Everything we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy S22
While the Samsung Galaxy S22 series is still several ways out, with a Jan or Feb 2022 open up to now highly likely, the leaks and rumors have been coming in chunky and rapid for all three devices in the line.
S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra, but have additionally got the big boots of the Samsung Galaxy Notice 21 to fill, with 2021’s
late-year flagship I have to say canceled, much to the chagrin of Samsung fans.
Little is officially known about what Samsung will be concocting for its next flagship S range smartphone, despite the number of unofficial leaks, and we’re almost certain to hear of the Galaxy S21 FE before we hear about the S22.
The Galaxy S22 is the next large flagship from Samsung, and due to the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 was once canceled, will be the first big traditional phone from the company to come out in a year. We did see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold three come out with S Pen stylus guide as properly as the clamshell Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 launch at the equal price as flagship phones – however, for most consumers, the Galaxy S22 is the next large Android phone.
Below is where we’ll be collating all the leaks, rumors, and news we hear about the Samsung Galaxy S22 until its launch, likely in early 2022. We’ll be keeping track of details of the Galaxy S22 release date, price, features, and much more, from rumors about its new features to leaked images of what the phone could look like.
Latest news (December 1): We’ve heard some leaked Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus camera specs which line up with those we’ve already heard. Apparently, you should expect a 50MP main, 10MP telephoto and 12MP ultra-wide snapper.
Samsung Galaxy S22: what you need to know
Samsung Galaxy S22 release date: Rumors point to a February release for the Samsung Galaxy S22, with an announcement possibly on February 8. That’s not been confirmed, but we’d be surprised if it didn’t land in early 2022.
Samsung Galaxy S22 price: Pricing is unknown, but for reference, the Samsung Galaxy S21 started at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249, and we may be looking at a similar price again.
Design: The Samsung Galaxy S22 and Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus will probably look similar to their predecessors, with the S22 Ultra rumored to be getting a more angular design reminiscent of the Galaxy Note range.
Colors: A leak suggests the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus may come in white, black, rose gold, and green shades, while the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra might come in black, white, green, and dark red.
Display: The Samsung Galaxy S22 is rumored to have a 6.06-inch screen, the S22 Plus a 6.55-inch one, and the S22 Ultra a 6.81-inch one. All three models are expected to have a 120Hz refresh rate, but that’s likely to be paired with an FHD+ resolution for the cheaper two and a QHD+ resolution for the Ultra.
Camera: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto cameras have been rumored for the S22 and S22 Plus. Things are less clear for the Ultra, but it may have a 108MP main snapper, a 12MP ultra-wide, and two 10MP telephoto ones.
Specs: Expect either the Snapdragon 898 or Exynos 2200 chipset depending on region, coupled possibly with the same RAM and storage amounts as the S21 range. That would mean up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage in the Ultra model, or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage in the other models.
Battery: Leaks point to a 3,700mAh battery in the S22, 4,500mAh in the S22 Plus, and 5,000mAh in the S22 Ultra. Other than the Ultra those would all be smaller than the batteries in the S21 range. Charging speed on the S22 Ultra might be improved though, possibly coming in at 45W.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 PRICE
So far we don’t know anything for sure yet about the price of the Samsung Galaxy S22 range, but we’d expect it will be around the same price as the Galaxy S21 range when it launched.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 started at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249, the S21 Plus started at $999 / £949 / AU$1,549 and the S21 Ultra started at $1,199 / £1,149 / AU$1,849.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 DESIGN
The overall design of the Samsung Galaxy S22 range might be very similar to the current range, according to one leak, so don’t expect big visual changes, at least from the standard S22 and the Galaxy S22 Plus.
We’ve now seen unofficial renders of all three handsets, from a reliable source, which we’ve embedded below. You can see that the S22 and the S22 Plus stick with the conventional look of their predecessors, while the S22 Ultra goes for something a little bit different. We’ve also seen a leaked backplate for the S22 Ultra.
These renders also come with whispers that these phones will actually be called the Samsung Galaxy S22, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Pro, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 22 Ultra. The talk so far has been that the S22 Ultra might replace the Note 22, and if the latest leaks are right, that’s going to come to pass.
Based on these renders, the S22 Ultra (or Note 22 Ultra) has a look that’s distinctively different from the S22 and the S22 Plus (or S22 Pro) – and it’s very reminiscent of what we’ve seen from Note handsets in the past. Last year’s S21 Ultra supported the S Pen stylus, and so should its follow-up.
We’ve also now seen additional unofficial renders of the Samsung Galaxy S22, which show a camera block with slightly less rounded corners than the Galaxy S21, and a flatter back to the phone, but an otherwise similar design. You can see some of these above.
And we’ve even now seen hands-on photos that seem to show the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, as you can see below. These match some of the leaks above, complete with an S Pen slot, a curved screen, and cameras that individually jut out from the rear, rather than being housed in a block.
