If the rumors about Samsung's Galaxy S24 release date are true, it will be roughly a month until the next Galaxy Unpacked event, where Samsung is expected to unveil its next flagship phone. And that looming release date may explain why we have already heard so much about Samsung's likely updates to the Galaxy S24 phone.

Of the three models likely to appear in early 2024, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the most talked about, and for good reason. Not coincidentally, it is also likely to carry the highest price tag.

It is widely assumed that Samsung will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 system-on-chip in the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Galaxy S24 Ultra's camera setup will likely include a new telephoto lens, and the main camera may feature a larger sensor to capture more light. Samsung may take a page from Apple by using titanium material for the S24 Ultra's frame.

These are only some of the hardware changes. We have also heard reports that AI will play a major role in the Galaxy S24 lineup, with AI-assisted features that will assist with image creation, email creation, and translations in other languages on the fly.

Even though all of these details seem likely, there are still some questions about the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is rumored to launch in January. The following is what we expect to learn about this upcoming phone in the coming weeks.

As noted above, Samsung appears ready to use titanium for the sides of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. (Although unlikely, other models in the S24 lineup may also adopt this feature.) While the appearance of the new Ultra should be improved, the question is what other benefits the switch in materials will bring.

Apple's use of titanium in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max provides some clues. Both of these iPhones weigh less than their predecessors, 19 grams lighter to be exact.

In the case of the Galaxy 24 Ultra, the weight savings may not be so obvious. One leaker claims that the new phone weighs 233 grams, one gram lighter than the 234-gram Galaxy S23 Ultra. Note that Samsung's current Ultra uses very light aluminum for the frame, while the iPhone 15 Pro model switches from stainless steel to titanium.

Titanium is not only lighter than these materials, but also more durable. So we expect Samsung to provide some definitive information on whether the titanium-based Galaxy 24 Ultra is better equipped to withstand the rigors of daily use.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a pair of telephoto cameras with 10MP sensors supporting different optical zooms. One Galaxy S24 Ultra's telephoto lens has a 3x zoom, while the other supports a 10x zoom. Combined, the two offer 100x space zoom for closer, more personal photos (though a tripod will likely be required to minimize blurring caused by ultra-zoom photography).

Galaxy S24 Ultra camera rumors suggest that the 10MP telephoto camera with 10x optical zoom will be replaced by a 50MP lens with 5x optical zoom; this is an odd move since the S23 Ultra is currently the best camera phone with its zoom capabilities.

Samsung would argue that the higher resolution will allow for sharper, more detailed shots, even if the zoom length is reduced. But we'd like to hear Samsung explain how this is an improvement and what the lens switch might mean for the new phone's space zoom feature; the demo photos at Galaxy Unpacked may help explain the reason for the change.

Samsung's on-device assistant does not have the best track record. Bixby was included in the Galaxy S phones in 2017, but I think my biggest interaction with that assistant was to turn it off in the phone's settings.

Is Samsung Gauss (or whatever name Samsung ultimately assigns to its AI-powered feature set) any different? Early leaks are promising, and rumored Galaxy S24 Ultra AI features include generative text assistance, live AI translation, and photo editing capabilities along the lines of what Pixel 8 phones can do. In other words, magic editor-style tools to tweak photos and move subjects around the image for better shots.

If the AI features to be included are going to be as important as Samsung is hinting, the handset maker will need to clarify what the Galaxy S24 Ultra can do and sell people on this concept.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra increased wired charging speeds from 25W to 45W, but Samsung's premium flagship has stayed there ever since. In particular, the OnePlus 12, which is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset that Samsung is expected to use in the S24 Ultra, offers 100W charging in some parts of the world.

OnePlus has its own charging technology, so this is not a completely fair comparison. However, it would be good to see Samsung make some progress in this regard, especially since Samsung's premium devices tend to rank in our best smartphone battery life list. Improved charging speeds would be another mark in Samsung's favor.

Samsung added S Pen support to its Galaxy S lineup starting with the Galaxy S21 in 2021 and began including the stylus as part of the Ultra model the following year; the Galaxy S22 Ultra update made the S Pen faster, but since then there were no substantive changes to the stylus. (The Galaxy S23 Ultra reduced the curve of the display, making the S Pen easier to use)

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We feel it is time to add new features to the S Pen. Especially if there is some way to activate the new AI-powered features that are said to be coming to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The included stylus is one of the Ultra's most unique features, and it feels like a wasted opportunity for Samsung to not make any improvements.