The Samsung Galaxy S23 leak suggests an increase in the prices of this year’s flagships
At this point, we’re getting new leaks and rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S23 almost daily, and today’s price is close – with hints that you’ll have to pay a bit more to get your hands on this year’s flagship phones.
According to a Twitter punter @OreXda (opens in a new tab) (by Check the notebook (opens in a new tab)), in South Korea we are looking at prices of 1,199,000 won for the standard model, 1,397,000 won for the Plus edition and 1,599,400 won for the top-of-the-range Ultra Galaxy S23.
For comparison, in the same country, the Samsung Galaxy S22 retailed for 999,900 won, the Galaxy S22 Plus for 1,199,000 won, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra went on sale for 1,452,000 won. We’re looking at a price jump of around 10-20% if these numbers are correct.
Price increase
At today’s exchange rate, the equivalent price of a standard Galaxy S23 is around $955 / £790 / AU$1,390, while the price of the Galaxy S22 started at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249. However, what about currency and market fluctuations, we would not pay much attention to these equivalent values, except as a rough guide.
It was rumored that the Galaxy S23 phones would cost more than their Galaxy S22 counterparts, which is confirmed by this rumor. Manufacturers are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, while inflation continues to push prices up around the world.
With these and other factors in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Galaxy S23 phones had a higher starting price than the 2022 phones they replace. It’s a trend we can see for the rest of the year as phone makers struggle with rising costs across the industry.
Analysis: flagship cost
As our list of the best cheap phones shows, there are plenty of bargains when it comes to smartphones. That said, the price of high-end flagship phones looks like it’s only going in one direction for the foreseeable future: up.
Of course, there are many economic factors affecting the price of the smartphones we have in our pockets, but at the moment none of them are particularly likely to bring costs down. For example, the iPhone 14 Pro started at a slightly higher price than the iPhone 13 Pro for people outside the US.
Perhaps in 2023, this will be the mid-range where the best value will be available: phones that don’t have the latest processors and camera sensors, but still have a decent level of refinement and performance. Another noteworthy phone in this part of the market could be the Google Pixel 7a.
While premium phones will still be available to those who want the best components and have the budget to buy them, the Galaxy S23 could set the tone for price hikes in the coming months. We’ll find out on February 1.