Case renders for the three phones have also now leaked, and these show a similar design to the images above, complete with a Note-like overhaul for the S22 Ultra, and even an S Pen slot. The second set of case images for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have also emerged, sporting the same design but with a purple color scheme.
Leaked images of tempered glass screen protectors meanwhile suggest that the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus might be slightly thicker and more rounded than their predecessors, but again should otherwise be similar – though one leak points to them having flatter backs.
We’ve also now seen what appears to be a screen protector for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and this matches other leaks in having very angular corners.
We’ve also now heard possible dimensions and weights for the Galaxy S22 range. These come from leaker Ice Universe, who claims that the Samsung Galaxy S22 is 146 x 70 x 7.6mm and 167g, the Galaxy S22 Plus is 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm and 195g, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra is 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm and 228g. For the most part that would make these phones marginally smaller than their predecessors.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 DISPLAY
We might see slightly different screen sizes with the Samsung Galaxy S22 range to the Galaxy S21, with multiple sources claiming that the Galaxy S22 will have a 6.06-inch screen (down from 6.2 inches on the S21), the Galaxy S22 Plus will have a 6.55-inch one (down from 6.7) and the S22 Ultra might have a 6.81-inch one (up from 6.8).
This matches with a leak from UniverseIce that shows off-screen protectors for all three new devices, with similar sizes to what we’ve heard about above.
Additionally, this source claims that only the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will have an LTPO display, which means it is in all likelihood to be the solely model with a variable refresh rate. It may additionally be the solely one with a glass back, as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus will apparently be switched to plastic, with the standard S21 already being plastic.
We’ve heard the same sizes from another source, whole with 120Hz refresh rates paired with an FHD+ resolution on the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus, and a QHD+ one on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Elsewhere, a leaker has said that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will have the brightest display screen Samsung has ever put on a phone.
The vary would possibly now not have mainly curved screens though, with leaks suggesting that the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus will have flat displays, whilst the Galaxy S22 Ultra would possibly solely have a very mild curve.
the colors might be different to last year. They say that the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus will come in white, black, rose gold, and green colors, while the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will come in a choice of black, white, or dark red, with another source adding green to the mix.
We’ve since heard that exact selection of colors (including green for the S22 Ultra) again, so these colors are looking likely
For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S21 comes in violet, grey, white and pink, the S21 Plus in black, silver, gold, violet, and red, and the S21 Ultra comes in black, silver, titanium, navy, and brown.
So the green Samsung Galaxy S22 shade could be quite different from anything we’ve seen from the current models if this leak is right.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 CAMERA
On the digicam the front we have heard from one leaker that the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus will have a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP telephoto (capable of 3x optical zoom), That would be quite a change from the 12MP main, 12MP ultra-wide and 64MP telephoto of their predecessors, and we have heard a comparable declare from every other supply too.
That thought isn’t always unanimous though, as more than a few leakers have had barely one-of-a-kind thoughts about the cameras. Case in point, a famous one has echoed the above specs however recommended the telephoto will be 10MP.
It additionally sounds very a great deal like the Galaxy S22 may not have a 3D time-of-flight (ToF) sensor on its rear camera setup. That’s no real shock – it wasn’t on the Galaxy S21 either – however it may disappoint those who wanted it to make a return.
As for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, one file at the beginning recommended it ought to have a 200MP main camera and an under-display selfie camera. Further reviews since then have suggested that Samsung may not be along with a 200MP sensor, and alternatively, it will go for a 108MP sensor with a “polish” that we have not viewed on preceding versions.
We’ve heard a comparable report elsewhere, suggesting that the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a 108MP most important camera, two 12MP telephoto ones, and a 12MP ultra-wide, whilst the different two models will have the camera configurations leaked above (a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP telephoto).
Their zoom potential might be the same as the S21 range as well, with the S22 and S22 Plus said to offer 3x optical zoom, and the S22 Ultra both 3x and 10x. That’s a claim we’ve now heard multiple times, though one source points to the zoom snappers being 10MP rather than 12MP.
In fact, another source now points to all the megapixel counts on the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s cameras being the same as the S21 Ultra, albeit with slightly different pixel and sensor sizes. That source has since reiterated the claim, so they seem confident of it.
That said, we’ve also now heard the 200MP claim again, along with a claim that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a Penta-lens camera with Olympus tech. That Olympus partnership is also something we’ve heard more than once.
The rumored under-display selfie camera is looking a lot less certain though, as a source has since said that the Galaxy S22 won’t have this because the quality apparently isn’t high enough, the camera itself is still supposedly slightly visible under the screen, and Samsung simply can’t build enough of them right now.
One source also says to expect continuous optical zoom, meaning that all of the zoom levels up to its maximum optical (likely 10x) would be optical, where most phones have to fall back on digital or hybrid zoom for the middle zoom ranges.
