The new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra looks precisely like the Galaxy S22 Ultra from 2022. Examine the image above and attempt to identify the differences.
This is due to the fact that they are nearly identical phones. Samsung isn’t even bothering to attempt to conceal it.
How can a phone with an S-Pen pen and five circular camera cutouts on the rear be housed in squared-off corners with the same size screen? When you put the two phones side by side, it’s difficult to tell them difference.
The S23 Ultra receives the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, a 200Mp primary camera, and a few new software gimmicks, but this is more of an evolution than a revolution.
Qualcomm providing the S23 with a customized version of the 8 Gen 2, with a CPU clocked at a higher peak speed of 3.36GHz, is confirmation that smartphone distinction in 2023 will be difficult for most consumers to understand.
If you want all the specifications on the new S23 series, my colleague Dom Preston has them all, and we’re grouping up the best pre-order offers if you’re still inclined.
However, those specifications demonstrate that the latest pricey cellphones on the market aren’t all that different from the ones released a year ago, and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.
It is not only Samsung. Apple couldn’t be bothered to disguise the fact that the iPhone 14 looks and functions exactly like the iPhone 13. The Google Pixel 7 is similar to the Pixel 6.
While Samsung has changed the back camera look of the new Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, the actual camera hardware of both devices is the same as the S22 series. After you put an S23 in a case, it resembles an S22, which resembles an S21.
And, sure, the S23 Ultra’s 200Mp sensor will produce excellent photographs thanks to sophisticated pixel binning and improved low-light performance. But the ultrawide and telephoto lenses are the same as last year, and who can detect the difference once you’ve shared a compressed photograph to Instagram?
It emphasizes the fact that Apple and Samsung, two of the largest smartphone makers, typically sell their flagship devices in such large quantities each year that they no longer need to attempt. They may launch the same phone with the same design and achieve the same or higher sales statistics, good brand promotion, and four or five star ratings from tech writers and YouTubers.
The latter is, of course, due to sites like AG4tech. We aim to assess cellphones honestly and on the merits of the device rather than constant comparison – I elected not to downgrade the superb iPhone 14 in my review just because it is identical to the iPhone 13. But you should still buy an iPhone 13 today to save money, and as I stated in the article, you should not upgrade from a 13 to a 14.
I expect to say the same thing about an S23 Ultra after thoroughly reviewing it. If you enjoy the style, S-Pen pen, and adaptable mobile camera setup, you can get an S22 Ultra at a discount. You’ll get the same experience.
The same is true for the S23 and S23+ – unless you prefer this year’s redesigned design, an S22 or S22+ will serve you well for less money. Apple and Samsung provide at least four years of software upgrades for their best phones, which is more than plenty for a phone purchased one year after its release.
It’s easy to get caught up in the bright new phone hype, but the days of massive design jumps are long gone: glass iPhone 4 to bigger metal iPhone 5, plastic Galaxy S5 to sleek glass Galaxy S6.
Even the design of the Galaxy S21 Ultra was an improvement over the unattractive S20 Ultra from just two years ago.
According to recent evidence, Apple and Samsung may wait a year and release the exact same phone as a new one.
There is a strategy difference between the companies: you can still purchase a brand new iPhone 12 (released in 2020) from Apple, however at the time of writing, I couldn’t get any of the S21, S21 Plus, or S21 Ultra from Samsung (launched 2021).
I can’t decide which is worse.
Given the constant yearly cycle of smartphone launches, it may sound absurd to say, but what if Apple and Samsung didn’t produce a new flagship phone line up every year? What if they followed Fairphone’s lead?
In a media conference, Samsung touted that the S23 Ultra has more recyclable elements than the S22 Ultra. Wouldn’t it be more environmentally responsible to not create a new model at all, but rather sell the S22 series for longer and better support services such as battery replacements, preventing consumers from upgrading to a new phone before they need to?
The smartphone behemoths should be assisting us in keeping our phones longer, yet the relentless march of their yearly release cycle leads us to believe we need a new phone when the one in our pocket is perfectly enough.
Your current model is most likely functionally equivalent to the gleaming new iPhone 14 or Galaxy S23 Ultra.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t purchase a new phone if you need one, but it’s apparent that Samsung has done nothing noteworthy with the S23 series this year. The business should accept that smartphone progress has stalled by producing fewer phones rather than chasing revenues that push perfectly good phones into desk drawers and landfills much too soon.
