When the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra launched earlier this year, it packed in one of the most fully featured cameras of any Android phone. A whopping 200MP main sensor stole the show, paired with three other cameras on the rear of the handset for a complete suite of shot-snapping prowess.
Now, attention has turned to the next-gen S24 Ultra. That device isn't expected for around six months, but it's already drawing headlines. And sadly, it's for all the wrong reasons.
According to noted Samsung tipster, Ice Universe, the S24 Ultra will make next to no changes to the camera hardware. Ice has a stellar track record when it comes to Samsung leaks, making their word as good as gospel.
That's disappointing for the new device. While it was always unlikely that we'd see major upgrades to the camera straight away, I had hoped for some kind of progress.
What this probably does mean, though, is that the software side of Samsung's photography is going to be the focus this year. That offers some hope for phone photographers, at least.
We've seen the power of computational photography on devices like the Google Pixel 7 Pro. That overcomes a relatively muted hardware spec sheet with some real internal wizardry. The result is one of the best phone cameras on the market.
If Samsung are putting similar effort into their software, combined with the strength of their hardware, we could see something really special. For now though, we'll just have to wait and see what comes in the new year.
