Heavy lies the head that wears the crown, so the saying goes, but Samsung seems unbothered by its weight. It's not particularly easy to so comprehensively demolish your competition year after year yet Samsung manages to do that so effortlessly that you'd think nothing could be easier.
The Android smartphone landscape is a crowded one. Dozens of manufacturers compete against each other across the entire price segment. Samsung has consistently remained the leading Android device manufacturer. It's not just getting lucky. The company continues to push the envelope on innovation. It's always able to tap into the market's pulse and bring devices each year that offer exactly what customers are looking for.
Yesterday, we got another look at how Samsung works its magic. The Galaxy S23 series consolidates all of the goodwill that its predecessor generated while also laying a solid foundation for the future. It shows that Samsung isn't fazed by saturation in the flagship segment, that it's capable of pumping out great new high-end devices every year.
The most noteworthy (pun intended) model is undoubtedly the Galaxy S23 Ultra. With the Ultra model now being the spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note, the latest model blends the Note DNA with the generational leaps in camera technology that we've come to expect from the Ultra models.
This is also one of Samsung's most technologically advanced smartphones yet. Many fans will appreciate that only one chipset is being used globally this time and it's the new Qualcomm chipset. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, and indeed the entire series, has a special version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It has higher CPU and GPU clock speeds as well as Qualcomm's new Cognitive ISP for better image processing.
Samsung previously used to ship the Qualcomm-powered Galaxy S flagships in some markets while others got the Exynos. This time around, all Galaxy S23 Ultra customers everywhere will have the same chipset. Those fans who have been disappointed by the Exynos variants in the past will be quick to purchase the latest phone. This consistency certainly elevates the Galaxy S23 Ultra's stature.
What to say of the other specs? They're the best in the business. From the 6.8-inch S Pen-enabled Quad HD+ display protected by the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with peak 1,750 nits brightness to the 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast charging and two physical SIM slots. This device offers everything you could possibly need.
There won't be many Android flagships that can match what the Galaxy S23 Ultra's cameras can achieve. It's Samsung's first phone with a 200-megapixel camera that delivers crips, true-to-life photos. Samsung has made AI processing enhancements to significantly improve low-light photography and videography. The company has even added new camera software features that enable users to capture photos that are out of this world, quite literally.
Software support is an important consideration for customers and Samsung has been leading the way for Android manufacturers in this department. The Galaxy S23 Ultra will get four years of Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates. Samsung's rivals have only just started copying the level of software support it provides while the company already has a proven track record of walking the talk.
Perhaps the biggest vote of confidence in the elevated stature of the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes from Qualcomm and Google. Titans of the industry in their own right, both Qualcomm and Google have worked closely with Samsung on improving various aspects of the new lineup. Qualcomm has tweaked the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for Samsung while Google has worked to bring features like co-editing in Samsung Notes via Google Meet. They're proud to be associated with Samsung's flagship lineup and top executives from these companies joined Samsung mobile boss TM Roh on the Unpacked stage yesterday.
There's no denying that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is an expensive phone. Even though Samsung hasn't made it more expensive in the United States, prices for the Galaxy S23 series will vary by market, more than they have done before. This makes availability of official repair services crucial so that in case customers need help, it's easily accessible. Samsung has a worldwide network of official repair centers. Having personally benefitted from the network many times on trips abroad, I can attest to the peace of mind it brings.
Many Android flagship challengers will come in the following months and hope to steal the Galaxy S23 Ultra's crown. It won't be possible. OnePlus has already tried and failed. Samsung has raised the bar even higher this year and made a clear statement: The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the king of Android phones in 2023, and if you come for the king, you best not miss.
