Samsung has launched its latest flagship Galaxy smartphone series, highlighting improved cameras and enhanced gaming features.
The lineup consists of three models: the standard S23, the S23+ and the top-of-the-line S23 Ultra. The S23 and S23+ start at $799 and $1,000 respectively, while the S23 Ultra will retail at $1,200.
The new phones are available for pre-order and will be in stores on February 17th.
The S23 series will compete with Apple’s iPhone 14, which was released in September. Samsung usually releases its Galaxy S models in the first half of the year and the Galaxy Z line of folding phones in the second half.
The new premium phones feature subtle upgrades, including better camera capabilities. The S23 Ultra has a 200-megapixel “adaptive pixel” sensor for brighter and more detailed low-light shots, assisted by faster processing speeds and artificial intelligence. The device also has a video feature called “Astro hyper lapse” for time-lapsed motion shots.
Samsung also highlighted the gaming capabilities of the new phones, saying users will be able to play for longer thanks to a more powerful battery. The S23 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery, while the S23+ and S23 have 4,700 mAh and 3,900 mAh batteries respectively.
Along with the Galaxy smartphones, Samsung also launched its Galaxy Book3 laptop lineup, which includes a third Ultra model with a 16-inch AMOLED display. The new laptops allow users to drag and drop files between the laptop and smartphone and can be paired with Samsung tablets to use as a second screen.
The launch of these products comes at a difficult time for the consumer tech industry, as demand for premium smartphones has decreased due to rising prices and tighter budgets. In the fourth quarter of 2022, global smartphone shipments fell 18.3% to 300.3 million units, marking the most significant decline in a single quarter on record. Samsung recorded its worst quarterly profit since 2014, with an operating profit of 4.31 trillion won ($3.4 billion) down 69% from the previous year’s period.
Many people are also experiencing smartphone fatigue, holding onto their current phones for longer due to the lack of significant improvements in newer models.
Samsung has consolidated its smartphone portfolio to simplify its offerings and has tried to boost consumer interest in premium phones with its foldable devices.
