Samsung Galaxy S24 selfies may not be any better than Galaxy S23's — here's why

A render of the Galaxy S24 Ultra from the back and front in black
(Image credit: Technizo Concept)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 sounds like it'll use the same selfie camera as the Galaxy S23 series according to the latest rumors from GalaxyClub

This 12MP camera was introduced to the Galaxy S23 series as an upgrade from the previous 10MP sensor on the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus. It was arguably an upgrade to the 40MP selfie camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra too by virtue of its increased sensor size. 

Since Samsung tends to keep re-using cameras for three or more years on its flagship devices, this rumor would fit the trend. For examples of this, see the current 50MP main camera on the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus, or the 108MP main camera used by every Galaxy S Ultra prior to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Unsurprisingly, these cameras will still be embedded in the display, presumably in a centered punch-hole cutout. Samsung is using under-display camera (UDC) technology on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it can't match up in terms of quality just yet. We don't expect Samsung will adopt a UDC for selfies until it can guarantee near enough same performance as a standard camera, which is likely still several years off.

Fingers crossed for a selfie upgrade of some kind

Although a full camera overhaul looks unlikely for the Galaxy S24 series, we are hoping for some drastic changes still. In our reviews of the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra, we found that while the camera was better than the previous generation, it had a tendency to over-saturate and over-smooth your face in photos. It meant that for anyone wanting more natural-looking shots of themselves, we would recommend the iPhone 14 Pro or Google Pixel 7 series instead.

However, Samsung will have had a year or so by the time the Galaxy S24 likely launches to improve various software aspects of the camera. It may even swap the sensor out for a new model with the same resolution, since the GalaxyClub leak only mentions the megapixel count being the same. So fingers crossed selfies on the S24 series will perform better in one way or another.

We've not heard much about possible upgrades the Galaxy S24 series will get yet. So far though, it's been tipped that there will be a big upgrade to the Galaxy S24 Ultra's telephoto zoom cameras, possibly by having an adjustable magnification that will allow one sensor to switch between the roles of the current 3x and 10x cameras on demand. That's not to mention the expected Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered performance, or the alleged new battery technology that will allow faster charging.

The next big Samsung launch is actually happening this week. A Galaxy Unpacked event is taking place on July 26th in Seoul, Korea, where we are expecting to see the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Tab S9 and Galaxy Watch 6 series all make their debut there. The Galaxy S24 will most likely appear in February of 2024, so anyone wanting one of the best Samsung phones right now is better off going for a Galaxy S23 handset instead, or waiting until Wednesday to see what the new Samsung foldables bring to the table.

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Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.

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