On October 3, 2023, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S23 FE. All its press supplies stated the telephone prices $599 for the 128GB mannequin. Nevertheless, when the telephone truly went up on the market at Samsung.com, the unlocked mannequin didn’t value $599 — it value $629, a $30 improve. This was uncommon, so we contacted Samsung in regards to the discrepancy.

In its response, the corporate identified that you may nonetheless get the telephone from its on-line retailer for the $599 worth — for those who purchase a provider model over the unlocked mannequin. It additionally instructed us that Amazon, Greatest Purchase, and different retail companions nonetheless promote the unlocked mannequin for $599. The one exception right here is shopping for the unlocked mannequin immediately from Samsung. Nevertheless, the corporate didn’t clarify why it made this modification.

Maybe Samsung has a last-minute motive to hike the value that it received’t inform us about (and pre-existing offers that hold some retailers at $599). Nonetheless, I’m suspicious that this could possibly be a brand new technique for Samsung as a result of that is precisely what Apple does for its entry-tier iPhones. For instance, the iPhone 15 has an MSRP of $799. However for those who head to Apple.com to purchase an unlocked model, you’ll truly pay $829. For those who choose as an alternative for a provider model, you get the unique $799 worth. Apple began doing this in 2020 with the launch of the iPhone 12 sequence.

Apparently, Apple doesn’t do that switcheroo with Professional-level telephones — the iPhone 15 Professional and 15 Professional Max value the identical at Apple.com whether or not you go unlocked or carrier-locked. It’s all about making these entry-level fashions seem extra reasonably priced.

This weird “punishment” for purchasing an unlocked iPhone 15 or 15 Plus immediately from Apple is fairly irritating, regardless of the way you slice it. However Apple shall be Apple, and strikes like this don’t appear to stain its repute with Apple followers. However Samsung followers aren’t almost as forgiving. I sincerely hope this new telephone pricing coverage isn’t going to proceed exterior the Galaxy S23 FE.

Let me be clear by saying I’ve no downside with Samsung discounting a telephone for those who determine to purchase a carrier-locked mannequin. For instance, shopping for a T-Cellular-branded Galaxy S23 Extremely from Samsung.com proper now prices $1,169, or $30 lower than the $1,199 MSRP. This low cost is sensible as a result of Samsung is probably going making extra revenue from that telephone due to provider subsidies. It’s passing on these financial savings to you, the patron, because it ought to.

However there’s a giant distinction between charging lower than the MSRP for a provider mannequin and growing the value of an unlocked mannequin so the provider mannequin has a perceived low cost. That’s not a reduction — that’s extra like a tax. The MSRP must be the start line for reductions, not the value after reductions.

You would possibly assume this isn’t a giant deal as a result of it’s simply the Galaxy S23 FE. My concern is that Samsung is utilizing this telephone’s launch as a testing floor. The corporate might wish to see if it could get away with this Apple-style worth switcheroo for particular units. Might we see wonky Samsung telephone pricing like this within the upcoming Galaxy S24 sequence? I really hope not.

For those who’re a Samsung fan who thinks charging more cash for an unlocked mannequin is a horrible thought, hold forth within the feedback beneath and the ballot above. Hopefully, we will let the corporate know that simply because Apple can do one thing that pulls one over on the patron doesn’t imply Android followers will settle for the identical therapy.

Within the meantime, if you need an unlocked Galaxy S23 FE, try the hyperlink beneath to seize it from Amazon so that you don’t needlessly spend $30 extra on it.