Samsung is dropping not-so-subtle hints about the upcoming Galaxy S24. Last year, we got a sneak peek into how AI will be deployed in the device alongside some new battery tools. Now, Samsung has alluded to the handset while announcing a new camera feature for Galaxy phones.
During its CES 2024 showcase, Jonathan Gabrio, Samsung’s head of the connected experience center, briefly talked about a new feature for the Galaxy Book 4 laptop, which will let Galaxy phone owners use their handset as a webcam for video calls.
Gabrio mentioned using the feature on Microsoft Teams and then nonchalantly said “all available on our next flagship smartphone,” a clear nod toward the Galaxy S24.
This is an interesting feature because it solves a major problem with laptop cameras: they’re mostly bad. They’re often an afterthought for manufacturers who (rightly) focus on more important areas when it comes to laptop design. I don’t know if this is a tacit admission that the new Galaxy Book 4’s webcam isn’t up to scratch, but using your smartphone selfie or rear cameras, which receive a lot more care and attention from R&D teams, will transform video call quality.
As Samsung explains, this also makes your webcam portable—meaning you can shift the camera position, or get up and walk around, without leaving the frame or moving your computer. This is boosted by an AI-powered auto framing feature that keeps you in shot, and a background blur option that obscures your surroundings.
This all happens through the Link To Windows app on your PC. The feature appears to be limited to the Galaxy Book 4 laptop, at least for now, but interestingly Samsung says any Galaxy phone running One UI 1.0 and above can be used as a webcam. So despite the quiet nod to the Galaxy S24, your older Samsung handset should work too.
Special relationship
The current version of the Link To Windows app is fairly straightforward. Users can open apps in an on-screen virtual handset, make calls, view pictures, and access their messages. Adding the webcam functionality would be a major update to the service, but Samsung isn’t the first to do this.
Repurposing old smartphones to be used as webcams, or even car dashcams, has been a hobbyist pastime for a while through apps like DroidCam and Camo. Google also added webcam support for Pixel phones in a recent Android update.
Adding the functionality directly into an already popular app should make it easier to use. But Samsung appears to be aiming for deeper integration between your phone and PC. The company says that the Galaxy Book 4 will link up with Microsoft’s AI chatbot, Copilot, to automate some activities, like reading your messages and sending responses “on your behalf” from your PC.
“These capabilities mean you can let Copilot track down restaurant recommendations your friends have made in previous messages, search visitor reviews on your browser, then send a message to your partner to ask if they want to go for dinner that evening, all directly from your PC. Without having to turn on your phone and open each app, the Galaxy Book4 series lets you access smartphone functions and information faster and smarter.”
This is a glimpse into how Samsung is thinking about using AI in its future devices, removing some of the rigmarole around everyday actions. How well this all actually works remains to be seen. Will a chatbot on your Galaxy Book 4 really dig through old chats for restaurant recommendations, verify its quality and then organise a date with a single prompt? It sounds idealistic. But if your smartphone and PC can indeed do this, then it will be a major first step to solving Samsung’s issue of overly complicated software.
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