The best phones to look forward to in 2023

2023 looks like an even better year, and there have already been plenty of rumors and leaks about next year’s crop of phones. But what upcoming devices are we looking forward to? Here are our picks.

We’re expecting the usual upgrades like a Tensor G3 processor and improved camera quality, but we’re also intrigued by the new camera modes and AI-powered features. Either way, we hope Google finally brings much faster wired charging times to the Pixel 8 family, because that was the biggest issue we had with the Pixel 7 phones.

What we thought: Google Pixel 7 review | Google Pixel 7 Pro review

The Galaxy S23 line is likely to be the most easily accessible flagship series for consumers around the world, due to Samsung’s huge geographic footprint and extensive network presence. So it definitely makes it into the list of most anticipated phones of 2023 to watch out for.

The S22 Ultra was mostly an iterative model, while the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus significantly reduced battery capacity. So hopefully Samsung will up the ante next year, with rumors already pointing to bigger batteries for the base S23 and S23 Plus models. We also expect the S23 Ultra to get a 200MP camera, but we’ll just have to wait and see what the company is capable of with this shooter.

We’ve been hearing about a foldable Google for a few years now, with whispers of two foldable devices and a rollback. But it looks like we’re closer than ever to seeing a foldable Pixel in 2023, as a trusted leaker dropped renders earlier this month.

The Pixel Fold is supposed to be much wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 while slipping between the Samsung device and Oppo Find N in terms of height. Otherwise, the renders also point to a triple rear camera with that familiar Pixel rear camera bar. We’re also expecting the usual Google goodness on board, like AI-powered calling features, excellent image quality, and smart camera capabilities.

The Xperia 1 IV was arguably Sony’s most impressive flagship phone in years, thanks in large part to the use of an innovative variable-telephoto rear camera. This allowed continuous optical zoom between ~3.5x and ~5.2x.

Saying that, we thought the shots with this camera weren’t as good as they could have been and the zoom range was quite small. We are therefore very intrigued to see how Sony solves this problem with the Xperia 1 V. We are also interested to see what else the Japanese brand will bring to the table, as it previously offered features such as 4K/120 screens Hz, Pro camera software, and more.

The Find X5 Pro ranked in the top five of our 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards, and for good reason. Oppo’s flagship combined sleek design, great display and fast wired/wireless charging to great effect. So is it any wonder we’ve been looking forward to the Find X6 Pro?

There’s still plenty of room for improvement, so hopefully the new phone will bring improved zoom capabilities, reduced bloatware, and a more reasonable price. There’s also a rumor that the Find X6 Pro is gaining that crazy IMX989 one-inch main camera, so we’re really looking forward to seeing the results of this shooter.

Yet another Pixel on the list? It’s hard to say otherwise, especially since rumors indicate that the Pixel 7a will bring several major upgrades. Leaks suggest additions like a 90Hz refresh rate, wireless charging, and an improved main camera.

These would all be welcome upgrades as the Pixel 6a only offered a 60Hz display, 18W wired charging with no wireless charging, and a 12MP main camera. Otherwise, we hope Google’s cheaper Pixel is still reasonably priced and at flagship power levels.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4 were arguably the finest foldable phones of 2022, while also being the most widely available foldables of the year. But those who wanted dramatic improvements over the 2021 models were deeply disappointed. These were very scalable products.

Opinion: The Galaxy Z Fold 5 should have an S Pen slot

So all eyes are on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 to see if they deliver any massive improvements over the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. Display insider Ross Young has already claimed that the 2023 Flip phone will bring a much larger cover screen and reduced crease. But could we see dust resistance, vastly improved cameras and better quality foldable screens? We’ll just have to wait and see.

The OnePlus 10 Pro has been a bit of a disappointment this year, bringing the usual expected improvements like a bigger battery, more power, and faster wired charging. But the phone let us down with a downgraded ultra-wide camera, poor low-light image capture, and a T-Mobile-exclusive IP68 rating.

We’ve already seen the specs and apparent renders of the OnePlus 11, and it looks like we could benefit from a minimal refresh again. Rumored major specs include a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, triple rear camera system (50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, and 32MP 2x tele), and a 5,000mAh battery with 100W charging. But hopefully , there’s more to the new flagship than the specs suggest.

• Xiaomi 13 series: The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro were already launched in China earlier in December, and they look like Xiaomi’s first flagships that can actually take them to the Galaxy S series. Both phones pack high-end extras like telephoto lenses. , IP68 ratings and wireless charging. Otherwise, the Pro model also brings a 50MP one-inch main camera, 120W wired charging, and a 120Hz QHD+ display. There’s no word yet on global availability, but Xiaomi is trending to launch its main flagship products a few weeks to a few months after the national release.
• Vivo X90 series: Vivo has made great strides in recent years when it comes to high-end smartphones. So we’re really looking forward to getting our hands on the Vivo X90 series after the Chinese launch in November 2022. The Pro Plus is clearly the top dog here, bringing a 50MP one-inch main camera, dual telephoto lenses (50MP 2x and 64MP 3.5x), and probably the best in-screen fingerprint sensor in the game.