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We know that the Samsung Galaxy S23 phones are launching on February 1, but we're not sure yet how much they're going to cost. A new leak sheds some light on what the starting prices might be for these handsets in the US.
Well-known tipster @RGcloudS on Twitter (via Notebookcheck) has posted pricing for two Galaxy S23 models, two Galaxy S23 Plus models, and three Galaxy S23 Ultra models – that's pretty much all of them, though one S23 Plus variant does seem to be missing.
It seems Samsung has managed to match last year's Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus prices with the new models, though the Galaxy S23 Ultra looks like it will be more expensive than its predecessor (the cheapest model does come with double the internal storage though).
Those prices in full
According to this source, the Galaxy S23 will start at $799 for the model with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, while the version with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM is going to set you back $849.
As for the Plus model, we're looking at $999 for the version with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, and $1,049 for 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. We think there's going to be a 512GB version too, but it isn't mentioned here.
Finally the S23 Ultra is supposedly going to cost $1,249 (256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM), $1,349 (512GB of storage, 12 GB of RAM), or $1,499 (1TB of storage, 12GB of RAM). The Galaxy S22 Ultra started at $1,199 with 128GB of storage.
Analysis: pricing pressures
Up to this point, the majority of the rumors swirling around the Samsung Galaxy S23 have suggested that these phones will cost more than their Galaxy S22 equivalents – what with inflationary pressures, the ongoing battle with the coronavirus pandemic and several other factors combining to push prices up.
Now it looks as though Samsung might be able to hit last year's prices, at least on the standard S23 and the Plus model. It's possible that the company execs have decided to take a hit on the profit margin to avoid pushing prices any higher.
And that's understandable – with most parts of the world in a less than healthy economic position at the moment, people are going to be watching their budgets very closely indeed. It's not easy right now to justify a large outlay on a smartphone upgrade.
We haven't included the international currency conversions above because it's unlikely that Samsung would use them. If the pricing stays the same across the board for the two cheaper phones though, then that's £769 / AU$1,249 for the standard model and £949 / $1,549 for the Plus model.