New Galaxy S23 case leaks reinforce S22 Ultra-inspired design for whole lineup
Straighter sides for the whole series
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If you were holding out hope for a radically new design from next year’s expectedSamsung Galaxy S23range, fresh leaks reinforce rumors that a visual upgrade is coming.
The most obvious thing that runs consistently between generations appears to be their overall forms, with three sizes of device (previous leaks suggestthe Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra will sport similar dimensions to their predecessors), along with the number of camera lenses on each device.
S23, S23+ (S23 Pro is the wrong name in the picture) and S23 Ultra protective cases have been introduced. pic.twitter.com/bKmDCHem2bOctober 16, 2022
Long-time tipster,IceUniverseposted two separate leaks on Twitter across October 16 and 17 that included four images of supposed Galaxy S23 cases, and while looking to be from different accessory manufacturers, they all look to be working from a similar template; with straighter sides and cleaner camera modules than what’s found within the currentGalaxy S22line.
S23、S23+、S23 Ultra pic.twitter.com/9ZI7ylVjyGOctober 17, 2022
The case photos show that the expected S23 and S23 Plus sport a vertically-aligned triple rear camera setup, with an offset LED flash at the top, while the S23 Ultra will adopt a near-identical layout to the quad camera array on the current Ultra.
It’s already well-documented that 2022’sGalaxy S22 Ultrais the oddball of this year’s Galaxy S trio, from a design perspective; carrying across theGalaxy Note 20 Ultra’s pill-shaped, top-down silhouette and pairing it with a distinct water drop rear camera array that stands apart from the Contour Cut cameras first seen on theGalaxy S21series and maintained on the S22 andS22 Plus.
That camera design will feature on all three models next year, it seems, along with straight sides on the S23 and S23 Plus, much closer in style to the aestheticApplebrought to theiPhone 12,iPhone 13andiPhone 14lines, in recent years.
Analysis: not quite ‘case closed’
The relative simplicity of engineering and manufacturing phone cases (at least when compared to the phones they’re protecting) means accessory makers can change and tweak case designs right down to the last second.
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In the past, we here at TechRadar have received what seem like finished cases for unreleased phones, days before a device’s release and despite the apparent complete nature of the product, the case makers have told us that they’re prepped and ready to make additional modifications if needed, even once the phone the case is meant for has launched.
Even with numerous sources and leaks now pointing to a design upgrade for the S23 series as a whole, such flexibility means that design speculation based on case leaks like this doesn’t hold quite as much water as you might expect.
That said, we’re hoping the company does commit to a straighter-sided design for next year’s Galaxy S phones, as although it might compromise the comfortable hand feel existing entries offer, the larger internal volume would allowSamsungto sneak larger batteries into these new phones; helping them find purchase in our rundown of thebest phonesout there.
Alex joined as TechRadar’s Senior Phones Editor in June 2022, but brings over a decade’s worth of experience to the role, with an expertise in smartphones, tablets and wearables. He’s covered keynotes hosted by the biggest brands and attended the launches for some of the most influential mobile products of the last few years. His experience was amassed at some of the most reputable consumer technology publications out there, including GSMArena, TechAdvisor and Trusted Reviews.
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