An unclear diagnosis, but a markedly disappointing prognosis
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G made its US debut this September bearing an impressive 120Hz screen and an affordable price tag. In our review, we found that the device ticks a lot of the right boxes although we were aching for better low-light camera performance and a larger storage option on the device. It was about this close to getting on our list of best budget Android phones. That said, it seems consumers were more underwhelmed about the device as Samsung has tempered its sales expectations for the Galaxy A23 5G.
Sources quoted by The Elec (via SamMobile) claim that the South Korean manufacturing juggernaut is drastically cutting its shipments target for the Galaxy A23 5G from 12.6 million units to below 4 million, highlighting a steep decline in the company’s own estimates for the budget 5G phone. Insiders cite an issue in the phone’s design that affected components including the 50MP main camera on the A23. The problem has supposedly been fixed but not without causing a lot of hassle — so much so that the company only intends to ship 5 million units of the 5G mid-ranger next year.
Samsung reportedly wanted to ship at least 17.1 million units of the 4G version of the Galaxy A23 this year for a combined shipment figure of just under 30 million. There are no indications that the company has changed its shipment target for the 4G variant of the device.
While there are no specific details on the “feature” that impacted the Galaxy A53 5G, the report claims that Samsung conducted an internal investigation on the matter, spanning a month. Additionally, the company is also said to have consulted supply chain partners to discuss the problem. The 50MP wide-angle camera used on the Galaxy A23 4G was developed by fellow South Korean manufacturer Partron whereas the company switched to China-based Sunny Optical for the Galaxy A23 5G’s 50MP sensor. Although sources reportedly believe Sunny Optical wasn’t at fault for this unspecified issue, Samsung rebuked the company for being slow to react, the report says.
If recent rumors are accurate, Samsung could release the successor to the Galaxy A23 5G by February. This could partially be the reason for the device’s reduced 2023 shipment estimates. Not coincidentally, Samsung is also expected to unveil a trio of Galaxy S23 flagships in February 2023.
