When it comes to new smartphone releases, Samsung benefits from a quirk in its calendar. Samsung's main rivals, Apple and Google, release new flagship models every fall, hoping to ride the year-end sales wave. However, Samsung's Galaxy S phones are typically released at the beginning of each year, allowing Samsung to see what its competitors are up to before launching its own phones.

That does not mean that Samsung will wait for the next iPhone or Pixel handsets before deciding what to do or not do with the next Galaxy S model. For example, by the time the iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 debut, the Galaxy S24 series, which will be released early next year, will have been well under development. However, Samsung could look at what these different models offer and adjust its message about its flagship devices accordingly.

In the case of the Galaxy S24 marketing, Samsung could get a lot of input thanks to the release of the iPhone 15 and Pixel 8. These Apple and Google devices quickly joined the ranks of the best phones thanks to their relative strengths in camera, display, and overall performance.

Here we take a look at some of the key lessons Samsung could take from the release of the iPhone 15 and Pixel 8, and what might shape what the handset maker will emphasize when the Galaxy S24 hits the market in the coming months.

Camera capabilities tend to be the most scrutinized aspect of any new phone. And these days, the focus seems to be on how well a cell phone's camera can perform in low light.

When Apple and Google prepared their recent flagship models, low-light photography certainly seemed to be in mind. all four iPhone 15 models boast an improved Photonic Engine to enhance color and detail in photos taken in night mode . Meanwhile, the main camera on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro has a wider aperture than Google's earlier flagship models, allowing more light to be captured when taking photos.

The results are certainly evident when comparing the iPhone 15's low-light output to other top camera phones, including the equivalent Galaxy S23 model. From the entry-level iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple's latest models are capable of capturing detailed photos in low light. In our recent low-light camera shoot, the iPhone 15 Pro Max came in an impressive first place, beating out top phones from Google and Samsung.

We expect Samsung to certainly improve on the low-light performance of the current Galaxy S23 model with the Galaxy S24. Early Galaxy S24 Ultra rumors claim that Samsung's premium smartphone will use a 1-inch sensor for the main camera. This would be the largest sensor on the market, allowing the S24 Ultra to capture more light, and we can expect more rumors about the low-light photography capabilities of Samsung's upcoming phone as it heads toward a 2024 launch.

For some time now, the Galaxy S lineup (especially the Ultra model) has been where we turn if we want the best zoom shots a smartphone can offer. That hasn't changed over the past year, although the gap has narrowed considerably.

Apple made its biggest advance with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, challenging the Galaxy S23 Ultra's telephoto lens supremacy. It features a tetra prism telephoto lens capable of 5x optical zoom; as a result of its insistence on 5x shooting, the iPhone was able to compete with the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its pair of telephoto lenses (one with 3x zoom and the other with 10x lens) and in some tests the iPhone 15 Pro Max even managed to take sharper and warmer photos than the Galaxy.

Samsung maintains its advantage when zooming beyond the 5x optical range. iPhone 15 Pro Max can zoom up to 25x thanks to digital zoom, but noise will start to be noticeable in the photos. The Galaxy S23 Ultra and its 100x space zoom feature keep things sharper and clearer.

Still, it is clear that Samsung cannot afford to rest on its laurels, especially given rumors that next year's iPhone 16 Pro model will likely feature its tetraprism zoom lens. As such, there are multiple rumors about the Galaxy S24 Ultra's telephoto lens. One report states that Samsung may opt for a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x or 5x zoom to produce more detailed shots. There is also talk of a foldable variable telephoto lens that could switch between 3x and 10x zoom more seamlessly, ideal for videography.

With the release of the Pixel 8 series, Google threw down the gauntlet regarding screen brightness on its phones: the new Actua display on the Pixel 8 claims a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, while the Pixel 8 Pro panel reaches 2,400 nits. Incidentally, the Galaxy S23 has a brightness of 1,750 nits.

In lab tests when displaying HDR content, Apple's iPhone 15 lineup proved to be the brightest display. (Apple also increased the brightness of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus panels in this year's update.) However, the Pixel 8 model is definitely brighter than the equivalent Galaxy S23 device.

That could change next year. Rumors suggest that the Galaxy S24 Plus will have a peak brightness of 2,500 nits and the Galaxy S24 Ultra will reach 2,800 nits. Whatever happens, we can expect that Samsung has no intention of letting its phones lose to the competition.

One of the best things about the Galaxy S23 lineup is that no matter which part of the world you buy, you will get a model with the same silicon. (It helped that the chipset in question, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, is not only optimized for the Galaxy lineup, but also contributes to the extended battery life of the new models.) This is a departure from Samsung's practice in the past, where phones released in some markets have Qualcomm chipsets while others have Exynos silicon.

Unfortunately, Samsung does not seem to realize how successful a move it was to include the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset in all S23 models. According to one rumor, the Galaxy S24, which will be released outside the U.S., will use the Exynos 2400 system-on-chip instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 found in other models. With the exception of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, however, all markets should receive the new Snapdragon chip.

What makes this rumored move even more puzzling is that Samsung's rivals have shown the importance of chipset consistency. Apple is using the older A16 Bionic silicon in the entry-level iPhone 15 instead of the A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro, which would make an otherwise great iPhone feel like a dowdy. (In fact, there are rumors that Apple may stop this practice with the iPhone 16 and put a different version of the upcoming A18 chip in every model.) In contrast, Google will use the same Tensor G3 chipset in both Pixel 8 models, providing a consistent experience no matter which model is purchased. [In particular, the newly announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 seems to be a real improvement over its impressive predecessor. [In particular, the newly announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 seems to be a real improvement over its impressive predecessor. However, in our custom battery tests, all iPhone 15 models had improved battery performance over the previous model. Even the Pixel, which has recently struggled to deliver long runtimes on a single charge, showed improvement with the release of the Pixel 8.

We haven't heard much about Samsung's battery plans for the Galaxy S24, but if the Galaxy S23 is any indication, we shouldn't worry that Samsung will overlook the importance of long-lasting phones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra ranked in our Best Battery Life list, while the Galaxy S23 Plus missed the 11.5 hour mark. We expect this momentum to continue with the Galaxy S24.