Galaxy S23, ready with a very “slim” list of improvements

Looking more and more like rival Apple, Samsung is reportedly preparing the next Galaxy S23 series as nothing more than an incremental upgrade to the current generation Galaxy S22, delivering increased performance out of the package of a largely unchanged product.

Presumably worried about uncertain global economic developments and the dwindling demand for smartphone devices, the South Koreans at Samsung would have chosen the least risky approach possible, forgoing any innovation that might jeopardize shareholder goodwill and going with an “Apple-style” recipe.

According to information provided by @IceUniverse, a reputable rumor source with a proven track record on the subject of Samsung products, the South Koreans haven’t changed anything in the Galaxy S23 and S23+ design other than the chipset. The only one that brings a bit of innovation to the exterior design side as well would be the Galaxy S23 Ultra, correcting some contested aspects on the current model, such as the main screen and main camera.

Adding to the general feeling in the tech community that smartphone evolution has become a bit dull over the past couple of years, the revelations come to temper fans’ expectations for a “reinvention” of the Galaxy S range of phones. Except for correcting some key issues, such as too high battery consumption and tendency to overheat in games, the next generation of Android chipsets can’t improve the user experience much, as the current performance is already sufficient for almost any multitasking scenario. The inclusion of even better cameras, possibly with more megapixels than we find in the current generation iPhone 14. might help. But even so, we’re only talking about consolidating the current fan base, lacking the kind of out-of-the-box innovation that will attract the remaining undecided buyers.

From the perspective of consumers who aren’t necessarily Samsung fans, the South Koreans seem to have abandoned ambitions to bring real innovation to the conventional smartphone niche, banking on the new range of foldable phones as if they were a guaranteed success, already anticipating the “retirement” of the Galaxy S range of phones.