Why the Samsung Galaxy S24 being more Pixel-like could be a good thing for Google

Samsung’s recent Galaxy S24 launch was a pretty bold shift in the Android smartphone world, seeing the world’s former #1 smartphone brand drawing some pretty striking parallels to Google’s own approach with its Pixel phones. The spotlight on AI at Samsung’s Galaxy S24 event was impressive, but it marked a very clear turning point in their strategy that more-closely aligns them with Google’s more helpful AI/ML-centric features that have long defined the Pixel series.

Samsung generally uses these sorts of events to highlight just how fantastic their new hardware is, and while it does look impressive once again for the Galaxy S24 lineup, the center of attention this year was clearly the software; and that made things feel decidedly more Google-y. More specifically, it felt far more like a Pixel launch.

Samsung Embracing Google’s Playbook

Google’s Pixel phones have carved out a solid fan base in the Android ecosystem, thanks to features like Live Translate, Live Captions, and Magic Eraser. These functionalities not only set the Pixels apart but also redefined smartphone usage for many. Now, Samsung seems to be walking a similar path with its S24 series, incorporating many of these iconic Pixel features. Here are a few of note:

• On-Device Translations: Echoing Pixel’s Live Translate, the S24 series offers powerful AI-driven translations, a feature that was a significant differentiator for the Pixel 6.
• Chat Assist: Google’s Magic Compose finds its counterpart in Samsung’s Chat Assist, offering nuanced texting assistance.
• Photo Editing and Accessibility Features: Samsung’s introduction of Object Eraser and Interpreter options are akin to Google’s Magic Eraser and Live Captions.
• Circle to Search: Again, this is a feature that has been on Pixel phones in the past, but we’ll see a cohesive version on both Samsung and Pixel phones starting in February.
• Quick Share: Finally, let’s not forget about Google and Samsung’s collaboration on the new version of Nearby Share called Quick Share that will be a part of Android moving forward.

There are a myriad of videos, posts, etc. out there on the web if you want to dive deep into all that Samsung is doing with the S24 phones, so I won’t spend too much more time on those specifics. Just know that as you watch these videos or read these posts, you’re going to get all sorts of Google and Pixel vibes, and I really do think that could be a very good thing moving forward.

How a more Pixel-like Galaxy S24 is good for everyone

While Google and Samsung – in the hardware space, anyway – are fighting for phone sales against one another, there’s a definite air of work being done behind the scenes to see each other thrive. With Apple stealing the crown for the largest phone maker in the world, Google and Samsung’s iPhone problem isn’t going anywhere. If there’s going to be resistance, here, it needs to be against a common foe.

And I think that’s why we’re seeing some of these moves from Samsung right now. Fans of Pixel phones clearly love Google’s helpful software even if they don’t always love the hardware it comes with. Similarly, Samsung fans tend to love the company’s solid hardware even if the software is only so-so. Working together, Google and Samsung can pose a credible threat to Apple’s growing iPhone dominance.

But what does that mean for Google’s hardware aspirations? That much is uncertain, but in the long run, Google would be far better off helping Samsung better curate the software side of things and let them focus on building the best hardware money can buy. No one can deny Samsung’s hardware prowess, and if their phones tend more towards Google’s take on Android moving forward, that’s even more attractive.

And who knows, perhaps this deeper connection between Samsung and Google could mean we’ll see Samsung ditch some of their own apps, too. As a Samsung phone guy, I still get frustrated with the unnecessary duplicate apps here and there. While I don’t have a problem with Samsung offering a few of their own apps, I’d love to be able to fully remove them if I choose Google’s option. And that process should be seamless for all users, not a workaround, hacky solution.

One step at a time, though. Clearly, Google and Samsung are both thinking about ways to move the Android ecosystem forward, and make no mistake; they are the two to do it. And if that means a bit of overshadowing of the Pixel hardware, so be it. More and more people are throwing up their hands and switching to iPhone, and it won’t stop unless compelling hardware/software options are available on the other side. A tighter collaboration between Samsung and Google could be just what the Android community needs to see that happen.