Samsung gives us an official Unpacked date and teases Galaxy S23 cameras

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra full back
(Image credit: Future)

Samsung will unveil its next flagship device family, the Galaxy S23, at an event on February 1. Viewers at home can tune in on Samsung directly, and TechRadar will be on site in San Francisco to check out the new phones, which presumably will include the Galaxy S23 Plus and the 200MP-capable Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

If you're already positive that you want Samsung's next big thing, reserve sales have started and will run until the event. Samsung isn't giving away advance details, but you can get $50 or $100 in store credit if you commit to one or two new devices respectively. You don't need to put money down in advance, just give them your name and email address. 

The invitation to the event looks remarkably like the three-hole camera cutout that we've seen on leaked renders and images of the Galaxy S23 phone, making it look much more like the Galaxy S22 Ultra design, as seen above.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked invitation showing three lit circles on a dark background

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Galaxy S23 launch is the first major phone launch of the year, and it arguably sets the bar for other manufacturers to leap over. Qualcomm has been loudly hinting that every Galaxy S23 device will use its next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform, and we've even heard it could get a speed boost for Samsung's flagships.

Otherwise, we're not expecting major upgrades this year, though we'd love to be surprised. The priciest model, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will likely be the first Samsung phone with a 200MP sensor.

Beyond the massive pixel count, we're hearing enthusiastic rumblings about the improvements to low light capabilities. We don't expect big improvements to any of the other cameras, which is probably fine, since the Galaxy S22 Ultra already tops our list of the best camera phones you can buy.

Leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in four shades

Leaked images of the Galaxy S23 Ultra in the new colors (Image credit: Samsung / SnoopyTech)

Pricing for the phones is still up in the air, and we've heard it could cost the same or may be due for a price increase over last year's models.

Of course we also expect accessories to match the new phones, so we'll be on the lookout for new earbuds as well in all of the new Galaxy S23 colors. The new phones should launch in cream ("Cotton Flower"), pink ("Misty Lilac"), "Botanic" Green and "Phantom" Black.

Since we've nailed down most of the hardware specs, the big question will be what software features and improvements Samsung will offer on the new phones. We're hoping that One UI finally matures to match the look and feel we're enjoying on Google's own Pixel devices.

Samsung loves to add and change its software with every phone, so we're curious to see how this plays out on February 1. Keep checking back for the latest news on the Galaxy S23 and all of our most anticipated phones of 2023.

Philip Berne
US Mobiles Editor

Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, starting more than 20 years ago at eTown.com. Phil has written for Engadget, The Verge, PC Mag, Digital Trends, Slashgear, TechRadar, AndroidCentral, and was Editor-in-Chief of the sadly-defunct infoSync. Phil holds an entirely useful M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University. He sang in numerous college a cappella groups.

Phil did a stint at Samsung Mobile, leading reviews for the PR team and writing crisis communications until he left in 2017. He worked at an Apple Store near Boston, MA, at the height of iPod popularity. Phil is certified in Google AI Essentials. He has a High School English teaching license (and years of teaching experience) and is a Red Cross certified Lifeguard. His passion is the democratizing power of mobile technology. Before AI came along he was totally sure the next big thing would be something we wear on our faces.

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