Samsung’s newly launched Galaxy S23 FE has taken the market by storm, but the surprising news is that the company is charging a higher price for its new “Fan Edition” device compared to what was initially announced.
The Galaxy S23 FE is an intriguing release, equipped with a slightly outdated Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and relatively ordinary specifications. Despite that, the phone’s standout feature was its affordable price, which Samsung hit right on target during the initial announcement. The Galaxy S23 FE was priced at $599, putting it in direct competition with the Google Pixel 7 (now replaced by the Pixel 8), and Samsung definitely offered a compelling package with that phone.
However, somehow the price has increased since then.
As discovered by Digital Trends, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has been launched in the US at a new price of $629, a $30 increase from the previously announced price. It’s certainly unusual to see a phone’s retail price change between its announcement and release, especially when they are only a few weeks apart. Additionally, pricing for the 256GB model has also been revealed at $690, which was not previously mentioned by Samsung.
In response to this price difference, Samsung explained to 9to5Google via email that the variation is due to carrier models versus unlocked models, but not in the way one would expect. Carrier models are priced at $599, while the unlocked version is priced at $629. This price difference is indeed reflected on Samsung’s website. However, it is the first time we have seen the company charge more for the unlocked version of a device.
What adds to the confusion is that both Amazon and Best Buy still have the phone listed at $599 for models marketed as unlocked. The price increase to $629 is only seen on Samsung.com.
At this point, it remains unclear why this discrepancy exists, especially since the only difference between the Galaxy S23 FE on Samsung’s website and other retailers is the availability of two exclusive colors on the Samsung store. The price remains the same across all colors. We have reached out to Samsung for further clarification on the retail versions.
Ultimately, the best deal for this phone seems to be purchasing it from either Amazon or Best Buy. Both retailers are offering a $100 gift card with the purchase of the $599 Galaxy S23 FE.
This situation is certainly perplexing for consumers.
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