Samsung's AI Laptop Faces Problems --- Some software applications are incompatible with the new computer

"Samsung Electronics said its latest laptop, which uses a Microsoft operating system and includes artificial-intelligence features, has encountered problems running some software programs including popular games.

The issues offer an early hint of the challenges some tech companies may face as they introduce new AI-powered computers and smartphones while seeking to maintain compatibility with existing software.

Samsung's Galaxy Book 4 Edge, which went on sale Tuesday in the U.S., South Korea and some other markets, contains Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor. It runs a version of Microsoft's Windows 11 for PCs that uses technology from U.K.-based Arm.

On Wednesday, Samsung put a notice on its Korean-language product site listing applications that it currently determines are incompatible with the new laptop or can't be installed. The list included some Adobe software as well as popular games including "League of Legends" and "Fortnite."

Samsung didn't give a detailed cause but cited operational conditions on the laptops related to Windows 11 Arm and the Qualcomm processor.

"We've asked app developers for improvements, and will check on app improvement schedules to provide continual updates," Samsung said.

Microsoft, Qualcomm and the software makers didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

For decades, PCs running Microsoft's Windows typically used Intel processors. However, PC makers -- including Microsoft itself in some of its devices -- have recently touted their use of Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips. Qualcomm, which used to focus on smartphone chips, has optimized its products to integrate AI functions such as generating images and summarizing text without an internet connection.

Samsung said in its product description that the Galaxy Book 4 Edge (typically $1,350) used "the fastest, most powerful Snapdragon for laptops."

In principle, a switch to a new processor could cause compatibility issues for software designed to work with an earlier processor, although it couldn't be determined whether that was a factor in this case.

Other PC brands are using the same setup of Snapdragon processors built on Arm's architecture to power new models with AI functions. It wasn't immediately known whether other brands were experiencing the same software-compatibility issues reported by Samsung.

The term AI PC generally refers to personal computers capable of performing AI computations using their own internal hardware rather than directing tasks to specialized computers in distant data centers.

Intel Chief Executive Pat Gelsinger said this month in Taiwan that about 80% of all PCs are expected to be AI PCs by 2028." [1]

1. Samsung's AI Laptop Faces Problems --- Some software applications are incompatible with the new computer. Yang, Jie; Sohn, Jiyoung.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 20 June 2024: B.4.