What you need to know
- Samsung details its Game Launcher rebrand on Galaxy phones to "Gaming hub for mobile."
- The switch brings its Android phones closer (in name) to the Gaming Hub found on its smart TVs and monitors.
- Samsung's "Instant Plays" are available in the mobile gaming hub, which allows users to play games without downloading.
Samsung announces it has rebranded One UI's old "Game Launcher" on Galaxy phones to "Gaming hub for mobile."
According to a press release, the rebrand brings Samsung's Android phones closer to the Gaming Hub users will find on its smart TVs and monitors. The Gaming Hub gives users access to "Instant Plays," which is a feature the original launcher had since it was available.
Samsung highlights the feature, stating mobile gamers will find "immediate access" to titles without downloading them. Instant Plays is still in a "limited" beta with a few select games for those in the U.S. and Canada.
Moreover, the Korean OEM states its mobile game streaming hub supports native Android APKs, existing in-game monetization models for gaming publishers, and cloud-based solutions for developers.
The hub's official page details familiar features, such as the ability to manage downloaded games, alerts for exclusive gaming perks, and coupons.
Samsung discussed furthering its ambitions in streaming mobile games for Galaxy users at the Gaming Developer Conference (GDC 2024). The company's corporate vice president, Jikhan Jung, stated, " Our vision for Gaming Hub for mobile is to provide an all-in-one gaming platform optimized for Galaxy owners that makes playing and discovering games much easier without downloading and waiting."
Samsung first announced its original Gaming Hub for larger displays during CES 2022. The game-streaming discovery platform for smart TVs and more supports Xbox, GeForce Now, Utomik, and Amazon Luna. Users can seamlessly connect a supported gaming controller to stream popular games to their TVs without needing a console.
While this may not be mentioned, Galaxy users who are hopping into the Gaming Hub should still find controller support.
Samsung didn't specifically list anything new arriving for its Gaming Hub for mobile rebrand. However, the hub notably piggybacks off some AI gaming software for curated recommendations on its home screen. Perhaps there's more in store as the company continues to "innovate" on its game-streaming platform.
A vivacious return to the top
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra has its ear open to what the users want and delivers. The company's latest endeavor, Galaxy AI, is weaved throughout the phone's insides. The S24 Ultra provides several on-device AI features that can help you summarize texts or translate conversations in real-time. Also, you're still getting some great speed and performance out of this phone.
