Samsung Galaxy S23 prices could mean bad news in some countries
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The official launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 smartphones is just around the corner, and while the respective specs of the devices have all but been confirmed through leaks, the pricing structure of the lineup remains the subject of much speculation.
We recently reported on leaked Verizon documents suggesting that the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra will cost the same as their Samsung Galaxy S22 counterparts in the US (i.e. $799.99, $999.99 and $1,199.99). The bad news is that it seems Samsung won’t be adopting the same philosophy all over the world.
Documents referring to high Galaxy S23 prices in both South Korea and Australia circulated the internet a few weeks ago, but a new report (opens in new tab) from reliable tipster Roland Quandt indicates that customers in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium will also face eye-watering Galaxy S23 prices.
According to Quandt, Galaxy S23 prices in these European regions will increase by as much as €300 (equivalent to about $325/£260) over their predecessors, which would mark the biggest generational price hike in Samsung Galaxy history.
S23 prices from a Spanish retailer:S23 8/128 959 EuroS23 8/256 1019 EuroS23+ 8/256 1209 EuroS23+ 8/512 1329 EuroS23 Ultra 8/256 1409 EuroS23 Ultra 12/512 1589 EuroJanuary 24, 2023
It goes without saying that these proposed European Galaxy S23 prices are monumentally high compared to their US equivalents, but mobile prices have been rising steadily in non-US regions for several years now, due to the strength of the US dollar against more volatile international currencies .
In Turkey and India, for example, the prices of the Galaxy S23 seem to be even higher than those in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. According to Quandt, the starting price for the least expensive Galaxy S23 model will be 50,000 Turkish Lira, which equates to about $2,660 / £2,145 / AU$3,740, which is a small fortune.
If you are not happy with what the S23 series will cost in your country, try buying one in Turkey. Listings on a price comparison site linking to the official store for Turkey. 50K TL for S23 128GB. You do the math. Ouch. pic.twitter.com/7CxKdB9YPmJanuary 27, 2023
So it is almost certain that the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra will indeed be much cheaper in the US than in other parts of the world. We haven’t heard many details about the lineup’s UK pricing yet, but we’d bet Samsung will launch its new phones in the UK for prices somewhere between those US and European figures.
In any case, we’ll be able to verify the accuracy of these numbers when the Galaxy S23 lineup is officially unveiled during Samsung Unpacked 2023 (which starts at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT on February 1, or 5am AEDT on February 2 in Australia).
Analysis: Still plenty to get excited about
The good news for potential Galaxy S23 customers in every region is that Quandt’s report confirms almost all of the exciting feature leaks we’ve reported on over the past few weeks.
For example, all three Galaxy S23 models appear to feature 120Hz displays, with the Galaxy S23 offering a 6.1-inch screen, the Galaxy S23 Plus expanding to a 6.6-inch screen, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra an even larger 6.8-inch screen. inch display (and a stylus).
Under the hood, each variant of the Galaxy S23 reportedly starts at 8GB of RAM, with the vanilla model having 128GB of storage and both the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra models having 256GB. The standard S23 will also be available in a 256GB model, while its more expensive siblings can be bumped up to 512GB (the larger variant of the Ultra also has 12GB of RAM).
When it comes to cameras, the Ultra lines up for a triple-lens setup of 200MP + 12MP + 10MP on the rear, while the S23 and S23 Plus will swap that 200MP main sensor for a 50MP equivalent. All three models will also seemingly feature a 12 MP selfie camera.
We’re very confident that Samsung’s Galaxy S23 range will launch on February 17, although we’ll know for sure after the company’s upcoming Unpacked event. Incidentally, Samsung’s S23 reservation page (opens in new tab) is still open for pre-orders, and it’s worth highlighting that you’ll get a nice $50 in-store credit if you commit to buying one of its shiny new devices.