iPhone vs Samsung: Understanding the different AI features offered by the tech giants

At WWDC 2024, Apple’s annual developer conference on June 10, the iPhone maker is finally expected to showcase its AI ambitions. The event will mark the AI-fication of Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, macOS, watchOS, iPadOS, and others. While the Cupertino-based company announces new AI features for its operating systems, the whole world will be watching how Apple embeds generative AI into its software ecosystem.

Ahead of the event, Apple CEO Tim Cook has claimed that the company will “break new ground” in generative AI in 2024. Before Apple’s software chief, Craig Federeghi gets on stage and reveals how AI will transform software powering Apple devices, there are already concerns about whether the company is too late to the party.

ALSO READ: WWDC 2024 kicks off in June: Here’s what to expect from Apple this year

The rise of OpenAI, Samsung’s recent introduction of AI features in its Galaxy S24 lineup, and Google’s own AI features for the Pixel lineup, have made Apple AI-related announcements even more interesting. While we have to wait for Cook & Co. to reveal its AI roadmap, AI already plays a key role in the iPhone camera, Siri, and Photos app. Here’s a look at how Apple and Samsung are pushing AI to their users.

Apple AI on iPhone

At the time of writing, Apple may have missed out on bringing generative AI to iPhone but Apple’s best-selling product is not without a taste of AI. The first sign of AI is Apple’s A-series chips that have a dedicated Neural Engine acting as an AI accelerator designed for machine learning. However, for Apple users, Apple AI comes alive in Siri, camera, photos, etc. Here’s how they work.

1. iPhone Camera:

Apple, like many other smartphone makers, also uses advanced algorithms and computational photography to power its camera features. For AI, look no further than Portrait Mode, where the iPhone camera uses AI to identify subjects and create a bokeh effect. Apple also flexes the muscle of its AI in imaging with Cinematic Mode, which dynamically adjusts focus to keep your moving subject sharp. All other camera features like Smart HDR, Deep Fusion, and Night Mode rely on AI to enhance image quality.

2. Personal Voice:

With the release of iOS 17 last year, Apple introduced Personal Voice as an accessibility setting that uses AI and on-device machine learning to deliver a synthetic voice. The feature allows people at risk of speech loss to replicate their voice so they can easily communicate with their loved ones. It works by users reading out loud 150 phrases while AI analyses your voice to generate a synthetic version of it. While it is a great accessibility feature, Apple will need to make Siri better to showcase the true potential of Apple AI.

3. Curse correction:

With its latest iPhone software, Apple also curse-corrected its autocorrect feature. While Apple used to change your swear word of choice earlier, the new transformer language model uses machine learning to let you curse without Apple changing your word of choice. That transformer language model also delivers better inline predictive text and has gotten better at fixing mistakes too.

4. Live Text:

This is another Apple AI feature that has been available on iPhone since the release of iOS 15 in 2021. It’s a computer vision tool that recognises handwritten and type-written text in photos and allows users to copy-paste text from images with just a few taps. It’s a nifty feature that has made its way to rival Android devices.

Samsung AI

With the launch of the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung introduced many generative AI features to deliver a smarter mobile experience. The Korean tech giant envisions AI being used on mobile devices to redefine creativity and productivity. With Galaxy AI, Samsung aims to help users summarise web pages, rewrite text messages, or translate phone calls in real-time. While all these features are impressive in their own right, Samsung has also thrown in some AI-based camera enhancements.

1. Circle to Search:

With the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung users only need to circle on an image or text to automatically search for details. While it is a Google AI feature rather than a Samsung AI feature, Circle to Search might make you rethink about visual ways to find what you are looking for.

2. Live Translate:

Live Translate uses AI to deliver real-time translation of phone calls directly to your device. This feature is akin to carrying a personal translator on your phone and streamlines multilingual communication. The feature could be particularly useful if you are travelling abroad and unable to speak the local language.

3. Generative Photo Editing:

One of the examples of generative AI on Galaxy AI is generative photo editing where AI analyses an image and regenerates it as you resize, remove, or move an object. When users expand images, the AI will be able to automatically create a new background to seamlessly fill the gaps and spaces.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G review

4. Photo Editing:

Samsung has also brought a feature similar to Google’s Magic Eraser to the Galaxy S24 series, while a new feature called Instant Slo Mo uses AI frame generation to slow down existing videos. Clever!

iPhone vs Samsung: State of AI powerplay

If we only look at AI from a generative AI perspective then Samsung has a clear upper hand for now. However, that doesn’t mean Samsung does AI better than Apple. A lot of Samsung’s AI features introduced with Galaxy S24 series are restricted to its own apps, and let’s admit it, not many people use those apps. There is also a learning curve with Samsung AI and some generative AI features like photo editing don’t work that well all the time.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy AI features promise an upgraded smartphone experience

Since Apple has not released its own generative AI features for the iPhone just yet, it has plenty of time to see the mistakes made by others and release more polished versions of the features its rivals have already rolled out. When Apple announces AI features at WWDC 2024, we can be certain that they will have tighter integration than Samsung. In the current state, Apple’s software uses AI to deliver smart, useful, and functional things and its next step would be to push its software to do generative AI things.