The next Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra update to boost low-light imaging

01 May 2023
The new software is already being internally tested.

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  • 04 May 2023

PhoneFreak45, 03 May 2023I'll give you that, Dex and the S-pen are advantages o... morefair enough, but i did say monthly because i also own a xiaomi 12 pro phone and i get updates like every 3/4 months unlike samsung which never disappoints with timely updates

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    • Anonymous
    • x{6
    • 04 May 2023

    PhoneFreak45, 03 May 2023I have to wonder what got you thinking MIUI spy's on y... moreProof that spying is not only on China released Xiaomi phones but even European/international released Xiaomi phones as well: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/lithuania-says-throw-away-chinese-phones-due-censorship-concerns-2021-09-21/
    More reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/04/30/exclusive-warning-over-chinese-mobile-giant-xiaomi-recording-millions-of-peoples-private-web-and-phone-use/?sh=76661bf1b2a7

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      • Anonymous
      • x{6
      • 04 May 2023

      PhoneFreak45, 03 May 2023I have to wonder what got you thinking MIUI spy's on y... moreWell, to each his own. I've loathed Samsung during its Touchwiz days and loved Xiaomi's phones up to MIUI 11. But times have changed. Xiaomi's MIUI has been downhill in terms of BASIC android functionality (gesture support on custom launchers, security updates, bug fixing), flexibility, versatility and other features I've already mentioned. Samsung's OneUI has improved by leaps and bounds leaving Xiaomi's limited (reminds me of iphones - no custom launchers, insistence on default apps) and Xiaomi's buggy, security delayed MIUI in the dust.

      Don't be hurt if I give you a frank and brutal answer which you equate to being barbaric. People tend to label others with names when their favorite brand is criticized. I felt the same when I was a Xiaomi fan, just a few years ago, when I've owned 12+ Xiaomi phones and when MIUI was still performing really great with no bugs and no issues with custom launchers and setting many third party apps set as default.

      You were originally asking why anyone would choose the S23 ultra over the Xiaomi 13 ultra. I gave you a litany of VERY VALID and VERY SERIOUS points of consideration. I said, it's not all just about the camera. You can always sideload GCam on the S23 ultra and it will have much better low light photos than the stock camera. Of course you can do the same on the Xiaomi 13 ultra to improve Xiaomi's tendency to oversmoothen and oversaturate its default jpegs similar to Samsung's approach, but I have made my point and comprehensively answered your 'why choose one phone over the other question'. Samsung isn't perfect but coming from Xiaomi's MIUI 12, 13, 14, OneUI 3, 4, and 5 is a more than welcome relief for me and for many others.

        Anonymous, 03 May 2023The Samsung S23 ultra is a more versatile phone with stylus... moreI have to wonder what got you thinking MIUI spy's on you. Have you done any actual research? Or are you just assuming since it's a Chinese phone it spy's on you? Yes the Chinese government does require Chinese companies to hand over all data on consumers, but that depends on that data being available. Global variants of phones have to obey global privacy laws. Meaning no, there's no more tracking than stock android has.

        Also, regarding the features of OneUI vs MIUI. Samsung does have a lot of features that can be legitimately useful. But these are both still snapdragon 8 gen 2 phones running android 13, that allow you to interact with that software through an undeniably beautiful screen. Some may offer extra hardware features. Some may offer extra software features. At the end of any review of either though, they're still going to run your apps just fine. They're still going to both be on android 15 in 2 years. They're still both gonna be on a recent security update in 2 years. Lastly, they're STILL snapdragon 8 gen 2 devices that can run apps and games at frankly ridiculous speeds. So given these facts, I would choose the Xiaomi, even though it doesn't have the S-pen, even though I'd have to install a third party app on it to achieve a rudimentary desktop mode. Because I value the 1" sensor over those features. You may not. And that's fine. We're here to share opinions, not bite back and forth like some uncivilized barbarians. I don't like Samsung phones. I'll admit that. Despite that, I try to make my comparisons of their phones objective. Some of the time I fail. Some of the time my dislike for Samsung means that I ignore genuinely useful features. As someone who literally would not buy a phone without a headphone jack and memory card slot though, I still dislike what BOTH of these brands represent, even Xiaomi.

