The next entrant in Samsung's flagship series, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, features a whole host of new features including a new design, upgraded processor, new camera system and possibly some new color leaks. The S23 Ultra case and new S Pen color palette leak.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Release Date

The Samsung Galaxy S23 phone could be released on February 17, 2023, according to the latest rumor, which pegs its release for the first week of February.

If Samsung keeps the release schedule of Galaxy S23 unchanged, then the activities of Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra will start on February 8, 2023 or even earlier, as sources say that the first week of February is when the announcement again pushes the release date of S23 even to February 17.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Specifications

Unfortunately, this could also mean that the Galaxy S23 and S23+ will get the hybrid LTPS display that Samsung managed to introduce with a variable refresh rate, but only down to 48Hz, while the LTPO panel on the Ultra models can cover the entire screen 1Hz-120Hz range and save battery power when displaying static images.

Given that the size of the battery pack is likely to remain the same, the only possibility of improving battery life will have to come from the rumored Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.

However, this will be a major gain as it will be built on a second generation optimized 4nm process and reportedly cleverly combines both old and new ARM Cortex cores, which should make it very gentle on the battery for everyday tasks, unlike the 3GHz Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 monster that heats up and throttles a lot under heavy loads like 3D gaming.

Given that Samsung will only use Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Samsung Galaxy S23 and has no plans to use Exynos, it may have the best performance/power ratio of any Galaxy S series to date.

Keeping the rest of the hardware intact should hopefully mean that the Galaxy S23 and S23+ will also be able to launch at a lower price point, as the LTPS display and processor upgrades may have turned many people away from the S23+.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Camera

the biggest hardware upgrade that the Samsung Galaxy S23 series will bring is expected to be once again a new 200 MP primary camera sensor, after rumors were dismissed. Samsung's recently announced ISOCELL HP3 200MP camera sensor may pour more water in the respective rumor mills, but Samsung may actually use a custom ISOCELL sensor with 0.60 micron pixels.

Samsung's recently announced ISOCELL HPX sensor may sound like a prime candidate, but it has a smaller pixel size and total size. With Tetra pixel technology, the camera sensor maintains a pixel size of 0.56 microns in bright sunlight, allowing it to capture 200MP images. In low-light conditions, the pixel size reaches 1.12 microns, allowing users to take 50MP photos, and the 50MP mechanism on the S23 Ultra will perform the same pixel merging magic, only with larger merged virtual pixels.

In very low light conditions, 16 pixels are combined into one pixel, so photos can be taken at 12.5 MP. Samsung says the system will allow users to take clear photos.

In fact, this comes on the heels of reports that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have unique camera features, such as an "ultra-stabilization" feature that may have been designed as a response to Apple's Action Mode, followed by another camera-related tip.

The custom 200MP sensor, which could make its debut in the S23 Ultra on the Galaxy S series phones, will also be able to greatly improve low-light shooting. Samsung's flagship phones already offer excellent night modes in their camera apps, so any further low-light improvements are likely to rely more on hardware upgrades than image processing algorithms.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera specifications to look forward to

The mysterious 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 sensor allegedly designed for the Galaxy S23 Ultra measures 1/1.3 inches, with a pixel size of 0.6μm and an aperture of f/1.7 for more light. So it really must be a new sensor.

This isn't the first time Samsung has come to brag over ultra-high resolution sensors, as it did with its last 108MP and 200MP offerings, but it has kept its own custom versions and the last few Galaxy S Ultra series for generations.

It's not that the S22 Ultra's 108MP sensor is problematic, although Samsung has been using this sensor for three years in a row, but it's a bit long in the tooth. On the other hand, the S23 and S23+ will likely inherit the 108MP sensor that the Ultra now carries to add the element of surprise in front of eager buyers.

The primary camera upgrades are not expected to carry over to the zoom cameras, as they are still expected to remain 10MP cameras with 10x periscope magnification and another 10MP sensor under the 3x telephoto camera lens.

