Galaxy S23 FE may launch early in some markets

Samsung may not launch the Galaxy S23 FE globally this year. Sources have told SamMobile that the company is planning to release the new Fan Edition (FE) phone in select markets in Q3 2023. The device will reach a few more markets in the final quarter of the year, with the remaining regions getting it in early 2024. It’s unclear why the company is going with a phased release of the phone.

Samsung is planning a limited initial release of the Galaxy S23 FE

After months of contrasting rumors, we recently got confirmation that the Galaxy S23 FE exists in Samsung’s plans. The device appeared in a couple of public databases. Those listings hinted at a Q3 2023 release of the phone but we didn’t have additional evidence supporting this possibility. However, the latest rumor now suggests that would be the case, albeit Samsung will only release the device in a few markets initially.

Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a precise launch timeline for the Galaxy S23 FE. The third quarter of the year spans from July to September. Samsung is gearing up to launch a host of new products at the end of July, including the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 foldables. While it seems highly unlikely, we can’t completely rule out the possibility of the Galaxy S23 FE making an appearance at the same launch event.

But again, we are expecting a wider release in the fourth quarter. So maybe the initial limited release will happen in late September, i.e. at the end of the third quarter. It still doesn’t explain why Samsung would release the Galaxy S23 FE in Q1 2024 in some markets, though. The company will launch the Galaxy S24 series flagships during this period (probably in February). Perhaps the Galaxy S23 FE will debut in the first week of January 2024, like the Galaxy S21 FE last year.

Samsung’s Exynos 2200 SoC will power the new FE phone globally

All of this is just speculation, though. We will have to wait for more evidence or other industry insiders supporting this rumored launch timeline for the Galaxy S23 FE. Meanwhile, the phone looks certain to be powered by the Exynos 2200 globally. There won’t be a Snapdragon version. Samsung will pair the chipset with the AMD-powered Xclipse 920 GPU. That’s the same CPU and GPU pair used on the Galaxy S22 series last year.

The Galaxy S23 FE may also feature the same 50MP primary camera found on the back of the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S22, and Galaxy S22+. Other rumored specs include up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, a 4,500mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging, an under-display fingerprint scanner, a 12MP ultrawide camera, an 8MP 3x zoom lens, and a 12MP selfie camera.