Samsung hints at new products as it bets on AI to drive upgrades to its latest foldable phones

At an uber posh Paris hotel not long ago, Samsung’s top mobile dude unveiled an array of the company’s latest gizmos. Everything from nifty foldable smartphones to a flashy new smart ring was on display, showing that Samsung’s all about getting people hooked on its techy gear.

The guy leading the charge is one TM Roh, whose main job is to help Samsung, the world’s biggest smartphone maker, advance into the AI age.

In a pretty expansive chat with CNBC, Roh laid out Samsung’s big plans for Galaxy AI — its toolkit of AI features. He talked about making money from software and gave some insider views on future products, like these rad mixed reality headsets.

Before Samsung’s swanky Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris, Roh revealed the latest smartwatches and foldable smartphones, and the Galaxy Ring — Samsung’s first venture into smart rings territory.

There’s a surge of interest in Samsung’s smartphones, sparked by the launch of the crème de la crème S24 range in January and the company’s promo around its AI innovation, dubbed Galaxy AI.

Samsung is really pushing AI this year as it hopes to boost sales to its top-of-the-range phones, especially when peeps are holding onto their phones for longer and keeping that wallet shut.

Roh says Samsung’s seeking to load more AI features into its products: “As consumers use more AI capabilities, they can actually feel the convenience and benefits they bring,” he stated, adding that these new features should incentivize people to get new products.

A key part of Samsung’s marketing strategy is to show folks that its phones now have AI capabilities. That’s because the big cats over at Apple also announced Apple Intelligence. However, it won’t roll out till the fall, and it won’t be available in certain parts of the world.

Analysts, however, doubt that these AI apps alone will stimulate new phones sales. Roh, on the other hand, sees potential growth in the long run.

Up until now, Samsung has made its dough mostly from selling smartphones and gadgets. This is quite different to its rival Apple which, as well as selling iPhones, rakes in billions from its software and services.

Now, as Samsung infuses its own apps with AI, it’s making a bigger splash in the software pond. For instance, it is upgrading Bixby, its AI assistant, slated for launch later this year.

Samsung has also toyed with the idea of paid subscriptions for its AI services while it continues to strive to develop its apps and software.