7 Things The Galaxy S23 Absolutely Needs (To Succeed)

We’re all fans of flagship phones, even if sometimes we don’t admit it. Yes, getting a bargain on a midranger is fine, but the excitement, the buzz and the tingle in your chest when you think of the latest and greatest technological achievements, the strange miracles of the modern cyber world – it’s is a feeling that cannot be ignored. And yet, don’t you get the feeling that in recent years things have calmed down a bit, especially when it comes to Samsung’s flagship phones? It might just be me, but the latest Galaxy generations have left me wanting more – not disappointed, but still hungry.

And while the same is absolutely true for the latest generations of iPhones, today I want to share with you the things that I would like to see in the next generations. Galaxy S23 series. These aren’t wacky sci-fi fantasies, but rather small details that would take the Galaxy experience to a whole new level. Here we are.

Stop already with curved screens!

An extreme case of curved screen beyond use - 7 things the Galaxy S23 absolutely needs (to succeed)

An extreme case of an unusable curved screen

I know this is a bit controversial, but hear me out! There’s no practical reason to have a curved screen on a smartphone. Period. There’s an aesthetic benefit, but other than that, it’s just not practical. First, the screen is much more susceptible to damage, and it needs a special (curved) screen protector and a special case (shallow on the sides). The frame becomes a sharp edge that sinks into your hand; you constantly touch the thing with your palm and the image is distorted where the screen bends.

I hate to point to Apple as a good example, but the Cupertino guys moved away from curved screens a long time ago. Nevertheless, Samsung retains the awe-inspiring curve of its most expensive model, the Galaxy S Ultra. Please, Samsung, use a flat screen on the Galaxy S23 Ultra!

Snapdragon for everyone!

No more material segregation!

By now, everyone is probably aware of the Exynos hatred going around. Hell, there was even an angry customer petition trying to get Samsung to stop using Exynos chips in flagship phones.

Yes, it was that bad back then – Exynos chips were inferior to their Snapdragon counterparts in both performance and efficiency. Samsung fans outside the US had to pay the same price for Exynos-equipped Galaxy models, when the experience just wasn’t the same.

Things are much better now, and with the AMD partnership, Exynos could find its way somewhere on the wide range of Galaxy models. Don’t do this hardware segregation when it comes to flagship models. It makes people angry!

It’s about time we got some good speakers on a Galaxy flagship device! Not those tiny little grill holes in the bottom. I know what you’re thinking: “But the speakers aren’t that bad.” No, they’re not bad, but they can be so much better.

When I tested the iPhone 12 mini a few years ago, I was blown away by the loudness and clarity of the sound. Even the little one ZenFone 9 has better stereo sound than most Galaxy S series models. Make the Galaxy S23 series speakers up front and please Samsung louder!

Bring back the microSD card slot!

It belongs in a museum - 7 things the Galaxy S23 absolutely needs (to succeed)

It belongs to a museum

I know I won’t get that one back; I only know. But that’s not fair! Take a look at the Galaxy A53 5G, a brilliant mid-range and one of the best-selling Galaxy phones. It can be found for $300 on a case. Guess what? It supports microSD cards up to 1TB!

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 Ultra doesn’t have the slot, despite being priced over $1,000. It does not mean anything. Well, of course, from a business perspective. If you want 1TB of storage on your Galaxy Ultra, you have to pay an extra $400.

I think it would be a great advantage to have a feature that your main competitor (Apple) doesn’t have instead of removing it and integrating it. The chances of seeing a microSD card slot on a Galaxy flagship are slim, though.

Bring on some real camera magic!

It might be?

The camera system of most Galaxy flagships is excellent; there’s no denying it. We did plenty of blind camera comparisons, and the Series S was still up there, battling for the top spot. What I want to see is real innovation, like the Xperia 1 IV’s continuous zoom periscope lens, the variable aperture of the Mate 50 Pro, or the 1-inch sensor in the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.Samsung is playing it safe with the cameras, especially in the vanilla S models. And while we’re on the subject, maybe it’s time to see an under-display selfie camera on an S-series device ? The technology has already found its way into a very expensive foldable device. Why not put it on the S23 Ultra?

Best colors/finishes

Remember the LG G4 with its leather back? Unique!

Don’t want a leather version of the Galaxy S23 Ultra? I do! I had the opportunity to test the Xiaomi 12S Ultra for a few hours (before it returned to China), and the textured leather back made a huge difference. It’s so much better than anything vitreous or glass-like, frosted or not.

I know modern phones are meant to be used with a case (which is a whole other huge issue to discuss), but come on. If you want your phone to be “Ultra”, add something unique. It doesn’t have to be leather; it can be a unique texture, material, pattern, or anything else.

And while we’re at it, better color variety won’t hurt the Galaxy S23. Looking at the official colors of the previous generation, they were quite boring, especially at launch. I want to see something brighter, say orange or yellow, on the vanilla model. Keep the burgundy and black options for the Ultra if that worries you, Samsung.

Don’t be crazy with the prices!

It's Gonna Be Tight After The Holidays... - 7 Things The Galaxy S23 Absolutely Needs (To Succeed)

It’s going to be tight after the holidays…

It must be obvious, but despite everything, in the current economic climate, the smartest thing would be to control the prices of the Galaxy S23. The $799, $999, and $1,199 plan is fine as it is; I’m sure there won’t be any riots if it stays the same with the Galaxy S23.

Samsung usually has great trade-in options too, and I’d love to see those when the new Galaxy S23 series comes out. It’s one of the most powerful tools in Samsung’s business arsenal, and it’s a good one.

Last words

What do you think about it?

And there you have it, that’s my list of things that would make me really excited about the Galaxy S23. I know I left crazier stuff, even though I desperately wanted to add it all. But we can’t have infrared cameras, holographic displays, projectors, ultrasound scanners and stuff like that on a Galaxy phone. Not in today’s smartphone climate. Hell, we’re out of removable batteries and audio jacks, so some things are just out of the question. Either way, please share your thoughts in the comments below. What’s on your Galaxy S23 wishlist? Did I miss something that could be vital? Let me know!