However, given that multiple sources point to the S22 Ultra having two zoom cameras, we’re not convinced it would also sport continuous optical zoom, as having two shouldn’t be so necessary if it did.
We’ve also now heard about the front-facing cameras of the range, with the three phones apparently having the same ones as their predecessors, namely 10MP on the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, and 40MP on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 SPECS AND FEATURES
One source says to expect an Exynos 2200 chipset that would be paired with an AMD GPU. This is something we’ve heard before, as one much older leak suggested Samsung was working on a new chipset in collaboration with AMD.
This AMD partnership has since been confirmed, and we now know that it will bring ray tracing and variable rate shading abilities to the chipset, and consequently possibly to the Samsung Galaxy S22.
That said, a leaker claims that Samsung has struggled with producing this chipset, which would possibly mean most places get a Snapdragon one as an alternative (likely the rumored Snapdragon 898). We’ve given that heard that two CPUs will certainly be used and that most areas will get the Snapdragon version.
Most of these days we have heard that the production issues are first-rate sufficient that all areas may get the Snapdragon 898.
We would possibly know extra about the fate of the Exynos 2200 soon, as Samsung has teased that the chipset will be unveiled on November 19.
Other spec leaks include claims that the RAM and storage quantities might not alternate from the Galaxy S21 range, with one supply saying to expect 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, and 12GB or 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage in the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Indeed, a benchmark for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus lists 8GB of RAM, like its predecessor. This is for the Exynos 2200 model, and the rankings achieved are worryingly low – however, it appears the phone would possibly have been in a power-saving mode for some reason, which would provide an explanation for it.
Plus, whilst the RAM would possibly stay the same in terms of quantities, Samsung would possibly use greater speed RAM, as it is introduced RAM it is over 1.3x faster whilst eating nearly 20% much less strength – even though the company hasn’t verified whether or not this RAM will be used in the Galaxy S22 range.
We’ve additionally heard that the Samsung Galaxy S22 range would possibly have vapor chambers to preserve them cool. This is a feature that Samsung has used earlier than however no longer in each and every current flagship. However, the company is reportedly thinking about bringing them returned for its 2022 flagships, probable which includes the Galaxy S22 range.
While maintaining the internals of phones cool is vital to maintaining optimal overall performance though, vapor chambers don’t seem to be the sole way to achieve this, so it is now not always a loss if the Galaxy S22 doesn’t give up with one.
Finally, it is additionally rumored that the Galaxy S22 Ultra will support Samsung’s S Pen stylus, which is probably given that the S21 Ultra does. However, the upcoming phone would possibly go so far as to have a slot for it, which the S21 Ultra doesn’t
WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FROM SAMSUNG S22
1. Bring back microSD support
This is a simple one, and it’s a clear step down from Samsung, as the company has almost always offered microSD support in its smartphones. For those unclear on the situation, the Samsung Galaxy S21 range doesn’t feature a microSD card slot, meaning you won’t be able to expand the storage.
Bought the 128GB Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra? You’re stuck with that amount of storage no matter how long you use the phone. This is the case with other brands such as Apple, but we preferred it when Samsung offered the option to expand your storage.
2. Include better storage options
On the topic of storage, the Galaxy S22 range should offer further storage options for people to choose from. That’s especially true if the company does decide it doesn’t want to offer microSD card support again.
The Galaxy S21, for example, is just available in 128GB and 256GB storage sizes. If you want more space, you’ve got to opt for the larger Galaxy S21 Ultra.
3. Drop the price further
The Samsung Galaxy S21 range dropped in price compared to 2020’s smartphones, and that’s an admirable feat from the company, but we’d like to see the prices drop even further in 2022.
Of course, this is a big ask. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is full of top-end tech, and it’s unlikely the company will be able to drop the price down any further than it did with 2021’s phone.
That said, there were a lot of spec drops when comparing the Galaxy S21 to the Galaxy S20. If the company continues to offer slightly lower specs than we’re used to, we’d like to see the price drop down further to reflect that.
4. Make the standard editions more exciting
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus may not be the most exciting smartphones, but they’re still a great choice. We gave each of them four stars on TechRadar, and we went up to four and a half stars for the slightly more innovative Galaxy S21 Ultra.
We don’t know how, but we’d like to see some more features trickle down to those two cheaper handsets that are almost certain to launch in 2022. We’d like to see the company bring top-end features like S Pen stylus support or the 100x digital zoom telephoto camera.
The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus were a bit of a downgrade on their predecessors, so we’d like to see Samsung make the next models a touch more exciting when they arrive in 2022.
5. Avoid Glasstic
This isn’t something that everyone cares about, but the Galaxy S21 moved away from a glass rear and switched to a Glasstic back. That’s Samsung’s own name for a plastic and glass hybrid, and it doesn’t feel as premium.
Both the Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra are stuck with glass, and we’d like to see the company opt for that material on every Samsung Galaxy S22 model considering the price of these smartphones.
