The Galaxy S23 lineup is set to launch next week on February 17th, but I won’t be one of the people lining up to get my hands on one.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is Samsung’s competitor to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, will officially launch on Friday, February 17th. Samsung unveiled the latest generation of its flagship smartphone at Galaxy Unpacked last week, taking a direct shot at Apple’s latest pro iPhones. While the S23 Ultra has some technical advantages compared to the iPhone 14 Pro models when it comes to video, there’s not much that Samsung can do to get me to consider the new phone.
I’ve been using the iPhone 14 Pro since Apple released it back in September 2022 and I’ve really enjoyed it. The Dynamic Island turned out to be less of a gimmick and a feature that I actually use on a regular basis to control audio from music and podcasts. The Always On Display is also great, once Apple fixed the battery drain issue with a software update.
Before the iPhone 14 Pro, I used the iPhone 13 mini. I loved my mini due to the form factor being perfect for one-handed use. I thought that I would stick with a tiny iPhone for as long as I possibly could. As long as I possibly could turned out to be…one year. While Apple disappointed me by killing off the iPhone mini with the iPhone 14 lineup, since I switched to the iPhone 14 Pro, I haven’t looked back.
One of the things that was a huge upgrade for me upgrading from the iPhone 13 mini to the iPhone 14 Pro was the ProMotion display. While some people can’t notice the difference between a 60Hz and 120Hz display, I definitely can and the difference is massive. It’s now tough for me to use my iPad Air and I’ve been staring at an iPad Pro for months now.
I’m also really pleased with the camera performance of the iPhone 14 Pro. I’m no photographer or videographer, but having the zoom and macro modes are really handy depending on the situation you are in and want to get a photo or video. The LiDAR sensor on the back also came in handy when I moved and needed to measure and see how furniture would look in the new place using apps that supported augmented reality.
The last thing I really like about the iPhone 14 Pro is the new safety features. Crash Detection is a nice addition in case I happen to be in a car accident. The real unlock for me, however, is Emergency SOS via satellite, Apple’s new feature that enables the iPhone to communicate with satellites in order to contact emergency services. As a hiker and backpacker, this feature means peace of mind on the trail and a viable backup to my Garmin inReach.
Can the Galaxy S23 Ultra do most of these things and, in some cases, do them better? Can it also do things the iPhone 14 Pro can’t do at all? Of course, and for anyone who is in the Samsung ecosystem, the new phone is going to be a great addition to your setup. However, for me, as someone who is in the Apple ecosystem and really wants those safety features the new iPhone offers, there’s nothing the Galaxy S23 Ultra could throw my way to get me to switch.
If you’re on the side of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, enjoy taking pictures of the moon starting on February 17th!
