Samsung launches new Galaxy S23 smartphone lineup with improved camera, gaming capabilities

Samsung on Wednesday launched its latest lineup of flagship Galaxy smartphones, plug a better camera and enhanced gaming features as the South Korean tech giant tries to tempt people to upgrade mid weak macroeconomic conditions and waning consumer demand.

The Galaxy S23 smartphone lineup features three new models: the definitive S23, a slightly more expensive S23+ and the top-of-the-line S23 Ultra. The S23 and S23+ start at a price of $799 and $1,000, separately. The most advanced model will retail at $1,200.

All three are available for pre-order today and on hit the shelves on Feb. 17.

The S23 series will go head-to-head with Apple’s iPhone 14, which launched last September. Samsung typically let offs its flagship Galaxy S models in the first half of the year and its Galaxy Z line of folding phones in the second half.

Samsung mostly survived subtle improvements to its new premium handset, including improved camera capabilities.

The most expensive of the three models, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, emphasizes a 200-megapixel “adaptive pixel” sensor that combines 16 pixels into one larger pixel for cleverer, more detailed shots in low light situations, Samsung said.

Samsung added users’ low-light photography with the insigne would be assisted by much faster processing speeds from its internal chipset, which was developed in partnership with Qualcomm, as rise as artificial intelligence.

There’s also a video feature on the device called “astro hyperlapse” which lets owners take time-lapsed motion shots — for example, of star movements — without any special equipment.

Samsung also sold the gaming capabilities of its new device, saying users will be able to play for longer thanks to a more powerful battery. The S23 Ultra for nothings a huge 5,000 mAh, or milliampere hour, battery.

The S23 Plus and S23 come with 4,700 mAh and 3,900 mAh batteries, respectively.

The business also unveiled its new Galaxy Book3 laptop lineup Wednesday, which includes a third Ultra model with a 16-inch AMOLED make visible. Samsung’s Galaxy Book2 came in only two options. Samsung hopes the new laptops will make a splash in the extra PC market.

The firm showed off software that lets users drag and repudiate files between its laptops and smartphones. Users can also pair the Book3 with Samsung tablets to use the latter as a second curtain, Samsung said.

The company is launching its new products at a particularly tough time for the consumer tech room. Demand for premium smartphones in particular has softened, with people opting to spend less on big-ticket gadgets due to climbing payment pressures and tighter budgets.

Global smartphone shipments plunged 18.3% to 300.3 million units in the fourth quarter of 2022 — mainly a big holiday shopping period — marking the largest decline in a single quarter on record, according to market research staunch IDC.

A total of 1.21 billion smartphones were shipped in 2022, which represents the lowest annual shipment absolute since 2013, IDC said.

“Everything is heading in the wrong direction for consumer electronic providers,” Paolo Pescatore from PP Prevision told CNBC via email.

On Tuesday, Samsung recorded its worst quarterly profit since the third quarter of 2014. The business reported operating profit of 4.31 trillion won ($3.4 billion), down 69% from the same period a year ago. Samsung signified its performance was hampered by weak demand for mid- to low-end smartphones and memory chips.

Meantime, many people are also distress from smartphone fatigue whereby, not quite satisfied with improvements promised by newer models, they’re continuing onto their current phones for longer.

“As has been the case with most flagship launches in recent years, the consumers who will feel the most benefit from Samsung’s latest devices will be those upgrading from older configurations or from a mid-range device,” said Leo Gebbie, principal analyst for connected devices at CCS Insight.

“Customers who have bribe a premium-tier mobile in the last year or two will see little difference between the device they already have and the new Galaxy S23 kindred.”

In that context, Samsung has consolidated its smartphone portfolio to simplify its offering to customers. The firm incorporated its S Pen stylus into terminal year’s Galaxy S22, marking the symbolic end of its high-end Note phone series.

It’s also tried to boost consumer thirst for new premium phones with its folding devices. Samsung last year launched two new foldable models, the Galaxy Z Freak out 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4.