          Anonymous, 03 May 2023I get it, you don't like Samsung, no clue why I replie... moreAnd for someone that wouldn't use Dex or the S-pen, but does value camera performance at night, the Xiaomi is the clear choice (for ME) let me very clear in that, I said personally I don't see the value proposition. For me, that much money for a phone without a 1" sensor or atleast some other camera feature that makes it worth the compromise (like 120FPS video on all sensors), just isn't worth it.

            Anonymous, 03 May 2023Even out of the box I was able to take decent shots with up... moreIt's a commentary on something that I personally would find to be a deal breaker. One thing I love about my current phone, despite it not being the newest or the best in its class anymore, is that the camera works uniformly well in lowlight. Also, in dark conditions the S23 Ultra will automatically switch to the main sensor depending on the zoom level. So it can be hard to measure.

              yleop, 03 May 2023he/she probably meant overall longevity, software support (... moreI'll give you that, Dex and the S-pen are advantages over the 13 Ultra. However, software support is somewhat subjective. In two years, both phones are going to be on android 15, both phones are going to be on a recent security patch, and both phones are going to be fairly bug free and stable. Also, the 13 Ultra does support display out, so while android doesn't currently have a robust desktop mode, the feature is there, so it could be developed. Obviously don't buy a product for what it promises to be, but some apps like LumaFusion can take advantage of the external screen independent of the OS it's running on. Also, matching the display output to the display aspect ratio has been a feature in android for a pretty long while. Not while projecting your phone screen, but you cited video casting, which does support that.

                yleop, 03 May 2023the actual results though?This is a pretty good comparison of S23 Ultra to a 1" phone:
                https://youtu.be/56gEYFEfSjc

                  Anonymous, 03 May 2023Yes. That's a problem with using Pixels in an unsuppor... moreThe problem is not with Pixel, but our network operators. They do not turn that on to unported devices. Contacted by mobile operator, and it was said that if the device, that they will not support connecting to the network, VoLTE will be just disabled for that device from the carrier side. So maybe that works in other countries, but here it does not.

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                    • Anonymous
                    • x{6
                    • 03 May 2023

                    SirArtur, 03 May 2023I was considering it, but the problem is that is not availa... moreYes. That's a problem with using Pixels in an unsupported country. However, there's a workaround that doesn't require root to enable Volte and Vowifi (Shizuku app + Pixel IMS apk). You do have to redo the workaround (requires wireless debugging) every month after the security update because it always reverts back to no VoLTE support after the updates if you are in a non-supported country.

                      Anonymous, 03 May 2023You should try the Pixel 7 Pro if user interface smoothness... moreI was considering it, but the problem is that is not available officially in Poland, and that means no VoLTE, no VoWifi are available in our networks. Some in our market, you need to choose officially available devices, and therefore I went with S23 Ultra (although I don't like stock camera experience and I use GCAM).

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                        • Anonymous
                        • x{6
                        • 03 May 2023

                        SirArtur, 03 May 2023But it all depends on personal needs. I have S23 Ultra and ... moreYou should try the Pixel 7 Pro if user interface smoothness and excellent low light camera is what you value most in a phone especially since you don't need a long zoom.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • x{6
                          • 03 May 2023

                          The only thing that needs improvement in the Samsung is the jpeg processing. I really wish Samsung doesn't apply too much luminance noise reduction and sharpening. It's the first thing I notice when I switch from my Samsung S23+ to Pixel 7. Shadow areas look hazy and fuzzy and lose too much texture while black things look terribly blotchy. No such issue when using GCam. The Samsung's jpeg processing engine is just not as good as the Pixel 7 phones, its like applying beauty mode to walls, surfaces and objects. I see a similar processing effect in Xiaomi 13 ultra but to a lesser extent probably due to a better image from a better sensor to start with. But processing wise (sensor capability excluded), GCam jpeg colors, exposure and processing remains my best in class and the one manufacturers should benchmark on.

