2022 was a great year for phones, but the tech industry never sleeps, so we're already looking ahead to 2023's handsets – and many of them are shaping up to be very exciting.
Leaks and rumors mean we've already heard a fair bit about key handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 series and the iPhone 15 line, and they certainly rank among the most anticipated phones of 2023.
But there are less obvious yet no less exciting upcoming phones too, from brands including Xiaomi, Sony and more.
So below, you'll find the phones we're most looking forward to in 2023. These are phones that in most cases are likely to be great, and at the very least should be interesting, unusual, or innovative.
Samsung Galaxy S23
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and its siblings – including the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra – are likely to be the most popular Android flagships of 2023, and we're expecting to see them early in the year, probably in February.
Leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could get a monstrous 200MP camera, and that every S23 model will use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset everywhere in the world, rather than some regions getting an Exynos one.
Beyond that, their specs might not be a million miles from those of the S22 series, but expect camera and screen improvements, even where the core specs are similar. You can see an unofficial render showing the rumored design of the Galaxy S23 Ultra above.
Google Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 7 only launched in October 2022, but it and the Pixel 7 Pro were so good that we're already eager to see what Google cooks up for the Pixel 8.
So far we haven't heard much about this phone, other than that it will probably use a Tensor 3 chipset, support satellite communications, and that it might have 12GB of RAM, but we expect class-leading cameras and generally strong software.
Stay tuned for more information, because leaks and rumors are sure to start emerging in greater quantities as we get closer to the phone's launch.
Google Pixel Fold
The Google Pixel Fold is a phone that we've been hearing about for years, and more recently there have been suggestions that it might land in either Q1 2023, or May 2023.
Based on the rumors so far, the Google Pixel Fold might have a 7.6-inch foldable OLED screen, a 5.8-inch cover display, and a Tensor – or more likely Tensor G2 – chipset. It could also look like the phone in the image above, which sources claim shows the design of the Pixel Fold.
There's disagreement on the cameras, but they might impress too, with one leak pointing to a 64MP / 12.2MP / 10MP rear camera combination.
We'd take all of this with a pinch of salt for now, but this could end up being one of the few non-Samsung foldable phones that's worth getting excited about.
iPhone 15 Ultra
Obviously the entire iPhone 15 line is enormously anticipated, but it's the intriguing talk of an iPhone 15 Ultra that has us the most excited.
This phone could land in place of an iPhone 15 Pro Max according to rumors, and could have better cameras than even the iPhone 15 Pro, including a long-range periscope snapper, along with a focus on battery life, a titanium frame, and a very high price.
This probably won't be out until September 2023 if it lands at all, but it's a phone you might want to get saving for, as the iPhone 15 Ultra could be extremely expensive.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is set to be Samsung's next foldable flagship, but we're not expecting to see it until August 2023, so there's a while to wait.
As such, we also don't know much about it yet, but an early leak points to it using the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and having similar cameras to the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
If nothing else, expect it to have a big foldable screen so it can double as a tablet, coupled with a similarly big price tag.
Sony Xperia I V
The Sony Xperia I IV was one of the most interesting phones of 2022, thanks among other things to a continuous optical zoom camera. That's a feature you won't find on other brands, and it helped Sony's flagship stand out from the crowd.
So far we haven't really heard anything about the Xperia 1 V, but we'd expect it will offer similarly unusual cameras, plus a great screen and flagship power – along with, hopefully, some innovative surprises. Look out for it around the middle of 2023.
Xiaomi 13 Pro
The Xiaomi 13 Pro has actually already been announced, but so far it's only available in China, with a global launch expected in early 2023.
This phone has a 6.73-inch 1440 x 3200 OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 4,820mAh battery with 120W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, a top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and up to 12GB of RAM.
It also has water resistance and a premium design as you'd expect, but the most exciting aspect of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is its cameras, which include a 50MP f/1.9 primary camera with a big 1-inch sensor, which should help it take better shots than most phones.
It also has a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP f/2.0 telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. And if that's not enough for you then there's also talk of an even more accomplished Xiaomi 13 Ultra, although we haven't heard much about this yet.
OnePlus 11
The OnePlus 11 will probably land within the first few months of 2023, and leaks suggest it won't be joined by a standalone OnePlus 11 Pro – or rather, the OnePlus 11 will be the OnePlus 11 Pro in all but name.
So expect this phone to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus or Ultra, despite the rumored lack of a Pro, Plus or Ultra suffix.
Leaks point to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, a 6.7-inch QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery with 100W charging, a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide camera, and a 32MP telephoto one with 2x optical zoom.
You can see how the OnePlus 11 might look in the unofficial render above.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Along with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, we're also looking forward to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is likely to be the better seller of the two, thanks to a more palatable price.
This upcoming clamshell foldable phone will reportedly use the top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, have a 3.3 or 3.4-inch cover screen (up from 1.9 inches on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4), and will have a less visible crease than the current model.
That all sounds very promising, but Samsung will have its work cut out to stay at the top of the clamshell foldable heap, thanks to tough competition from the likes of Oppo and Motorola.
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