The big hoped-for technical leaps did not materialize for smartphones this year. Instead, we’ve looked to subtle improvements in foldable smartphones and impressive AI in phones.
Even if it doesn’t look like 2023 will be the year of technical achievements for smart phones, there are still positive developments. We can probably finally get our hands on an iPhone with USB-C and see further improvements in artificial intelligence in the phones.
As early as February, Samsung will prove to us that the small decisions often make a big difference:
Samsung S23 Ultra
Are the years of stagnation over?
Foldable smartphones can break into the mainstream
Samsung presented us with an incremental upgrade this year with its two foldable smartphones, the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip4. The manufacturer mainly optimized the hinge to iron out the fold in the middle and achieve water resistance. The devices still have their weaknesses, which the manufacturer will probably eliminate with the next versions. The jump from the Z Fold 2 to the fourth generation is particularly remarkable, also with regard to the heavily optimized software.
A problem that was not solved in 2022, however: the price of the foldable devices. It remains to be seen whether this will change next year. With the Pixel-Fold, Samsung will have a strong competitor in this country. The first foldable phone from Google will almost certainly benefit from the Tensor chip and the artificial intelligence that sometimes ensures impressive snapshots.
The search engine giant spared us with a price increase for the Pixel 7 series. If the Pixel Fold starts in Europey at a relatively fair price, the foldable smartphone will become a dangerous competitor for Samsung and the upcoming Z Fold 5.
But it’s not just Google that will be presenting its folding cell phone to us in 2023. There is a high probability that we will see a new Razr from Motorola. If we look at the Asian market, there are other offshoots of the Oppo, Honor and Xiaomi brands. The first manufacturer to offer a solid foldable smartphone at a price below the premium segment will set the bar for future devices.
What will conventional smartphones have to offer?
There are already some predictions for conventional smartphones in 2023. The European Union is forcing Apple to rethink and we are probably seeing an iPhone with USB-C for the first time – after eleven whole years.
This year, the Cupertino-based manufacturer further differentiated the Pro series from the standard version, with exclusive display features such as the Dynamic Island and an always-on display. As is typical for Apple, these functions could be transferred to all upcoming iPhones. Nevertheless, the manufacturer will not refrain from reserving exclusive functions for the Pro models.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max could come with more features like a periscope camera and the names iPhone Ultra
carry. This would set Apple apart from the cheaper iPhone 15 Plus counterpart. In addition, the Ultra model is to be encased in a titanium case.
What to expect in the Android space? Samsung continues to focus on improving the cameras. So far, the S22 Ultra has one of the largest zoom cameras. The S23 Ultra is also expected to boast a 200-megapixel camera in February.
In Europey there is particularly positive news with regard to the upcoming flagships. For the first time, the South Korean manufacturer does without its own Exynos chips and you can look forward to the latest processor from Qualcomm: the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2. The Exynos processors lag behind the chips from Qualcomm, especially in terms of efficiency.
Not much is known about the Pixel 8 series so far. Nevertheless, Google will probably find a way to be a little bit ahead of the competition with the help of artificial intelligence in terms of camera and software features.
Apart from the prominent manufacturers, we will certainly continue to assess the area of smartphones under 500 dollars positively in 2023. The Nothing Phone (1) proved to us that mobile phones below this price limit do not have to be boring.
Whether we can expect the successor next year is still in the stars. According to Carl Pei, co-founder of Nothing, the company is focused on the phone (1) and improving it.
In the mid-range segment, other brands such as Motorola will again be strongly represented. With the Moto Edge 30, the manufacturer already knows how to convince in 2022. For less than 400 dollars you get an OLED display with buttery smooth 144 Hertz, pure Android and a rock-solid camera.
Yes, especially with the larger manufacturers, the innovations will be limited. The supposed standstill in 2023 will probably remain with us. Still, it’s upcoming changes that can make a difference.
Not to be forgotten is the consumer behavior of many users. Not everyone gets a new smartphone on a regular basis, so the achievements of previous years will feel like real progress even though they’re only a few years apart.
What comes after 2023?
Many people are concerned with the question of what will take the place of smartphones in our everyday life. 2023 is unlikely to be the year when new technologies will change the way we interact with – or even replace – our mini-computers.
It is likely that such a change will only take place in the years that followed. For now, novel foldable devices could hit the market, from retractable displays to trifold screens. Samsung has shown at CES in the past what could follow in the distance.
The future of smartphones may lie in connectivity with other smart gadgets, like the AR glasses. In 2023 it could already be time for us to take a look at Apple’s first version of such glasses. According to famous Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo such concepts will even replace our smartphones in a decade.
Most exciting than smartphones in 2022 was artificial intelligence called ChatGPT. In this article we explain what this impressive technology is all about:
Google must be worried: What is behind the revolutionary AI ChatGPT and how you use it
What do you think of the smartphone year 2022 and which devices are you looking forward to next year? Write us your opinion in the comments!