Best tech of 2023: the gizmos and gadgets to look forward to in the next 12 months (2024)

While most of you are getting excited for Christmas and ringing in the New Year, we here at TechRadar are looking further ahead to the tech, gadgets and devices that are confirmed and rumoured to be launching in Australia in 2023.

2022 has been an incredible year for tech, and with the effects of the pandemic still lingering, it has changed the way we interact with our devices. Will 2023 see the introduction of more health-conscious gadgets to adapt to our heightened awareness of hygiene?

New trends have emerged and some established ones have finally caught on with consumers. Foldable phones, for example, have started to find a genuine audience, with Samsung still leading the charge. Portable gaming, too, has seen plenty of developments, with 2022 seeing the launch of the remarkable Steam Deck… in the northern hemisphere, at least.

Essential gadgets such as TVs and headphones were bettered once again, with major advances in display technologies and noise-cancellation abilities, respectively. We’re keen to see how the best TVs and best headphones of 2022 can be improved upon next year.

Fortunately for the world of tech and gadgets, keeping things a secret is about as likely as England lifting the World Cup. Rumours and leaks appear in their droves, and in some cases we even get official announcements. With all this, we can actually begin to paint a pretty clear picture of what to expect in the coming 12 months.

And, considering the lineup of tech we can expect in 2023, it’s fair to say we’re just a tad excited. We’ve put together this list of 11 particularly noteworthy products we can’t wait to see in the flesh Down Under in Australia. Some are undoubtedly going to be released, while some are expected to be released – we’re just not sure when – and then there are others that could still be just a pipedream.

Dyson Zone

• What is it? An absurd mash-up of noise-cancelling headphones and an air-purifying mask
• When is it out? No confirmation for Australia just yet
• Why are we excited? Because they’re out-of-this-world bonkers, but have great potential

The Dyson Zone may look like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s actually a very real product. Combining a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, which are fitted with custom-built drivers, and a detachable air purification system, the Dyson Zone is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.

You may think it looks silly, but we’d wager people living in cities will be keen to try them to help tackle high levels of pollution. But for now, the Dyson Zone is only destined for select markets in the northern hemisphere in March, so we’re hoping to hear of availability in Australia in 2023 as well.

Apple HomePod 2

• What is it? The second generation of Apple’s voice-controlled smart speaker
• When is it out? Nothing confirmed, but might be unveiled in March 2023
• Why are we excited? We loved the first HomePod and couldn’t believe it got discontinued. So a second-gen model would be amazing

Apple, naturally, hasn’t yet confirmed the existence of a HomePod 2 itself just yet, but notable Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman has said we can indeed expect to see one soon. Well, we say soon. We were hoping to see it unveiled alongside the iPhone 14 family in September 2022, but that clearly didn’t happen. So now all eyes are pointing to a 2023 release date instead. As for which month? The jury is still out but there are hopes for an early-in-the-year debut.

If and when it does come to fruition, we expect to see (or rather, hear) upgrades to the audio capabilities and potentially even a screen to display things like album artwork and other quick information – something to compete with Amazon’s Echo smart displays and Google’s Nest Hubs.

PSVR 2

• What is it? Sony’s next-generation PlayStation VR
• When is it out? February 22, 2023
• Why are we excited? A more immersive experience thanks to improved tracking and sensory features

February will see the launch of Sony’s long-awaited and much-anticipated PSVR 2. With an official launch date of February 22, 2023 and a AU$859 price tag attached, it could have a tough time convincing customers to part with their cash, but we think it’s going to be worth every dollar when you take a peep at what it's packing in the hardware department.

Sony has confirmed the PSVR 2 will arrive with much-improved position tracking, which won’t require the need for an external camera. Plus new sensory features that will create an immersive gameplay experience like never before.

What will likely determine the success of Sony’s VR headset sequel will be the selection of games that debut with it. Launch titles confirmed so far haven’t exactly grabbed our attention as much as we hoped, so we’re incredibly keen to see what else Sony has up its sleeve.

Steam Deck

• What is it? An already-released portable gaming powerhouse
• When is it out? It’s already available in the US and UK, but what about Australia?
• Why are we excited? We’re hoping for a launch in Australia

The Steam Deck is already a well-established console, in the northern hemisphere, at least. It also happens to be one of the best gaming devices on the market, and makes a strong case as an alternative to the best gaming laptops. It may seem a bit strange that we’re referring to a product that was released in February 2022 on this list of tech we’re looking forward to in 2023, but that’s because it still doesn’t ship to Australia directly from Valve.

You can find the Steam Deck in Australia, through third-party resellers, but you’ll need to stump up some serious cash to secure one. There’s still no official word from Valve about Australian availability, so this is more of a wish than something to actually look forward to.

Google Pixel Fold

• What is it? Google’s first foldable phone
• When is it out? May 2023 most likely
• Why are we excited? It’s Google’s first foldable phone, ‘nuff said

The Google Pixel Fold isn’t guaranteed for a 2023 release, nor is it guaranteed to even be a thing at all, but the rumour mill has been running on overtime recently, so we’re hopeful. Plus, Samsung can't hog the limelight forever.

If it does indeed come to fruition, the Pixel Fold is expected to adopt a similar design to the Samsung Galaxy Fold (although multiple other contortions have been suggested).

It will also more than likely use Google’s Tensor G2 chipset, which will pave the way for the inclusion of the tech giant’s incredible camera trickery. Google has impressed us in 2022 with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, so for the company to take its talent of producing incredible smartphones and put it into a foldable body has us chomping at the bit.

