Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra launch looks imminent — here's why

Reported Galaxy S24 Ultra photos
(Image credit: @DavidMa05368498/X)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's existence has been confirmed early by the NBTC, Thailand's equivalent of the FCC for ensuring devices can be legally sold in the country (via MySmartPrice).

A regulatory listing clearly shows the name "Galaxy S24 Ultra" and its model number of SM-S928B/DS. Unfortunately, beyond confirming the phone will support 5G connectivity, the listing doesn't tell us anything else interesting.

A screenshot of the NBTC's listing of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

(Image credit: MySmartPrice)

When certifications like this start appearing, that's a strong sign of a phone's incoming launch. And the S24 series is apparently debuting on January 17 next year, so it makes sense that Samsung's started sending out samples to regulators to ensure it can start selling phones as soon as possible.

Looking to other rumors, it sounds like Samsung will be putting a lot of emphasis on AI abilities of the Galaxy S24 series, no doubt trying to steal some of the Google Pixel 8's thunder. In fact, some sources are claiming the S24 series will be branded as an "AI" phone, something we've not seen Samsung try before.

Besides that, we've also heard the Galaxy S24 Ultra could feature titanium sides, a 144Hz display refresh rate, and a reworked telephoto camera. We will likely also see several other features similar to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, like a 200MP main camera, and a 6.8-inch body.

For U.S. users, the Galaxy S24 should follow the Galaxy S23 in using a Snapdragon chipset, presumably the recently announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, the rest of the world may instead get an Exynos 2400 chip made by Samsung instead, which could mean performance differences depending on where you buy your S24.

If we are getting a Galaxy S24 series launch in January, then expect further evidence of these phones' existence to emerge from national regulators in the near future. Plus, we hope, some more rumors on other features we can expect to try out when we finally get our hands on the new devices.

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Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.