the Google Pixel 7 it’s one of my favorite phones right now, easily one of the best android phones you can buy. But galaxy s23 it’s just around the corner, and it’s likely to be the Android phone to beat in 2023 as Samsung sets the pace.
But the current batch of rumors paints a Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus that look a lot like their Galaxy S22 Y galaxy s22 plus predecessors. You can expect the obvious updates, like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, but rumors are not as enthusiastic about these two phones as the more premium galaxy s23 ultra.
Ultimately, I think a lot of people will opt for the Galaxy S23 when it’s time to buy one of Samsung’s flagships, as it will be the least expensive of the three S23 models. And with that, it’ll go toe-to-toe with Google’s Pixel 7, a $599 beast of a phone.
Samsung has a lot of work ahead of it with the S23, though we all know a lot of people are likely to opt for the Galaxy over the Pixel. That said, I think the Galaxy S23 needs to get the following things right if it’s going to outperform the Pixel 7.
cameras
This might be a topic on its own, but Samsung has a long way to go to keep up with the Pixel 7’s cameras. While I have little doubt that the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be a photography powerhouse, I’m concerned about what to expect. of the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 Plus.
Rumors currently suggest that the cameras for the non-Ultra S23 models will remain fairly similar. That’s disappointing, as Google has top-tier camera hardware on the Pixel 7 with its 50MP main and 12MP ultra-wide sensors. Megapixel count isn’t everything, but Google also leverages its software prowess to great effect on the Pixel 7.
Can the Galaxy S23 keep up with its rumored 12MP main camera? We will have to see. At the very least, Samsung can likely claim one big advantage over the Pixel 7: a telephoto lens. The Galaxy S22 sported a 12MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and the S23 is likely to do the same. The Pixel 7 uses only digital zoom, leaving the real telephoto for the more expensive Pixel 7 Pro.
But the zoom is situational, while the main camera does all the heavy lifting. If Samsung sticks with the 12MP sensor for the Galaxy S23, it will have to seriously tweak its post-processing algorithms to match the detail and dynamic range that Google has all but mastered.
Battery duration
Neither the Galaxy S22 nor the Pixel 7 surprised me with battery life. We test phone batteries by continuously recharging web pages over a cellular connection until they are dead. Just under 10 hours is the average time for smartphones, and the Pixel 7 didn’t come close to that. Neither does the Galaxy S22.
At a measly 7 hours and 54 minutes when the display was set to its adaptive refresh rate, the Galaxy S22 didn’t set a good example as of 2022. The Pixel 7 didn’t finish well either, with a result of 7 hours, 17 minutes.
The Galaxy S23 needs to get this right. Whether it’s the more energy-efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, some screen efficiency tweaks, or software tweaks, the upcoming Galaxy S doesn’t need to do much to beat the Pixel 7 here.
That said, I want to see the Galaxy S23 get much closer to a 10-hour result when we run our battery test.
software features
For more years than I count, perhaps since the Galaxy S III, Samsung has had a reputation for giving you a ton of software features. The company has calmed down in recent years, reserving most of its products for the Ultra and Galaxy Z phones.
I honestly don’t expect any crazy software features for the Galaxy S23 or Galaxy S23 Plus. But the Pixel 7 has a bunch of nifty things that only a Pixel can do, like Call Screen, Direct My Call, Hold for Me, and Clear Calling. guided frame allows visually impaired users to take perfectly framed selfies. The Recorder app on the Pixel is hands down the best you can get with its precision and speaker delineation.
The Galaxy S23 needs to seriously impress us. Bixby is a far cry from Google Assistant, especially the smartest Assistant in the world. pixel 6 and the Pixel 7 series. By contrast, the Galaxy S22’s phone app and voice dictation are incredibly basic.
On a software feature front, in fact, the Pixel 7 wipes the floor with the Galaxy S22. This is the area where I doubt Samsung will outperform Google. There’s a lot the Galaxy S23 needs to do right here to match the Pixel 7, let alone beat it.
Galaxy S23 perspective
When the Galaxy S23 launches, maybe in January if you believe the rumours, you can bet we’ll be comparing it to the Pixel 7 (as well as the iPhone 14, its other great competitor). I think Samsung’s phone will be excellent, full of power and impressive improvements. While I’m not excited about the S23 per se – that honor goes to the Galaxy S23 Ultra – it’s going to be an important device given how many people are likely to buy it.
Interestingly, I think Samsung could bridge the gap with Google when it comes to cameras. Whether it’s just the Ultra that achieves that or if it’s all three models remains to be seen.
With a Galaxy S23 set to launch in early 2023, the leaks should increase from time to time. That, in turn, will help us all get a better idea of what to expect from Samsung’s 2023 flagship smartphones.