It's been a busy few days for Samsung Galaxy S23 leaks, but we're not done yet: the latest from the rumor mill is that the three models in the range are going to come with internal storage options starting at 256GB, up from 128GB last year.
This comes from regular tipster Ahmed Qwalder (opens in new tab) (via SamMobile (opens in new tab)), who also predicts that the Ultra model will be available with 512GB and 1TB of on-board storage. From this source at least, there's no mention of higher options on the standard and Plus models.
We also get a mention of 8GB of RAM for the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 Plus, and 12GB of RAM for the Galaxy S23 Ultra – though previous leaks have pointed to a version of the Ultra phone with 8GB of RAM also being in the pipeline.
Configuration options
The Galaxy S22 is available with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage on board, as is the Galaxy S22 Plus. When it comes to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it's available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage, giving you the most configuration options of all.
From this latest leak, it would appear that the 128GB starting option is getting removed for all three phones – with no other options being added. The 8GB of RAM (with 12GB an option on the Ultra) would match the 2022 phones as well.
So while this is technically an upgrade – and one that may come for free, if the starting prices of the Galaxy S23 phones are the same as their predecessors – Samsung is reducing the number of variants that will be available for the series this year.
Analysis: internal storage still matters
As so many apps now make use of streaming technology, internal storage options are perhaps not as important as they once were – what with Netflix, Spotify and the rest pulling all their content from the cloud rather than your actual smartphone.
However it's still a case of the more storage space the better, not least so apps such as Netflix and Spotify can cache video and audio offline for times when you're without Wi-Fi. Then there are podcasts, photos and videos you're capturing yourself, and apps and games that continue to get bigger and more complex.
In short, 128GB is starting to feel a bit low for a starting configuration on a modern day phone, even though that's where many of them still start. This year could be the year when 256GB and up becomes the norm – although considering Apple was still offering 64GB as recently as the iPhone 12, it might take a while to catch up.
We still pine for the days when phones came with a memory card slot, enabling users to add more storage as and when necessary. That option has now largely disappeared, but a boost to 256GB for the Galaxy S23 will be welcome – as long as the pricing is right.
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