Samsung could be about to revive its popular Fan Edition series of Galaxy S phones, according to new reports.
The FE range began with the Galaxy S20 FE a couple of years ago and delivered a flagship-level device at a more attractive price point. But when the company skipped the S22 FE, it looked like Samsung had given up on the idea. Now, there's word that the Galaxy S23 FE will launch later this year.
The Galaxy S23 FE Could Be Set for Late Summer
The Korean website hankooki.com reports that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S23 FE in August or September this year. No further details were given on the likely specs of the phone. Judging by the previous models, we would expect it to use either the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip (or possibly the older Gen 1+), and pack a slightly downgraded camera setup.
The report suggests that Samsung is returning to the idea because it won't be releasing the upper mid-range Galaxy A74 this year, as expected.
Samsung has made two FE phones to date. The idea behind it is to combine the high-end features of the latest Galaxy S flagship with a few compromises here and there in less important areas, to produce an entry-level flagship at a much lower price than the full version.
The Galaxy S20 FE came in at $300 less than the S20 and proved a massive hit with buyers and reviewers alike. The S21 FE was slightly less well received a year later. This gave Samsung second thoughts, and, with the added complication of the semiconductor shortage, the S22 FE didn't materialize at all.
The question for a Galaxy S23 FE is how much of a deal Samsung could make it. While the company's flagships are still expensive, they aren't as overpriced today as they were a few years ago.
The S20 launched at $999, which left plenty of room for the S20 FE to undercut it. The S23, however, costs $799 in the US, so it's questionable as to whether an S23 FE will be able to offer quite such a great deal. That said, an August/September launch could make it a direct competitor to a similarly-priced Pixel 8, assuming it gets a global launch.
More Samsung Phones This Year
The Korean news report also added that Samsung is rethinking its Galaxy A series lineup. It confirmed an earlier rumor that the Galaxy A7x series would be canned, meaning no A74 this year. But the mid-range Galaxy A54 is still on track for a launch soon, with more folding phones adding to Samsung's impressive 2023 releases.