Biggest failures in world of smartphones in 2023

Each significant success in that year was accompanied by a certain number of failures.

iMessage on Android

Nothing Chats was a messenger that allowed owners of Nothing Phones to use iMessage based on the Sunbird program. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that the technology underlying the program was facing serious security and privacy issues.

iPhone 15 Pro overheating

In September, Apple introduced the iPhone 15, and soon after, users discovered that the Pro models exhibited increased thermal activity. During prolonged use, the phones noticeably heated up compared to competing devices on the Android platform.

Many also noted that the phones unreasonably heated up during the charging process, which was particularly noticeable considering that the iPhone 15 Pro charged more slowly than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Fortunately, Apple later released a software update for the new device, addressing the heating issues.

However, this still left some dissatisfaction considering the company's status and size.

BBK vs. Nokia

Another unsuccessful event in 2023 was the legal dispute between the Chinese conglomerate BBK and Nokia. As a result, BBK brands, mainly OPPO and vivo, had to either cease or significantly reduce their activities in Europe.

One of the notable victims was the OPPO Find X6 Pro. It is a quality device that undoubtedly deserves the status of one of the best camera phones in the world. However, the decision to release it only in China caused genuine disappointment. It is expected that Nokia and BBK will reach an agreement on this matter in 2024.

New foldable Honor phone

HONOR introduced its foldable phone, Magic V, for the first time at the MWC 2023 exhibition, marking its first globally available device. However, in July, during the announcement of the Magic V2 in China, this device posed certain challenges for the company.

Later, in August, HONOR showcased the Magic V2 at the IFA 2023 exhibition but announced that the foldable phone would only be available on the global market in the first quarter of 2024.

Slow smartphone updates

Over the past few years, many leading smartphone brands have declared the extension of update timelines for their devices. However, not all manufacturers adopt this approach. ASUS, Sony, POCO, TCL, and ZTE remain committed to short update cycles for their smartphones.

Typically, these manufacturers offer one or two major operating system updates and two or three years of security updates. This is particularly unacceptable for Sony and its Xperia 1 V model, priced at $1,400. It's puzzling that such practices exist where one can purchase a Samsung smartphone with a much longer update period at one-fifth the cost.

Google's failed tablet

This doesn't concern phones, but it was a significant mistake, and it can't go unmentioned. Google presented a cool concept when announcing the Pixel Tablet and accompanying dock with speakers.

The biggest issue is that the dock becomes useless when you remove the tablet. It doesn't support Bluetooth or other audio transmission methods, nor does it function as a smart assistant when the tablet is not docked. It could have been made more functional, making it a pleasant and complete gadget.

Pixel 8 pro temperature sensor

In May, a video leak showed the Pixel 8 Pro being used as a thermometer. Surprisingly, this was true, as the phone had a temperature sensor on the back panel.

Unfortunately, the actual implementation proved to be more of a novelty than something useful. Testing revealed that the Pixel 8 Pro's temperature sensor is significantly less accurate than a specialized infrared thermometer. The fact that such an expensive phone needs to be held five centimeters away from the desired object also adds to the inconvenience.