictures. Use Eraser in Magic Editor to remove distractions, like photobombers and unwanted objects⁸. Keep your adventures going without worry – Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s battery charges quickly and can last up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver³.
Google AI with Gemini
Explore the cutting-edge features of Google Pixel phones with Gemini, a built-in AI assistant. Gemini kickstarts your productivity and helps you supercharge your ideas – just hold the power button to start planning and learning. Use it to write notes, find information from your Google apps, summarise your unread messages in Gmail, and more¹.
How does Google AI assist you?
Magic Compose uses Google’s generative AI technology to rewrite messages in different styles on Pixel 6 and newer devices².
Summarize in the Recorder app gives you a summary of your recorded conversations, interviews, presentations, and more³.
Circle to Search with Google is a new way to search for anything on your phone – just circle what you want more information about, whether it's an image, text, or video⁴.
AI camera features
The highly acclaimed Pixel camera with AI takes sharp, vivid photos and videos.
With Night Sight, you can take clear and vibrant photos in low-light conditions, like concerts and cityscapes. Magic Editor in Google Photos makes complex edits easy – with just a few taps, AI can change the background, move objects, and more⁵.
Magic Eraser can remove unwanted objects from photos and Photo Unblur sharpens your fuzzy pictures⁶. Add Me helps you to make sure that no one is left out of group photos. Take one with the group, then swap in the photographer, and Pixel will magically merge the photos⁷.
AI phones: feature comparison
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Camera AI | |||||
Photo AI editing | |||||
Best Take | |||||
AI-generated summaries | |||||
Chat AI assistance | |||||
Call AI transcripts | |||||
Live call translation | |||||
Circle to search with Google |