What to expect from the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event?
Samsung will hold its next Unpacked event on February 1, 2023. What to expect?
Samsung 2023 will hold its first Unpacked event on February 1, and many expect the Galaxy S23 family to be the focus. The South Korean giant even let slip some details like camera and performance improvements. But will it be a big update or a more modest update? What can this event in San Francisco promise us?
Galaxy S23 Ultra
If the main advantage of the Galaxy S22 Ultra was undoubtedly its Galaxy Note-style stylus, the S23 Ultra could revolve around its photo module. Rumors from Ice Universe and others have hinted at a 200MP primary sensor, and Samsung has put some grist to the mill by introducing a sensor that just might match. The ISOCELL HP2 promises extremely detailed photos and 8K video at 30fps with the strongest low-light capabilities. It can also capture more accurate colors when the light is very good. On the other hand, the front camera can be upgraded to 12 MP.
Samsung could also give the S23 family a nice performance boost with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip that’s said to be 25% faster than Gen 1, with hardware-enhanced ray tracing for gaming. AI processing would also be four times faster. And Qualcomm claims that Gen 2 is up to 40% more efficient. Satellite communications can also be seen, such as Wi-Fi 7.
Perhaps the biggest surprise will come from the availability of this chip. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Snadragon 8 Gen 2 chip will be offered in devices worldwide. Get off the Exynos chip, which offers less good performance and autonomy.
The rest would be very similar. In terms of design, if the leaked images are true, the Galaxy S23 Ultra would offer a slightly flatter design than its predecessor. There will still be a 12MP ultra-wide lens, two 10MP telephoto lenses, S-Pen and up to 12GB of RAM. A 1TB storage option will also be available.
Galaxy S23 and S23+
More conventional smartphones shouldn’t get such major updates, but the upgrades should still be interesting. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a 12MP front-facing sensor will also appear, as well as a larger battery. Both these devices will have 256 GB of main storage.
For the rest, we’ll likely have the classic 6.1- and 6.6-inch displays of the Galaxy S22 range, not to mention a 5MP rear primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor and a single 10MP telephoto lens. In addition, the photo module should benefit from a redesigned design in line with the design of the Ultra family.
Galaxy Book 3 Ultra
Samsung rarely unveils new smartphones during its Unpacked event, and a new high-end laptop is rumored to be coming soon. The brand’s order page hints at a new Galaxy Book device, and President of Mobile Experience TM Roh made it clear that Ultra products are coming to “more product categories” beyond smartphones. Why not an Ultra laptop?
If the leak is genuine, this new model will be the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra. No one knows what this laptop might offer, but Samsung Display explained that this high-end Galaxy Book will have an OLED display with integrated touch, just like smartphones. The Ultra is expected to arrive alongside the more traditional Galaxy Book 3 Pro and a convertible Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 with a stylus. Performance should be high, of course.
Bonus: Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Buds
Rumors haven’t really mentioned any other products for this Unpacked. Samsung has reportedly decided to delay the launch of the Galaxy Tab S9 family of tablets, possibly due to the current economic uncertainty and weak Tab S8 sales. In any case, the giant will wait longer between two generations of tablets than smartphones. The Tab S8 arrived in early 2022, while its predecessor, the S7, arrived in summer 2020.
Also, you should not rely on new headphones. Samsung announced the Galaxy Buds 2 in the summer of 2021, and the Buds 2 Pro next year. Aside from a minor revival for the Galayx Buds Live, the brand is under no pressure to update its audio products.
Other products are likely to be cleared later. For example, don’t expect new foldable Galaxy Z smartphones, new Galaxy A budget smartphones or a new Galaxy Watch.
