Samsung launches Galaxy S23 FE with some flagship features

Galaxy FE series [Courtesy of Samsung Electronics]

Samsung Electronics announced on Wednesday that it will be launching a new Fan Edition (FE) smartphone, the “Galaxy S23 FE.” The FE model retains the key features of the flagship “Galaxy S series” released this year while offering a more affordable price point and reduced specifications. While Samsung introduced FE models alongside the Galaxy S20 and S21 releases, there was no FE model when the S22 was launched in 2022, making the S23 FE release the first in 1 year and 9 months.

According to Samsung Electronics, the Galaxy S23 FE boasts a 50-megapixel high-resolution lens and a 3x optical zoom for sharp photography. It also features “Nightography” technology, allowing bright and clear nighttime photography even in low-light conditions. The wide sensor from the Galaxy S23 series is also included.

With super high dynamic range (HDR) capabilities, it captures rich colors and offers optical image stabilization (OIS) and video digital image stabilization (VDIS) technology, ensuring clear photos and videos even in shaky or fast-moving situations such as concerts and sports events.

The phone comes with a 163.1mm (6.4-inch) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which adjusts the brightness level according to ambient light with its “Vision Booster” and eye protection functions, enhancing the gaming and video-watching experience. The size of the “Vapor Chamber,” responsible for dissipating internal heat in the phone, has also been increased.

It is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery and supports a 25W charging adapter, allowing it to charge from 0 to a maximum of 50 percent in just 30 minutes while also featuring IP68 water and dust resistance. It will be available in Mint, Graphite, Purple, Cream, Indigo, and Tangerine, with a global release starting from October 5 but the phone’s release in Korea is still pending. Priced at about $599, it is about 30 percent more affordable than the existing S series.

Samsung Electronics also unveiled the FE tablet, the “Galaxy Tab S9 FE series,” and the “Galaxy Buds FE” wireless earbuds.

The Galaxy Tab S9 FE series offers enhanced performance compared to its predecessor, the S7 FE. The base model features a 277mm display, while the Plus model boasts a 315mm display, and the tablet has a maximum 90Hz automatic refresh rate and a Vision Booster feature. For the first time in the Tab S FE series, both the tablet and the S Pen support IP68 water and dust resistance. Details about domestic release will be confirmed later, and prices in the United States start from $449.

The Galaxy Buds FE offers active noise canceling (ANC) and ambient sound listening capabilities. With the “Auto Switch” function, it automatically switches between Samsung Electronics’ products for a seamless music experience, and the “SmartThings Find” feature allows users to track the earbuds easily. In Korea, it will be available in Graphite and White from October 18, with a price of 119,000 won.

Samsung Electronics’ introduction of various Galaxy FE series is aimed at expanding its smartphone market share, with global smartphone shipments recording a continuous decline for eight consecutive quarters until the second quarter of 2023.

Based on the shipment data for the second quarter of this year, Samsung Electronics (20 percent) and Apple (17 percent) currently have a market share gap of only 3 percentage points in the global smartphone market.