Galaxy Z Fold 5 and other Samsung gadgets to look for in 2023

The Galaxy S23 launch may be a long way behind us, but Samsung likely has a lot more to announce in 2023. That’s if history repeats itself. If Samsung sticks to its annual routine, we can expect to see new foldable phones and wearables in August. The company also previewed new models for foldable phones and tablets earlier this year, hinting that the company may be planning to expand beyond the Z Fold and Z Flip in the near future.

Although Samsung regularly launches new products in many categories, including TVs, home appliances, and monitors, I’m mostly interested in where its mobile devices are headed. Samsung is one of the biggest smartphone makers in the world by market share, which means it has more influence than most other tech companies on the devices we carry in our pockets every day. Wearables have also become a big part of how Samsung intends to differentiate its phones from those of other Android device makers. It’s a strategy to create a network of products that keep people hooked, much like Apple’s line of devices.

Here are the rumored Samsung products I’m most looking forward to seeing this year, based on rumors, leaks, and the company’s usual product launch schedule.

Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung’s next phone-tablet hybrid will likely support the S Pen, just like the current version. But the question is whether the S Pen will be included with the device or if Samsung will continue to sell it separately.

A report from The Elec suggested that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 could be the first to have an integrated S Pen. That not only means the stylus would be included for free, but the phone would also include a slot to store it, just like on the Galaxy S23 Ultra And S22 Ultra. If you want to use an S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 4you have to buy it separately, and there’s no mechanism to secure it or store it in the phone without buying a case.

It’s a seemingly small addition, but one that could make the Galaxy Z Fold 5 much more useful as a productivity device. It would also give the Galaxy Z Fold 5 a clearer focus and could boost its appeal to early adopters, artists, and note takers. Samsung could be targeting the same buyer audience that is typically interested in the Galaxy Ultra or its previous Galaxy Note devices.

But a more recent report from ET News says the Galaxy Z Fold 5 won’t include an S Pen storage slot.

Among the bigger changes, however, is expected to be a new hinge that could result in a slimmer design. Korean news outlets The Elec and ET News, plus prolific leakers ice universeannounced that Samsung will be rolling out a new teardrop-shaped hinge for the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Samsung typically releases new foldable phones in August, so we expect to hear more around that time. In addition to rumors of an included S Pen, the Z Fold 5 will likely get routine processor and camera upgrades. What I’m really hoping for, though, is new software that makes better use of the phone’s giant screen, as well as a foldable screen with a less noticeable crease. That’s especially true now that Google has announced the Pixel Fold, giving the Galaxy Z Fold new competition.

Galaxy ZFlip 5

Samsung’s pocket foldable will also likely get an August upgrade, as will the expected Z Fold 5. Galaxy ZFlip 4 does a lot already, and it’s one of the most practical and affordable foldable phones available. Still, Samsung can and should improve the Z Flip in many ways. Samsung’s flip phone could get a bigger cover screen, longer battery life and an improved camera that brings it closer to those found on the Galaxy S series , For example.

But the main reason I’m interested in seeing what comes next for the Z Flip is because of its price. The phone starts at $1,000 and is often available at a lower price with a qualifying trade-in, making the price similar to a standard non-folding premium phone. Samsung also kept the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in its lineup and lowered its price $100 after the launch of the Z Flip 4. This further suggests that the Z Flip is becoming Samsung’s most affordable foldable phone option.

A Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a newer processor, better camera, and bigger cover screen for the same price as the Z Flip 4 (or maybe a little cheaper) might be one of the most popular foldables. convincing so far.

Galaxy buds 3

If Samsung’s history is any indication, the Galaxy Buds 3 could arrive in August. Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in August 2022 while the norm Galaxy buds 2 launched in August 2021. This timeline suggests that Samsung’s regular non-Pro headphones might need to be upgraded.

We haven’t seen many leaks about the upcoming Galaxy Buds yet. However, since the regular Galaxy Buds are supposed to be a more affordable alternative to the Pro model, we can probably expect them to cost a lot less than the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. These headphones are usually priced at $229 compared to the $150 Galaxy Buds 2. Although we don’t know what to expect, the Buds 3 could benefit from better water resistance and noise cancellation. .

Galaxy VR Headset

It’s already shaping up to be a big year for virtual and augmented reality headsets. Apple is expected to introduce a VR headset, and the PlayStation VR 2 just arrived in February. Samsung has been surprisingly absent of the VR space in recent years, but that may soon change.

Samsung announced in February that it was working with Qualcomm and Google on a new mixed reality platform. The company didn’t mention whether any specific products were in development, or provide a timeline for future mixed reality hardware or services.

“This is more of a declarative announcement on how we are going to successfully build the XR ecosystem,” TM Roh, president of Samsung’s mobile division, said through a translator in an interview. with CNET ahead of the announcement.

The reveal comes after a report from ETNews suggested that Samsung would release an extended reality headset for developers in 2023, according to an English translation of the story.

Since there aren’t many details, it’s hard to know what to expect. But Sameer Samat, Google’s vice president of product management for Android, said during Google I/O 2023 that the company would share more about its “immersive XR” partnership later this year.

A new kind of foldable Galaxy

Samsung hasn’t mentioned any plans for future foldables beyond the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series, but it certainly has plenty of ideas to choose from. At CES 2023, Samsung showed off its line of “Flex” display concepts, including the aptly named Flex Hybrid. This device features a foldable, tablet-sized screen that slides out when opened to provide even more screen real estate.

The Flex Hybrid caught my eye though, as I can see the potential of foldable tablets. Tablets are inherently larger than phones, so the ability to make them more portable by folding them in half seems more necessary. Tablets are also typically used as secondary devices for things like watching movies, reading, or working. Having a display that could morph to suit different circumstances sounds interesting.

Samsung also showed off some concepts as part of SID Display Week in May, including the Rollable Flex, which extends up to five times its length when unfolded.

It’s unclear if any of them will turn into actual products. But it’s important to remember that the Galaxy Z Fold also started out as a concept.

Galaxy Watch 6

Samsung hasn’t said much about its future smartwatch plans, other than revealing that its new One UI 5 Watch software will debut on new watches later this year. There haven’t been many Galaxy Watch 6 leaks or rumors yet. But if the company follows its usual schedule, we should see some new Galaxy Watches in August.

One of the few leaks to surface so far comes from a well-known leaker who goes by the Twitter avatar ice universe, which says the beloved rotating bezel will return in the high-end version of the Galaxy Watch 6. Otherwise, future watches will likely have the same health sensors found in the Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro, including those for measure body composition. , blood oxygen and taking an ECG among others. There is also a skin temperature sensor which is still not yet active in the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro.

Samsung’s Exynos W920 chip, which powers the Galaxy Watch 5, enabled better performance for 3D graphics like emoji avatars and faster app launches. It’s unclear if Samsung will develop a new chip for the Galaxy Watch 6, but I’m hoping to see longer battery life regardless. From Apple and Qualcomm have both made efforts to extend the functionality of smartwatches in low-power mode, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Samsung go down this route as well.

Samsung is already experimenting with different opportunities for its wearables and phones to work together in new ways. For example, it recently announced a software update for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro that will allow the headphones to capture 360-degree sound when recording video with a Galaxy phone. It also expanded the Camera Controller app for the Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 to include zoom support. Hopefully we’ll see more with the Galaxy Watch 6.

We’ll know more about Samsung’s future plans closer to August. But if Samsung’s 2023 launch cycle resembles last year’s, we can expect to see new foldables and more.