Samsung Galaxy S23 could get this big surprise upgrade

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UFS 4.0 storage could give next-gen Galaxy phones a performance boost

Galaxy S22 Ultra exclusive Samsung colors
(Image credit: Samsung)

Update: The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus might also come with an improved 12MP camera — here's what we've heard

The Galaxy S23 — or whatever the next flagship phone from Samsung will be called — could get a speed boost in the form of faster storage. 

That’s because Samsung has taken the covers off its new Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 4.0, which offers faster read and write speeds, as well as better efficiency and bandwidth than the current UFS 3.1. 

Samsung also noted that power efficiency has been improved, meaning that next-gen phones that make use of UFS 4.0 could benefit from faster storage without taking a hit to battery life: “Power efficiency has also been enhanced. UFS 4.0 will deliver a sequential read speed of 6.0MB/s per mA, which is a 46% improvement over the previous generation so end users can get more out of their battery life.”

In real-world terms, this will likely translate into much faster loading times for apps, especially those that have heavy data processing requirements, such as graphically intensive games. It could also mean that handling big files or data-rich RAW images on a smartphone becomes notably faster than it currently is. As such, we could posit that UFS 4.0 could be seen in the next Galaxy S-line flagship or even the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.

Realistically, though, reports suggest that UFS 4.0 mass production won't get underway until the third quarter of this year, which might be too late for Samsung's next foldable phone. But the faster storage would certainly be ready in time fo the Galaxy S23 launch, which would likely happen in early 2023 if Samsung sticks to its usual pattern of Galaxy S rollouts.

Samsung also said UFS 4.0 could be “adopted in future automotive applications, AR, and VR as well,” which would hint that the South Korean electronics giant could be working on new VR and AR tech.

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Roland Moore-Colyer
Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.