According to a reliable tipster, Samsung may also have a counterpart to Apple's Action Mode video recording called "Ultra Stabilization". It would be appropriately called "Super Stable" and is exclusive to the high-end Galaxy S23 Ultra models as an extension of Samsung's inherent Super Stable mode, which you can see below in contrast to the iPhone 14 Pro Max's Action Mode.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Storage

As the maker of its own RAM memory and internal flash memory chips, Samsung can be generous with the GB capacity of its phones. With the Galaxy S23, Samsung may finally break the cycle of 128GB starting storage, at least for the Ultra version.

This time around, rumors suggest that the S22 Ultra will start at 256GB, but that speculation may hold true for its successor, which will come with a vastly upgraded camera sensor that can capture huge single RAW photo files and breathtaking 8K video clips that will take up a lot of internal space.

In addition, Samsung announced that the latest version of its Universal Flash Storage (UFS) solution and version 4.0 will be in volume production in the third quarter of this year. UFS 4.0 will bring significant speed and efficiency improvements to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, and could appear on the Galaxy S23 flagship series in 2023.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Design

The design of the series will change slightly, with the Ultra taking on a more squared-off shape, while the regular S23 and Plus siblings will ditch the camera island platform on the back and feature the Ultra's separate protruding lens.

The colors of the Galaxy S23 were thought to be beige, black, green and light pink, at least at the time of its release, and the leaked S23 Ultra's S Pen comes in exactly those colors, but Samsung likes to change things up and offer unique shades that can only be available when purchased from its own store.

While the Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ are expected to look exactly the same as their predecessors, with the possible addition of a new color or two, the design of the Galaxy S23 Ultra will only remain largely the same as it will undergo some minor changes that are necessary for greater under the hood improvements.

According to the claims, one of the changes is the different radius of curvature of the side frames, which is higher on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, potentially freeing up more space inside the phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is not expected to have any other cosmetic changes other than a more square design when viewed from the side. For example, even the rumored 200MP main sensor will not change the design of the raindrop camera group on the back.

There are still three lens rings protruding independently from the back, rather than being part of an elevated camera island "plateau" like most other major phones.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Display

The quad-curved Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra display doesn't make much sense on a phone with an integrated S Pen stylus because you need as much of a flat canvas to scribble on as possible, but from the leaked Galaxy S23 series screen protector.

For the Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+, Samsung will once again use its hybrid LTPS display technology with the 48Hz-120Hz range that its predecessor had, thus skipping any new battery consumption saving technology.

However, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will feature Samsung's latest generation of 12th generation OLED displays with a 6.7-inch 1440p panel, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 with significantly higher peak brightness compared to the Z Fold 3, or the iPhone 14 Pro Max with record peak brightness of 2000 nits.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series: Battery

The battery life of the Galaxy S23 series is expected to be boosted by the use of the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors made with 3nm technology and the new generation of OLED panels they may bring.

However, if Samsung does a complete redesign and waterfall display on the S23 series, the battery size of the S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra may have to be reduced and they will have a lower capacity, which will offset the more frugal hardware to achieve the battery life we tested on the S22 model.

Fortunately, all rumors suggest that Samsung will still equip the Galaxy S23 Ultra with a 5,000 mAh battery pack like its predecessor, so the Galaxy S23 Ultra may actually have a longer battery life than the current S22 Ultra.

Just like the Korean safety regulator certified the battery for the Galaxy S22+ last year, the battery for the S23+ appeared in the same month in September. This could be a clear sign that Samsung will follow a similar February schedule for S-series phone releases in 2023 as it did this year.

As for the exact Galaxy S23+ battery capacity, the model number EB-BS916ABY indicates that it is suitable for the Samsung SM-S916 phone (Galaxy S23 Ultra model number SM-S918). It is a 4700 mAh, an increase of 5% over the 4500 mAh unit of its predecessor.

Should I upgrade to Galaxy S23?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series is expected to be the biggest upgrade to the S series in a while, just like the iPhone 14 model will be the biggest upgrade in iPhone history. Samsung will have to roll out its A-game to take on the iPhone 14 models, and it appears to be doing so as the Galaxy S23 Ultra should feature the largest camera sensor on an S-series phone to date, while it and the S23 and S23+ could shine with faster processing, a larger battery and better 5G connectivity.

If Samsung is offering the same generous terms it is now offering for the best Galaxy S22 Ultra deals, then upgrading to a Galaxy S23 model would be a smart choice.