Device launches always generated quite a lot of buzz—speculation would be rife on what innovation will be making its debut. Over the last few years, most mobile phone manufacturers have been content with design upgrades, apart from specs. Now, more and more device launches focus on what goes inside the phone, as Samsung’s recent launch event shows. The company launched five new devices, but the talking point was how well it has been able to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in its phones. In the case of S-Pen, Samsung demonstrated that it has been able to reduce latency between pen operation and what appears on the screen to 9 milliseconds using predictive analysis. Each time you write with the pen, it would predict where the pointer would go next.
Similarly, Samsung also showcased active noise cancellation, which again uses prediction analysis to drown out ambient noises. In terms of voice assistants also, Samsung made major improvements to its Bixby service. The company had last year launched human digital avatars, Neon, capable to hold intelligent conversations.
Samsung, however, is not the only company to have showcased such technology. Earlier this year, Apple’s virtual event also focused on higher integration and more uses of AI. Siri has become even smarter and is increasingly being integrated with more services. The camera function of Apple devices, for instance, pieces together a picture using best angles to create the perfect image. Samsung and Apple now can monitor health more accurately using their smartwatches. What this also indicates is how much further we are moving towards a future with more edge computing, which will power technologies like a smart car. And, given the progress in IoT, there is a huge likelihood that those betting early on AI integration will reap the biggest rewards of the connected living market.