                            Anonymous, 03 May 2023The Samsung S23 ultra is a more versatile phone with stylus... moreBut it all depends on personal needs. I have S23 Ultra and don't use any of what you have mentioned. I don't cast screen to TV. I don't use dex. About long support - I change phones every second year, and 2 years of support is what all brands give me. For me what matters most is the camera for stills (ultra wide, main, and max 3x zoom, don't use 10x in my camera at all), smooth experience on a daily basis, and battery life. And I don't like to feel trapped in the ecosystem, that's why I try to avoid Apple. And well, basically that is it. So for some Xiaomi will be better, for others Samsung. It is good that we can choose (although I would like to see flagships from Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi to be available worldwide).

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                              • Anonymous
                              • x{6
                              • 03 May 2023

                              PhoneFreak45, 01 May 2023Personally I don't see the value proposition of the S2... moreThe Samsung S23 ultra is a more versatile phone with stylus functions and software features that the Xiaomi 13 ultra can only dream of. OneUI 5.1 is light years ahead from Xiaomi's horrendous MIUI that comparing MIUI to OneUI is like comparing night and day.

                              MIUI doesn't even support basic gesture navigation on custom launchers. I could cite several other reasons and features MIUI is incapable of that OneUI does perfectly: superior desktop /wireless DEX mode, Smart View screen sharing that ensures your 16:9 phone video gets projected to your big TV perfectly in FULL screen without black bars, support for more 4G LTE and 5G bands that's compatible with more countries, the ability to lock on to specific LTE and 5G bands that may have weaker signal but better speeds (which MIUI can never do), seamless phone to PC integration with excellent support for Microsoft apps. Hidden SSID / hidden hotspot support, a 100% better Amoled screen with better audio, longer software support that is better than even Pixel phones and consistently fast and regular monthly security updates with additional Knox security features that Xiaomi's spying MIUI software can never ever provide. And there's aftersales support that is virtually non-existent in Xiaomi phones for many countries should you have serious phone problems. It's the whole package, not just the camera. I'll pay more for a Samsung and would never waste my money on a flagship Xiaomi and will never perform financial and banking transactions on a Xiaomi phone.

                                Anonymous, 03 May 2023All I want is a mode that gets us more natural colours. Tha... moreExpertRAW has its own issues. Overprocessing even in DNG, which you cannot get rid of, and the problem with softening patterns in 50Mpix. I say it produces good results, but only in very good light. You can find my post with analysis and comparison to GCAM on the XDA forum, in the thread about the April camera update.

                                  Anonymous, 03 May 2023I can say from own experience: You think you won't use... moreI have S23 Ultra for 2,5 months now and haven't used 10x zoom except for one time when wanted to see what animal is on the forest edge. Well, I have zoomed to like x50 or x70. And that was the only time that I went above x3.

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                                    • Anonymous
                                    • m62
                                    • 03 May 2023

                                    PhoneFreak45, 01 May 2023Personally I don't see the value proposition of the S2... moreI get it, you don't like Samsung, no clue why I replied to some of your comments before, you clearly are just trying desperately to find something to nag about. Xiaomi has better camera sensors all things considered, but they're still less versatile and the camera isn't the only thing neat about the S23 Ultra. People buy it for the versatile camera, but also the nowadays great UI, the S-Pen and the fantastic update support, even as someone that previously disliked Samsung I got an S23 Ultra, because it simply fulfills every wish I have and delivers on all fronts.

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                                      • Anonymous
                                      • m62
                                      • 03 May 2023

                                      PhoneFreak45, 02 May 2023Zoom that becomes useless in moderate - low lightEven out of the box I was able to take decent shots with up to 30x at night that looked decent with just moonlight and street lanterns.. Of course zoomed in photos will be worse in bad conditions, but what's that even supposed to be besides unneccessary Samsung bashing? It's not like anybody else does better than them and at daytime, the S23 Ultra has the best zoom so far.

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • m62
                                        • 03 May 2023

                                        All I want is a mode that gets us more natural colours. That would be incredible, the sky/ grass colours can get way too blue or bright green at times. Expert RAW is better and can be edited well, but getting those results out of the box would be great!

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