If we had a dollar for every year Samsung was erroneously predicted to release a new Galaxy S-series family of ultra-premium handsets in December rather than January or February (of the following year), we'd have... at least a couple of bucks saved for an S22 Ultra purchase at a huge discount this holiday season.
You probably already know exactly how these things go. Invoking either unnamed "inside sources" or simply the weak sales figures of the latest S generation, some sketchy Twitter tipster or even Korean publication will randomly start the rumor that Samsung is in an unusual rush to put its next big thing(s) into the hands of their earliest buyers.
Of course, this type of wild speculation tends to be relatively short-lived, almost always coaxing far more reliable insiders to set the record straight. In the case of the Galaxy S23 launch schedule, the recent December gossip may have just been silenced for good by The Chosun Ilbo, which happens to be the oldest daily newspaper in South Korea.
So when will the Galaxy S23 series be released?
On or "around" February 17, 2023, if we are to trust the aforementioned publication's bombshell new report (translated here). Of course, regardless of such a news source's reputation and background, it's never wise to put too much confidence into a rumor like this.
Anyone can get a product release date wrong more than three months ahead of time for the simple reason that such schedules are almost never etched in stone so early.
This is (most likely) the vanilla S23.
But today's report strongly suggests Samsung's tentative plan is to unveil the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra sometime "in the first week of February" next year, with commercial availability then tentatively scheduled to kick off roughly two weeks later. If all this is true (which it probably is), there's literally a zero chance the three next-gen mobile powerhouses will instead end up seeing daylight in December 2022.
February 17, in case you're wondering, just so happens to be a Friday in 2023. The Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra, unveiled on a Wednesday in February 2022, also became available on Friday, February 25 of this year.
That means the S23 trio could technically go on sale a little earlier in the year compared to the S22 lineup, and if this recent history is any indication, Samsung's next big Unpacked product announcement event will likely take place on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
Will the Galaxy S23 family sell like hotcakes?
Obviously, the answer to that millionbillion multi-billion-dollar question depends on many complex factors, some of which cannot even be properly controlled or influenced to a very large extent by Samsung.
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For instance, it's become a well-known fact over the last couple of quarters that people are simply not buying new phones as they used to before the start of the pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the latest global economic difficulties.
And this is (almost certainly) the S23 Plus.
High-end, high-priced handsets have been hit particularly hard this year, which almost certainly means the Galaxy S23 series will not be able to set any new sales records.
Similar to the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, however, the S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra are not expected to do very poorly, at least by their manufacturers. Samsung thinks the new 200MP camera on the Ultra model and the revised design of the "vanilla" and Plus variants will drive enough interest among hardcore Galaxy fans to help fight off the overall smartphone market's continued decline in the first half of 2023.
The mobile industry is naturally likely to (eventually) bounce back, and a potentially game-changing Galaxy Z Fold 5 could well come at the ideal time to capitalize on this recovery. Until then, it would probably be helpful to release the S23 trio considerably earlier than February 17, but hey, at least Samsung is not returning to the late and lengthy schedule of the Galaxy S20 family.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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