by Even though this year has already seen a lot of phone launches, there will probably be more.Nearing autumn means that Google’s upcoming Pixel phones and Apple’s upcoming iPhone launch may be just around the corner.What lies ahead for the phone industry is difficult to foresee precisely. However, since many businesses follow the same product launch procedures every year, some educated guesses can be made. The rumoured Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro could debut in October if Google sticks to its past launch schedule. These phones will most likely have an updated camera and a new Google Tensor processor.
Such introductions would follow the wave of foldable phones that debuted in 2023, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5, the Motorola Razr Plus, and the Google Pixel Fold.In 2022, the smartphone industry also made small but significant advancements. Google discovered new applications for its specialised Tensor chip in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. While Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S lineup received a makeover and an improved camera last year, the S23 this year represents a modest advancement.
Here are the new phones we’re expecting to see in the fall, based on previous launch cycles, rumors and reports.
OnePlus foldable phone
What to expect: OnePlus announced before its event at Mobile World Congress in February that it would introduce its first foldable phone in the second half of 2023. Little else is known to us. The manufacturer has not yet provided any information regarding the device itself, the precise date of the phone’s release, or the potential price tag.However, some leaks have given us a hint as to what to anticipate. With the blog MySmartPrice, well-known leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (also known as OnLeaks) allegedly shared information about the phone. According to the leak, OnePlus’ foldable phone will have an internal screen that is 7.8 inches, larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s, and a triple-lens camera that includes a 64-megapixel telephoto lens in addition to 48-megapixel wide- and ultrawide-angle cameras. Additionally, Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor is anticipated to power it.
Why we’re thrilled about it: OnePlus, like Google, is known for undercutting Samsung and Apple on price. That gives me hope that the $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be significantly more affordable than OnePlus’ foldable phone. There’s a chance that OnePlus will follow in the footsteps of its sister company, Oppo, whose Find N2 has received positive reviews and was dubbed the lightest foldable by CNET’s Sareena Dayaram. Additionally, it will be good to see Samsung compete with more companies in this market.
Google Pixel 8 lineup
What to expect: The Pixel 8 family, which is scheduled to release this autumn, has been the subject of numerous rumours. The addition of a temperature sensor to the Pro model, according to leaker Kuba Wojciechowski, who shared this information with the blog 91mobiles, may be the most significant update we see.The publicly accessible code contains mentions of two upcoming Pixel smartphones, according to the German tech blog WinFuture. These two devices are powered by a new processor with the codename “Zuma,” according to the findings, and are known by the codenames “Shiba” and “Husky.” According to WinFuture, the code also suggests that these devices will use Android 14 and have 12GB of RAM.
The tech blogs MySmartPrice and SmartPrix collaborated with prolific leaker Hemmerstoffer to publish what are purported to be renderings of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. According to these pictures, the two new phones will look similar to one another and have softer edges than the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.A new Google Tensor chip called the G3, a 50-megapixel primary camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, according to Yogesh Brar, another leaker. According to this leak, the Pixel 8 should be available in early October with a $649 price tag.
Why I’m Excited: I’m most interested in the new features that Google’s upcoming chip will bring to its phones. With the current Tensor chips from Google, features like Magic Eraser and Face Unblur for bettering photo quality and the capacity to add speaker labels to transcripts in the Recorder app appear to be useful and practical in daily life. That makes me curious about Google’s potential future directions. It will be intriguing to see if Google adds a temperature sensor to the Pro model and what features and potential applications it may have in mind.
Overall
It appears that premium devices like foldables and flagship devices will experience the most significant changes to new smartphones in 2023. That makes sense given that, according to Counterpoint Research, sales of premium smartphones will account for more than half of global smartphone revenue in 2022. As more reports, rumours, and the actual product debuts of OnePlus, Apple, and Google occur throughout the year, we’ll learn more.
