One of the questions we’re still asking about the Samsung Galaxy S23 is when exactly we’re going to get to see it – and the latest from the rumor mill suggests a reveal date a little later than we were expecting, if only by a week or two.
According to seasoned tipster @TheGalox_ (opens in new tab) (via Notebookcheck (opens in new tab)), Samsung is planning on a mid to late February launch for the phones, with an internal debate over how the handsets should be priced causing the date to be pushed back.
We’re previously heard reports from several sources that the Galaxy S23 range would show up in the first week of February, but it now appears we could be waiting until later in the month to see these phones officially pushed out into the world.
The price is right?
The point about the pricing dilemma is an interesting one. Samsung is going to want to make a healthy profit without putting off potential buyers, and it seems that the company hasn’t yet decided just how much it’s going to charge for these phones.
Going back to the Samsung Galaxy S22 series, those handsets started at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249 (standard), $999 / £949 / AU$1,549 (Plus) and $1,199 / £1,149 / AU$1,849 (Ultra), which gives us some idea of what to expect from the new range for 2023.
The same tipster who says the phones are delayed suggests price points of $799, $899 and $1,199 for the three devices in the Galaxy S23 line, but that’s more speculation than anything else. We’ll find out for sure in a couple of months.
Analysis: pricing pressure
From what we’re heard about the Samsung Galaxy S23 series so far, it doesn’t sound as though these phones are going to be a huge leap from their predecessors, with many of the same components from the 2022 phones set to be used in the 2023 versions.
It’s not difficult to work out why, given the tight economic times that we find ourselves in. Most people are squeezed in terms of their budgets, the effects of the pandemic are still being felt across supply chains, and the cost of materials keeps on rising.
With that in mind, Samsung is going to have to work hard to avoid putting the price of the Galaxy 23 phones at a higher level than the Galaxy S22 handsets that came before them. Certain compromises will need to be made for that to be the case.
As this new leak shows though, the company is keen not to price out consumers, especially given strong competition from Apple, Google, and the rest. Put the price up too much, and people will simply go for more affordable options.
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