Samsung Galaxy S23 prices could mean bad news in some countries

Update: Samsung's new phones have now been announced, and we’ve tried them! Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 review for our impressions of the most affordable option, our  Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus review for our look at the bigger version, or our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review for our opinion on the biggest, fanciest and most expensive model.

The official launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 smartphones is just around the corner, and while the devices’ respective specs have been all-but confirmed by leaks, the lineup’s pricing structure 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, though, is that it appears Samsung won't be applying the same philosophy across the globe. 

Documents hinting at lofty Galaxy S23 prices in both South Korea and Australia circulated across the web some weeks ago, but a new report from reliable tipster Roland Quandt indicates that customers in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium will also be faced with eye-watering Galaxy S23 prices.

According to Quandt, Galaxy S23 prices will be increasing by as much as €300 (equivalent to around $325 / £260) over their predecessors' initial cost in these European regions, which would mark the biggest generational price jump in Samsung Galaxy history.

It goes without saying that these proposed European Galaxy S23 prices are monumentally high compared to their US equivalents, but mobile prices have been steadily rising in non-US regions for several years now, owing to the strength of the US dollar against more unstable international currencies. 

In Turkey and India, for instance, Galaxy S23 prices look set 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 – equivalent to around $2,660 / £2,145 / AU$3,740, which is a small fortune.

It’s almost certain, then, that the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra will indeed be much cheaper in the US than other parts of the world. We haven’t yet heard many details surrounding the lineup’s UK pricing, but we’d wager that Samsung will launch its new phones in Britain for prices somewhere in-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 kicks off 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 prospective Galaxy S23 customers in every region is that Quandt’s report corroborates almost all of the exciting feature leaks we’ve reported on in recent weeks.   

For instance, all three Galaxy S23 models look set to boast 120Hz screens, with the Galaxy S23 offering a 6.1-inch display, the Galaxy S23 Plus upping that to a 6.6-inch display, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra sporting an even larger 6.8-inch display (and a stylus).

Under the hood, each variant of the Galaxy S23 will reportedly start at 8GB of RAM, with the vanilla model packing 128GB of storage and both the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra models packing 256GB. The standard S23 will be available in a 256GB model, too, while its pricier siblings can be bumped up to 512GB (the larger variant of the Ultra will also sport 12GB of RAM). 

When it comes to cameras, the Ultra is in line for a triple-lens 200MP + 12MP + 10MP rear setup, while the S23 and S23 Plus will be swapping that 200MP main sensor for a 50MP equivalent. All three models will seemingly sport a 12MP selfie camera, too.

We’re quietly confident that Samsung’s Galaxy S23 range will launch on February 17, though we’ll know for certain following the company’s imminent Unpacked event. Incidentally, Samsung’s S23 reservation page is still open for pre-orders, and it’s worth flagging that you’ll get a nice little $50 store credit should you commit to purchasing one of its shiny new devices.