A curved AMOLED display, in-display finger print scanner, and a dynamic island feature? All in a budget-friendly device?
Itel, the budget-friendly brand under Transsion, has introduced a new smartphone that offers a premium look and a curved screen experience at an affordable price. The phone, known as the itel S23+, boasts eye-catching gradient color options like Elemental Blue and Lake Cyan on its rear cover, complemented by shiny frames on the sides and intricate etched markings on the top, giving it a premium touch. However, it’s unclear whether the frames are made of plastic or metal.
The standout feature of the device is its 6.78-inch FHD+ 59-degree curved AMOLED display, which represents Itel’s first foray into curved screens and is safeguarded by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Other display specifications include a 99 percent DCI-P3 color gamut, a 400,000:1 contrast ratio, a 93 percent screen-to-body ratio, and a peak brightness of 500 nits.
Under the hood, the itel S23+ is powered by a 2.0GHz 12nm UNISOC T616 octa-core processor with a Mali-G57 MP1 GPU, 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM (with 8GB virtual RAM), and a generous 256GB of storage. It also boasts a sizable 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.
In the camera department, the phone features a 50MP primary rear camera paired with a 2MP depth sensor, while the front houses a 32MP selfie camera. Additionally, it offers an In-Display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication and software enhancements like the Dynamic Bar (Dynamic-Island) for notifications and functions. Itel also includes the GPT AI assistant “Hi, Aivana” for user queries and searches.
The back camera setup features a large aperture of f/1.6 capture light and details in low-light conditions. There’s also an Eye Tracking mode for getting the best portraits, and a Portrait Lite for more customizable experience by adjusting elements, such as skin tone and face shape.
Connectivity options include 4G LTE, WiFi 5 (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. The phone runs on Android 13 with the itelOS 13 skin on top.
While the official price is yet to be announced, the itel S23+ will initially launch in Ethiopia. Given Itel’s reputation for affordable pricing, it is expected to be accessible to a wide range of consumers.
But itel wants to offer more, so the company will launch S23+ with a 36-month warranty and a 6-month free screen replacement in Africa. Let’s hope something similar will also reach other markets.
itel S23+ isn’t really a powerful smartphone or a premium flagship model. It’s only the flagship in the list of itel smartphones to date, so the price alone will give you the big picture.
As a reference, the little brother S23 is currently priced at ₱4,999 (₱8,199 regular) on Shopee for the 8GB/256GB variant. The base version 4GB/128GB is priced at ₱3,999 (₱6,999 regular).
The official landing of itel 23+ in the Philippines is yet to be confirmed.
