When you buy a top-tier flagship phone from a renowned brand, you expect it to be free of all hardware issues and defects. And even if there are problems, you hope the company's support will resolve them. But this is not always the case. For example, the Pixel 7's rear camera glass spontaneously shattered for many users, but Google never acknowledged the issue. Several Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ users are also seemingly facing a hardware defect with their phone's camera that the company has not acknowledged.
Non-Ultra Galaxy S23 users report seeing a blurry and smudged spot on the left side of all photos taken from their phone's 50MP primary camera in landscape orientation. The blurry area makes photos of documents and texts unusable since that part is unreadable. German media is calling this issue bananagate, with Notebookcheck posting several examples where the blurring is prominently visible (via Reddit).
While blurring across edges is common with today's smartphones due to their big camera sensors, this problem is not related to that. The smudged spot only appears on the left side, and not all Galaxy S23 users are facing the problem. Plus, the Galaxy S23 Ultra with its even bigger 200MP primary shooter does not exhibit such blurring.
Owners of Samsung's latest flagship phone have been complaining about smudged photos for over a month now. However, Samsung is yet to acknowledge the issue. Customers who sent their phones for repairs to the company were sent the device back in the same condition. Apparently, Samsung claimed this is not a hardware defect but a characteristic of the big camera sensor that delivers a DSLR-like bokeh effect.
The problem is unlikely to be software-related, as it persists even after Samsung's big camera-focused April update.
In case your Galaxy S23 or S23+ is also affected by the blurring issue, try reaching out to Samsung and hope they resolve the issue. Alternatively, you can try returning the phone for a replacement unit. If all else fails, wait and hope that Samsung can rectify the problem with a software update.
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Samsung Galaxy S23
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is the best compact Android flagship you can buy in 2023. With a 6.1-inch display, a powerful yet efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, an impressive camera setup, and all-day battery life, the phone delivers on all key areas.
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Samsung Galaxy S23+
$850 $1000 Save $150If the baby Galaxy S23 is too small for you and the Ultra too big, the S23+ is the perfect middle point. With a 6.6-inch AMOLED panel, the phone is compact enough to fit in your pockets while still offering a roomy display. Other specs are in line with the S23 lineup, so there's little reason to complain.
