According to SamMobile, the 2023 Samsung Galaxy A24 is being left completely behind in the AI race, with no access to any of the “Advanced Intelligence” features now rolling out to newer A-series phones. While no Galaxy A phone gets the full “Galaxy AI” suite, models like the 2024 Galaxy A26 and the more powerful A56 include simpler AI tools for photo and call handling. The A24 isn’t getting these features retroactively, and likely never will. This means the cheapest upgrade path for A24 users wanting any AI is the Galaxy A26, while the A56 adds a couple more features. For the full generative AI experience, users would need to jump to a premium model like the Galaxy S25 FE, a significant price hike.
The budget AI divide
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just about one old phone missing out. Samsung is deliberately creating a tiered AI caste system within its own budget lineup. The A24 gets nothing. The A26 gets a handful of features like generating wallpapers and live translation during calls. Then the A56 gets a couple more, like Best Face for group photos. It’s a calculated move to push you up the price ladder, feature by tiny feature.
And honestly, it’s a bit of a bummer for anyone who bought a phone just two years ago. We’re not talking about cutting-edge generative AI that needs a cloud server farm. These “Advanced Intelligence” features are mostly on-device, helpful tweaks. The fact they can’t be ported back feels less like a technical limitation and more like a business decision. It makes that A24 feel prematurely old.
What’s the upgrade play?
So if you’re an A24 user feeling the FOMO, what do you do? The report lays out the options clearly, and none are perfect. Jumping to the A26 gets you a taste of AI, but you’re still far from the real deal. The A56 is a better overall package with more features, but it costs more. Basically, you’re paying a premium just to get features that probably should be software updates.
This is the new reality for the budget segment. Planned obsolescence used to be about hardware slowing down. Now, it’s about software and intelligence features creating a perceived gap. Samsung is betting that “AI FOMO” will be a powerful driver for upgrades, even in the price-sensitive market. Will it work? Probably. But it leaves a sour taste for early adopters of what was, at the time, a perfectly good phone.
