Samsung has announced its first biggest launch of the year and the lineup is expected to be called Galaxy S23. Set to be revealed on February 1, the series has always focussed on a traditional form factor when compared to the company’s other big launch of the year — the folding phones.

Usually, the February event offers a clear picture of Samsung’s camera strategy, which gets fine tuned through the year. The event will take place at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco.

One can expect announcements around software improvements. There are rumours that the S23 Ultra will have a 200MP camera, which is almost double of the 108MP resolution found on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. About the sensor, it remains to be seen whether it’s the HP1 or HP3 sensor the company already produces or a new variant built specifically for the phone. Last year there were major improvements in night-time photography, so let’s see where it goes this time, especially on the ultra-wide front.

Samsung is putting the spotlight back on an in-person event on February 1

In most countries, the phone is expected to come with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Based on past launches, there should be an entry-level Galaxy S23 model, a more powerful S23 Plus with a larger screen and the very premium S23 Ultra (featuring the S Pen stylus). Recent Federal Communications Commission certifications show that the base S23 will have a 3,900-mAh battery while the S23 Plus will also get a battery boost to 4,700- mAh.

All eyes will be on whether Samsung mentions Snapdragon Satellite. The new Qualcomm tech is coming to flagship Android phones in mid-2023 and allows emergency texting without the need for a cell signal, similar to the feature Apple introduced with the iPhone 14.

Unpacked will unpack on February 1, beginning at 10 am PST (11.30pm IST). You can stream the event on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom and Samsung’s YouTube channel.