Galaxy S24 problems pile up: 4 issues plaguing Samsung’s newest smartphone
Here we go again.
Galaxy S24 early adopters are reporting bugs and other problems that they’ve been experiencing with their device since it launched just a few weeks ago. Much like the various issues that iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 early adopters experienced when those phones debuted last year, the reported problems with Samsung’s latest line of smartphones are starting to pile up.
From display problems to wonky camera issues, Galaxy S24 owners are learning the hard way that there is a price to being the first to buy a new gadget. Of course, there will likely be some fixes from Samsung coming out in the near future, like Apple and Google rolled out for their respective devices.
But, for now, here’s a rundown of what Mashable has been seeing when it comes to Samsung S24 issues.
Vivid display mode issue
One of the big selling points for the Samsung Galaxy S24 is the display. Unfortunately, that’s also one of the biggest problems facing the device, according to some users.
Across social media, Galaxy S24 early adopters are finding issues with how colors are being shown on the Galaxy S24 display. Forbes found that even some users on Reddit have reportedly returned to using the previous model, the Galaxy S23, because the colors are so “dull” or washed out on the smartphone display.
A well-known Android news source, @UniverseIce, believes the problem lies with the vivid display mode, which is meant to intensify the colors on the Galaxy S24 display. As many have pointed out, the color issues aren’t a problem when using Natural mode.
This means that the display problem isn’t a hardware issue; it’s a software one. When the iPhone 15 faced overheating problems early on, Apple rolled out a software update weeks later and the overheating issue was fixed. Similarly, Samsung should be able to address the lackluster Vivid color profile with a software update, too.
There is one problem, however. Samsung is claiming that the Vivid display mode color profile isn’t a bug; its intentional.
As reported by Android Police, Samsung Spain has provided the Spanish-language tech outlet Teknofilo with a statement saying that the issue many Galaxy S24 users are complaining about is just the new way Vivid display mode looks.
“We have adjusted the colors and brightness of Galaxy S24 series products to provide more accurate and comfortable viewing during use,” reads the translated statement. “Some changes have been made to the display technology to provide a more natural viewing experience, so users may notice differences in color depth compared to older devices. This display behavior is an intentional color adjustment and is not a product defect, so it can be used safely.”
However, the statement does also note that it’s taking in feedback, so perhaps the loud rejection for the Vivid display mode on the Galaxy S24 will cause Samsung to reverse course.
Green line display issue
Samsung may be trying out some new things with the colors in Vivid display mode, but this one certainly isn’t intentional.
Some Galaxy S24 users are experiencing another, much worse, display issue: A green line appearing vertically, straight down from the top to the bottom of their screen. Some are even finding a white line going across the display too.
To make matters worse, it’s not clear why this is happening — and Samsung is reportedly not taking responsibility for the issue.
According to a post on the Samsung community forums and a report from Phone Arena, users who are experiencing this green and/or white line issue are being turned away from Samsung, claiming the responsibility to fix the issue lies with the cellular service providers like T-Mobile and Verizon. Furthermore, those Galaxy S24 owners are being given the runaround from the phone service providers, too, leaving them with no choice but to return the phone and repurchase a new one, losing out on any discounts they received from buying the Galaxy S24 the first time.
Looking around online, it seems like this green line display issue occurs on some older models after years of use. However, Galaxy S24 users are experiencing this issue after just days of usage. Unless these users are dropping their device and inflicting the damage, these green lines appear to be a manufacturing defect, one which Samsung would be responsible for.
Faulty cameras
One of the major selling points of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the priciest of the company’s new line of Galaxy phones, are the cameras.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with a total of four rear-facing cameras including a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 200MP wide camera, a 50MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.
Some unfortunate Galaxy S24 Ultra early adopters have received defective phones that jump while switching camera to zoom in. There are also issues with certain lenses producing grainy and dull photos.
As Phone Arena noticed, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra user @smasithick on X posted a video showcasing the “image shift” when switching between different cameras immediately after a zoom. The user says he had not experienced this issue when testing out the phone in-store, but had heard from others, including users in Spain and Thailand, who faced similar problems with the camera.
According to @smasithick, when he went to the Samsung service center, “the manager was already aware of the issue affecting many first-batch devices made in India.” Samsung offered @smasithick a replacement unit, but in his latest update @smasithick says the company is now planning to release a software update to fix the issue.
Android Auto issue
Longtime Samsung smartphone users may be very familiar with this problem. Connectivity issues with Android Auto, the Android-device feature that connects your smartphone to your vehicle’s dashboard, have been especially prevalent with Samsung’s devices. And the Samsung Galaxy S24 is no different.
There’s a page addressing the Android Auto issue on the official Samsung UK website, as first noticed by 9to5Google.
“Some users have reported that they are unable to use Android Auto to connect their Galaxy S24 to their Volkswagen, Skoda, or SEAT cars,” says Samsung.
While Samsung recommends some potential fixes, like checking the Android Auto settings, the company says the problem lies not with the Galaxy S24 or Android, but with the aforementioned car manufacturers like Volkswagen.
For example, with Volkswagen, there is a known hotspot bug that might require an update on the vehicle from the dealer, says Samsung.