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If you caught the recent Samsung Unpacked 2026, you already know that the tech giant is going all-in on artificial intelligence (AI)
From real-time translations to smart photo editing, Galaxy AI is getting incredibly powerful, with much of the processing now happening directly on your device.
But for everyday Malaysians, this brings up two massive questions: Will all this AI drain my battery? And more importantly, can an AI actually understand the way we speak — lah, wei, and all?
We had an exclusive chat with Carl Nordenberg, Samsung's VP and Regional Head, to get the lowdown on how the company is tackling battery life, local slang, and his personal favourite tech from the new lineup.
Carl Nordenberg, Samsung's VP and Regional Head.
Image via Samsung MalaysiaProcessing AI tasks directly on your phone (which is great for your privacy!) requires serious computational power. So, how is Samsung ensuring a prolonged battery life?
According to Nordenberg, the secret isn't just adding a bigger battery and calling it a day.
"It's about optimising the entire system, from the chipset and AI processing to ensure the software and hardware are working together optimally," he explained to SAYS Tech.
Across the new foldable lineup, Samsung has made specific improvements based on how people actually use each device.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, for example, despite rocking a thinner and lighter design, packs a massive 5,000mAh battery. Samsung also introduced a brand-new charging architecture with 45W fast charging, meaning you spend less time tethered to a wall.
The Galaxy Z Fold8, built for the binge-watchers, is optimised for extended viewing and is powered by a solid 4,800mAh battery.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip8, Samsung's thinnest and lightest Flip yet, uses a new silicon-carbon battery technology combined with internal design optimisations.
This ensures you get that sleek form factor without sacrificing everyday battery life.
All three devices feature powerful on-device AI in gorgeous form factors, without losing that all-day battery life you rely on.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8.
Image via Samsung MalaysiaLanguage models have traditionally been built around widely spoken languages. If you have ever tried speaking to a voice assistant in full-blown Manglish, you know the struggle.
Nordenberg acknowledges that Southeast Asia presents a unique challenge.
We naturally switch between languages mid-sentence, mix formal and informal expressions, and use highly specific local slang.
"The challenge isn't simply recognising a language," Nordenberg said. "It's understanding how people actually speak and interact in real life."
To fix this, Samsung made localisation a major priority, working closely with R&D teams right here in Southeast Asia.
In Vietnam, local engineers collaborated with global AI teams in South Korea and India to build and refine native Vietnamese language support.
In Indonesia, the R&D teams literally went out into everyday environments — like local cafés and bustling workplaces — to collect speech samples. They even studied local social media usage to keep up with evolving conversational patterns and slang!
By continuously feeding these real-world insights into their system, Galaxy AI is getting much smarter at understanding regional nuances.
Today, Galaxy AI supports 22 languages, including Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Vietnamese, and Filipino, with plans to expand even further through its ongoing collaboration with Google.
"Ultimately, our goal isn't just for Galaxy AI to understand what you say — it should understand how you naturally communicate, so interacting with AI feels intuitive, wherever you are," Nordenberg added.
With so much new tech on the table, what is the one thing the VP is most excited to use in his day-to-day life?
For Nordenberg, it's the Galaxy Z Fold8.
Having been a foldable user for years, he feels this generation has truly refined the experience.
As user behaviour evolves — with all of us spending way more time watching, browsing, and reading on our phones — the Fold8's wider, more immersive viewing canvas feels incredibly natural to use.
He specifically highlighted how the device perfectly balances content consumption with productivity. Features like Now Nudge help keep him organised throughout his busy schedule.
"It's a great example of how Samsung is bringing innovative hardware and deeply integrated AI together to create a better everyday experience," he said.
