Upcoming 5G Phones in 2023: iPhone 15, Nothing Phone (2) and more
The first half of 2023 is almost over, and we witnessed a lot of 5G phone launches earlier this year. But, the most exciting is yet to come. Apple is likely to announce its next-generation iPhone 15 series in September, while Google will reveal its new Pixel 8 series. Samsung is also gearing up to launch its latest set of foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Nothing Phone (2 ) will arrive long before these 5G phones in India. Let's take a quick look at some of the exciting phone launches that will take place in the second half of 2023.
List of Upcoming 5G Phones in 2023
Nothing Phone (2)
The Nothing Phone (2) will be officially announced in India and other markets on July 11. The company has confirmed that the new 5G phone will have a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, a 6.7-inch display, a 4700mAh battery, and a slightly different rear design with a new light/sound system. It doesn't offer a charger with the phone either (2) because the first-gen product didn't have one. Details about the rear and front camera sensors are unknown for now. The company also promises to deliver three years of Android OS updates and four years of security patches for Nothing Phone (2), so one can use the device longer. The Nothing Phone (2) could be priced between 40,000 and 45,000 rupees in India.
Apple iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 series will probably launch in September this year. All models in the new line are designed to come with a perforated screen design. Regular models are said to come with glass rear panels. Leaks claims that Apple plans to replace the old mute button with a new one, which could work like the customizable action button on Apple Watch Ultra. This will only be limited to Pro models, and regular versions of the iPhone 15 will have the old mute switch feature. According to the leaks, we would continue to see large camera bumps on the rear panel of flagship phones. It is also suggested that Apple offer the iPhone 15 series with thinner bezels to give users more screen real estate for a better content consumption experience. So far, many leakers have pointed out that consumers can expect to see a USB Type-C port instead of Apple's Lightning port on this year's iPhones.
The iPhone 15 will likely pack Apple's A16 Bionic chipset under the hood. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models will probably use the company's new A17 Bionic processor because they will be Apple's most expensive phones of the year. The battery and charging details are still unknown. It's about time Apple offered support for faster charging speeds because even cheap Android phones support charging technology of at least 30W. Devices priced below Rs 30,000 come with 80W fast charging, but iPhones only support 20W technology, which takes a long time to charge the battery fully.
In terms of optics, the regular versions are said to feature 48-megapixel cameras that we've seen on the iPhone 14 series Pro models. This would significantly upgrade the 12-megapixel sensors seen on the iPhone 14 series models existing iPhones. But one shouldn't expect to see a telephoto lens for optical zoom or LiDAR on the standard models because it will reportedly only be available with the higher-end models. The Pro Max model is said to have a more prominent camera module, said to include periscope lenses with up to 5-6x optical zoom, in addition to other sensors. The iPhone 15 is expected to be priced in the Rs 80,000 range, and the Pro models are expected to fetch a massive $200 (around Rs 16,400) price hike compared to older phones.
OnePlus Nord 3
The OnePlus Nord 3 will launch in India soon, considering that the company has announced that it will soon introduce its next Nord phone. According to the leaks, the OnePlus Nord 3 is designed to feature a 120Hz display with a 1.5K resolution, measuring approximately 6.74 inches in size. It's an AMOLED because it has always offered the same thing with its original Nord series phones. Under the hood, there could be a MediaTe SoC.
Around the back, we could see a triple rear camera setup, including a 50-megapixel primary camera. An 8-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel camera could accompany it. On the front, the 5G phone is tipped to feature a 16-megapixel camera. This one retains the company's signature alert slider feature, which you now get on select OnePlus phones. OnePlus Nord 3 will likely ship with Android 13 OS out of the box because Android 14 OS is unavailable yet. It is said to offer a typical 5,000 mAh battery. The company will likely include a charger in the retail box, along with the phone. The OnePlus Nord 3 could get support for 80W fast charging technology. The upcoming OnePlus Nord 3 is expected to be priced below Rs 30,000 in India.
Samsung Galaxy Z Foldable 5
At its Unpacked event, Samsung will launch its latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 smartphone on July 27. According to tipster Yogesh Brar, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is rumoured to be powered by Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. The leaks also suggest the phone will sport a 6.2-inch HD+ AMOLED outdoor display and a 7.6-inch QXGA+ AMOLED foldable display with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, the leaked information indicates that the battery capacity will remain at 4400 mAh, similar to its predecessor, which might disappoint some users due to its relatively small size and require more frequent charging.
The leaked information also suggests that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will feature an under-display selfie and front-panel cameras. The selfie camera is rumoured to be a 4-megapixel sensor, while the outdoor camera could have a resolution of a 10-megapixel sensor. Brar also mentioned the possibility of new image sensors, but it is unknown if the company will use new sensors for all sensors or only replace specific lenses. Tipster Revegnus has claimed on Twitter that the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will cost much less than the Galaxy Z Fold 4. To recall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 was launched in India for Rs 1,54,999 for a 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model.
Google Pixel Series 8
The Google Pixel 8 series will probably launch in October 2023 if we go by previous releases. You can expect it to feature the next-generation Tensor G3 SoC. The Pixel 8 may still have two cameras on the back, but the Pro model is said to pack three sensors. However, given that there could be new hardware and Google's intelligent imaging technology, we can expect a decent upgrade in the photography department.
The Pixel 8 series is designed to offer an improved 50-megapixel Samsung GN2 ISOCELL wide camera sensor for better low-light photos. The Pro version could include an enhanced ultra-wide camera. The phone may consist of a Sony IMX787 sensor for ultra-wide photos. The regular model of the Pixel 8 will continue with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with a Sony IMX386 sensor. The third camera sensor on the Pixel 8 Pro could remain the same as last year, a 48-megapixel Samsung GM5 camera. It may offer 5x zoom, although Google may consider improving its processing capabilities. The Pixel 8 series selfie camera is rumoured to be the same as last year, an 11-megapixel Samsung GM5 camera.