Add MobilityArena as a preferred source on Google
Considering that mid-range smartphones from brands like Nokia, Google Pixel, Motorola, and OnePlus, to mention just a few, have had support for the more advanced Bluetooth aptX Adaptive , aptx HD, aptX Lossless Bluetooth, and Bluetooth LE Audio codecs for some years now, you would expect that the best Samsung phones would support those features.
It is even more expected because Samsung (like Apple) have been quick to throw out the 3.5mm headphone jack, forcing users of their flagship devices to depend on Bluetooth for audio instead. But Samsung conveniently continues to leave out these features, year after year. Samsung S22 models did not have them, and the S23 models do not either. Not even the S23 Ultra does.
Samsung S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra do not support aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Lossless Bluetooth, and Bluetooth LE Audio codecs.
- No wired headset, but no advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs either
- Apple is guilty too
- How to know if your Samsung phone supports Bluetooth aptX codecs
- Look elsewhere for advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs and others
No wired headset, but no advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs either
If a phone brand is leaving out support for wired headphones and earphones, why are they not including support for advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs that deliver the same quality of audio that wired headsets provide? Android OS supports these codecs, and as already pointed out, other smartphone brands have them in their phones. Samsung’s refusal to include these codecs is mind-boggling. What Samsung has been known to support is the older “aptX” classic codec.
Instead, premium flagships by Samsung have been known to support SBC (Sub-Band Codec), AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), aptX, LDAC, and the proprietary Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) which was introduced with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in August 2022. This limits the range of high-definition wireless headphones that are supported by the Samsung S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra.
aptX codecs are from Qualcomm. Perhaps the reason why Samsung turns a blind eye to the more advanced aptX codecs is that they want to save costs by avoiding licensing fees. Yes, at the end of the day, the almighty dollar is king and dictates what features make it to your $1000 premium flagship smartphone. Odd though that Nokia is able to include these codes in much more affordable devices to the Samsung S23 series.
Apple is guilty too
Apple is another premium smartphone brand that has ditched support for 3.5mm wired headsets yet does not include support for advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs. None of the iPhone 14 models have them.
How to know if your Samsung phone supports Bluetooth aptX codecs
To confirm the Bluetooth audio codecs supported by your Samsung phone, you have to enable and look in Developer options. Note that Developer Options is hidden by default (as most mobile users are not developers). to tun it on so you can see it, follow these steps:
- Pair your device with a pair of earbuds or headphones that support any of the aptX codecs.
- Go to “Settings”.
- Tap “About device” or “About phone”.
- Tap “Software information”.
- Tap “Build number” seven times.
- Enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable the Developer options menu.
- The “Developer options” menu will now appear in your Settings menu.
Now, go back to Settings; Developer Options will be the last item at the bottom of the screen. To check the list of supported Bluetooth codecs supported on your Samsung, go to Settings > Developer Options > Bluetooth Audio Codec. The list will be displayed. Any item that is greyed out is not supported by phone or headset.
You will find that the S23 supports the basic “aptX” codec, but not any of the more advanced ones like aptx HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless Bluetooth, and Bluetooth LE Audio.
Look elsewhere for advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs and others
In contrast, I have reviewed the Nokia G60 5G that costs about half the Samsung S23 and that budget smartphone supports both aptX HD and aptX Adaptive. I am currently with a Samsung S23 and I can tell you for a fact that it does not support these advanced Bluetooth aptX codecs; only the classic aptX, along with SBC, AAC, LDAC, and SSC. Below is a photo of the Bluetooth audio codec menu of the Samsung S23.
The only Bluetooth Audio codecs supported by Samsung S23 are SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC, and SSC.
If you are looking for a smartphone that supports aptX HD, aptx Adaptive, aptX Lossless Bluetooth, or Bluetooth LE Audio, look elsewhere; the Samsung Galaxy S23 phones are not for you. Look at mid-range and high-end models from Nokia, Google Pixel, Motorola, Sony, OnePlus, and ASUS.
2024 update : The S23 series’ successor, the Galaxy S24 series, do not support these aptX codecs either.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
Add MobilityArena as a preferred source on Google
Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing
If you need an introduction to Samsung Galaxy S23 , here it one: this is the most affordable premium flagship phone released by Samsung in 2023. And we have one in our hands here at MobilityArena. The black-colored box is a compact affair – we almost couldn’t believe that was it. It is such a small box.
If you are like most of us here, you are interested in what is in the retail box; right? Looking at how small the retail box was, we wondered if Samsung put anything other than the phone itself in there. We found out soon enough. Find out the full details below in our Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing.
- Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing: Region-specific information and carrier support
- Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing: What’s in the retail box?
- Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing: First impressions and quick review
Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing: Region-specific information and carrier support
First up, we checked the label on the box for some details. The labels specify that this phone unit is cream colour and internal storage is 128GB. We got the SM-S911U1 / SM-S911UZEEXAA model, which is specific to the United States. SM-S911U1, along with SM-S911U and SM-S911W are the models sold in North America. The SM-S911U1 model is factory unlocked and compatible with T-Mobile, Verizon, and MetroPC, AT&T, Cricket Wireless, h2o, Sprint, and Visible. You can buy it from the Samsung US website, as well as from other independent retailers.
Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing: What’s in the retail box?
Now to the Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing proper. Opening up the compact box, we found the following items inside:
- Samsung Galaxy S23 in cream color
- USB-C to USB-C cable in black color (when will phone brands start matching the cable color to the color of the phone? Or am I asking for too much?)
- Quick Start Guide and Terms & Conditions
- SIM ejection tool
That is it. If you were expecting a power adaptor (or wall charger, depending on what you call it), you are out of luck. Samsung does not include on in the box. The phone does support 25W fast charging and Power Delivery 3.0. Rummage around the house to see if you have an old charger that will get the job done. Here is my own experience with using an older charger of mine with the S23 .
There is no 3.5mm audio headset in the box either, because high-end and premium flagship phones by Samsung no longer support that feature. You will have to use one of the available alternatives for audio .
Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing: First impressions and quick review
That is it on our Samsung Galaxy S23 unboxing. My first impressions of the Samsung S23 were good. First, it is quite compact – just a little bigger than the iPhone SE 3rd Generation. I consider that a good thing, as I love my phones compact . As a matter of fact, the two phones share quite a number of similarities (see our Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone SE 3 2022 Comparison ).
The Galaxy S23 feels sturdy in the hand, and I do not have that fear of dropping it, which is odd, considering that there is a mild fear of dropping the iPhone SE 3rd Gen. I wonder. That aside, the display is beautiful, the stereo speakers sound great, the cameras shoot really good photos. We would be scandalised if any of these were different. This is an $800 smartphone after all.
Looking at the user interface, I am a fan of One UI, but it still has some rough edges that need to be ironed out. I will likely go into more details in another article. In all, my first impressions of the Galaxy S23 after unboxing it are good. I like this one.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
