The most anticipated phones of 2023
There are lots of exciting phones on the way in 2023, including foldables, flagships and many others. Here’s our roundup of what to expect and when to expect them.
2022 was a great year for phones, but the tech industry never sleeps, so we’re now 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 Z Fold 5 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 – we expect many to make it into our best phones guide – and at the very least should be interesting, unusual, or innovative.
Google Pixel 8
A Google Pixel 7 (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
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.
Everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 8
Google Pixel Fold
An unofficial render of the Google Pixel Fold (Image credit: FrontPageTech)
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.
Everything you need to know about the Google Pixel Fold
iPhone 15 Ultra
An iPhone 14 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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 some 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.
Everything you need to know about the iPhone 15 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
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.
In fact, it might be similar to the Z Fold 4 in other ways too, with the same storage and the same size cover screen also rumored. However, its hinge could get a big upgrade, with a new design that allows the phone to fold flat, rather than leaving a gap between the two halves.
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.
Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Sony Xperia I V
A Sony Xperia 1 IV (Image credit: Future)
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 heard much about the Xperia 1 V, but leaked images suggest it could have a similar design to the current model, but with a new selection of cameras.
Certainly 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.
Everything you need to know about the Sony Xperia 1 V
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 (Image credit: Future)
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.
Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5