Apple VR headset

• What is it? Apple’s first foray into virtual reality
• When is it out? Some time in 2023?
• Why are we excited? If it’s real, you just know it’s going to look damn sexy

Apple has been rumoured to be entering the VR headset game for some time now, but leaks and rumours have become so plentiful that Apple’s virtual reality could become a reality in 2023. Being an Apple product, don’t expect it to come cheap, although evidence suggests the high price tag could be somewhat justified.

Not only is it expected to use the company’s incredibly powerful M2 chip, but it’ is also said to receive dual 8K screens. This would mean the Apple VR headset will have four times as many pixels than any other commercially available VR headset. Apple could also introduce some clever eye-tracking tech that will only activate the portion of the screen the user is looking at.

Details of a proper release date are thin on the ground still, but fingers are currently pointing to April 2023.

Second-gen QD-OLED TVs

• What is it? Evolution of the incredible TV display technology
• When is it out? Likely to be unveiled at CES 2023 in January
• Why are we excited? We loved the first-gen launched in 2022, so are keen to see how it develops

Just when you thought we might have already achieved peak TV display technology, the boffins at Samsung and Sony decided to launch QD-OLED TVs in 2022 – in the S95B and A95K, respectively – and we can’t stress how much we want to thank them for doing so.

From our first-hand experience, QD-OLED TVs (which combine quantum dot LED technology with traditional OLED) really are the business when it comes to serving up incredible images.

Samsung and Sony are currently the only manufacturers pushing the technology, so we’ll be keen to see if any others jump aboard the trend at CES in January 2023. We, of course, also hope to see further improvements made to Samsung and Sony TVs, and a drop in price wouldn’t go amiss either.

• What is it? The third-generation VR headset from Facebook Meta
• When is it out? October 2023 most likely
• Why are we excited? Updates to one of the best VR headsets around – what’s there to not be excited about?

2023 really is shaping up to be a year for virtual reality, as the Meta Quest 3 VR headset will also hit the shelves. As with Sony’s PSVR 2, we know the Meta Quest 3 is real – Mark Zuckerberg confirmed it himself. It’s going to retain the affordable price point of its Quest 2 predecessor, which currently costs either AU$629 or AU$789, depending on the amount of storage you get. The Meta Quest 3 is rumoured to cost between $300 - $500, so we expect Australian pricing to be similar to the Quest 2's current asking price.

As for improvements, we’re expecting the customary selection of battery life, processing power and resolution, along with support for a 90Hz refresh rate at a minimum. But what we’re really hoping for is improved motion-sickness prevention, updates to the in-VR Oculus Store and potentially even a neighbourhood-like social space à la Metaverse.

Electric cars

• What is it? Battery-powered vehicles
• When is it out? We’ll keep our eyes glued to showfloor at CES for the latest updates
• Why are we excited? It’s always cool to see the latest developments in automobile-land, it’s better for the planet

Electric cars are becoming more and more common on our roads, as customers strive to do their bit for the environment, and receive some jaw-dropping acceleration in return. So what else can we expect in the way of developments for electric cars?

We’re expecting plenty of chatter around software-defined vehicles (SDV) at CES. Think of an SDV like a Tesla – a car that can receive software updates via the internet, as opposed to upgrading a car using mechanical parts. So, while SDVs aren’t necessarily a new concept, they’re slowly but surely gaining more traction.

Samsung phones (Galaxy S23 range / new foldables)

• What is it? A slew of new Samsung smartphones
• When is it out? February (Galaxy S23 family), August (Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5)
• Why are we excited? A rumoured 200-megapixel camera and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor

A huge camera upgrade could be on the cards for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which we’re expecting to see unveiled in February 2023 if previous launch timelines are anything to go by. While the majority of Samsung’s flagship will likely replicate its S22 predecessor, the (rumoured) headline news is a 200MP sensor that should make its photo-taking abilities better than ever before.

Samsung's camera group, which is a separate entity to Samsung Mobile Experience, has previously launched a 200MP ISOCELL HP1 sensor. While this doesn't guarantee it will show up in the Galaxy S23 Ultra, it also wouldn't be all that surprising if it did.

Murmurings in the tech world are saying the Galaxy S23 Ultra (200MP camera or not) will perform far better in low-light conditions than its S22 Ultra predecessor. And, if the 200MP sensor does become a reality, it will allow users to be able to crop their images, without affecting the quality of the image. This all depends on the actual size of the pixels within the sensor, so this is more speculation, than confirmation.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra could also prove to be the most powerful phone on the market thanks to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which will reportedly be overclocked exclusively on Samsung phones.

The same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor is expected to power Samsung’s Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 foldable smartphones. We don’t yet know too much more about them, but we’re hoping to see camera upgrades, longer battery life and no visible creases.

Apple iPhone 15

• What is it? Apple’s new family of smartphones
• When is it out? Likely September 2023
• Why are we excited? The rumoured iPhone 15 Ultra could be a serious beast

Apple will more than likely launch the iPhone 15 family in September, based on previous launches. And, while we don’t expect the design to change too much (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it), we do expect them to come with a smattering of camera and battery life improvements. But, the top-of-the-line iPhone 15 Ultra has certainly caught our attention.

Speculated to replace the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the iPhone 15 Ultra could be clad in titanium and receive a camera with periscope zoom. A new Sony camera sensor has also been suggested, which would be able to capture more light, resulting in far more accurate colour detail and even better low-light photography.

Apple could also be the first phone maker to use 3nm N3E technology for the A17 bionic chip. What this means in real-world terms is faster performance and longer battery life. While we don’t exactly feel left wanting when it comes to performance in the current crop of iPhones, a longer battery life is always going to be welcomed with open arms.