What we know so far about Samsung’s newest phone.
Boy, have we got news for you! Fresh off the announcement of the budget-friendly Galaxy S21 FE at CES 2022 earlier this month, Samsung are said to be readying for the release of Galaxy S22 behind closed doors — to say we’re excited would be an understatement!
Joining the brand’s flagship S series, Samsung’s new Galaxy S22 is tipped to include three phones: Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 Ultra. There’s no word yet from Samsung, however sources are saying it will debut at a Galaxy Unpacked event sometime in February. That’s right, in just a few weeks’ time.
While the Galaxy S21 received mostly rave reviews, some felt that it wasn’t much of an upgrade from its predecessor, the Galaxy S20. As such, it’s clear that Samsung devotees are expecting big things from the S22, including a new chipset, camera upgrades, and faster charging.
Want the inside scoop? Stick around! From release date to price and rumoured specs, we’re recapping everything we’ve heard about the latest Samsung phones, below.
Release Date | Price | Design | Specs | Display | Camera | Battery | S22 vs S21 | Wish List
Samsung Galaxy S22: Release date
Are you ready for one of the most highly-anticipated launches of the year? If our sources are correct, the Galaxy S22 is coming in hot! Yep, another Galaxy Unpacked event is on the horizon and Samsung are expected to unveil their latest products, namely some feature-packed new mobile phones, to the world. Take a look at the official teaser trailer:
When, you ask? Well, there have been a lot of dates thrown around as of late, but Samsung follow a somewhat predictable product launch schedule. Galaxy S21 was announced slightly earlier than expected on January 14th last year — multiple leaks are suggesting that Galaxy S22 pre-orders will start sometime in early February before arriving in stores later that month.
Samsung Galaxy S22: Price
As expected, pricing is yet to be announced for the S22 range.
For reference, Galaxy S21 pricing started at $1,249. The S21 Plus followed up at $1,549, while Samsung fans were able to purchase the S21 Ultra from $1,849.
Samsung Galaxy S22: Design
Several design changes were apparent when the Galaxy S21 series dropped last year, including the S21’s “glasstic” back and a contour-cut camera module. So far, it seems unlikely that we’ll see any major differences for Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus. Leaks suggest that they’ll look a lot like their predecessors, though we’ve heard that they’ll be slightly smaller and with a glass rear panel.
Here’s where things get really interesting. Leaked images of the Galaxy S22 Ultra reveal a completely new look. If the photos are to be believed, it will have the same 6.8-inch display as the S21 Ultra but with squared edges and curved sides. It could even have a built-in slot for an S-Pen! Sound familiar? That might be because we’ve seen these features before in the Galaxy Note range, leading some brand fanatics to believe this model could be a follow up to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
As usual, colourways will vary by handset, but it’s been reported that Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus will come in a choice of black, green, rose gold or white, while the S22 Ultra could also come in a statement-making dark red finish.
Samsung Galaxy S22: Specs
There’s been some confusion about Galaxy S22’s chipset, with speculation mounting that Samsung’s new Exynos 2200 processor had been delayed. This leak pointed towards Australia’s S22 being powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon instead. However, a Samsung spokesperson addressed the rumour a short time ago, confirming that the Exynos 2200 chip was still on track for their next phone. Fast forward to January 18th and Samsung has officially revealed their new processor to the world.
This is particularly good news for gamers. Thanks to a partnership with AMD, the Galaxy S22 is expected to get a fresh Xclipse graphics processing unit based on RDNA 2 architecture — the same GPU used in the PS5 and Xbox Series X. This new hybrid processor brings advanced features such as ray tracing and variable rate shading, enabling console quality graphics that have never been seen before in mobile gaming.
Other key features include substantial improvements to performance, security, image quality and refresh rates. With little time remaining until the release date, we’re chomping at the bit to finally put Exynos 2200 to the test.
As for the other specs, RAM and storage capacities aren’t expected to change from the Galaxy S21 range. However, a new report is hinting at up to 1TB of internal storage for the S22 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S22: Display
Rumoured dummy units of the Galaxy S22 line-up (Image source: Unbox Therapy)
From screen size to brightness and refresh rates, we’re expecting big things from the Galaxy S22. After all, Samsung are known for their dynamic displays.
According to multiple leaks, the Galaxy S22 range could come in slightly smaller than its S21 counterpart. We could see a 6.06-inch screen on the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy S22 Plus could have a 6.55-inch screen while the S22 Ultra could be 6.81-inches. For comparison’s sake, the S21 trio was 6.2, 6.7, and 6.8-inches respectively.
Word on the street is that S22 Ultra could sport the brightest display ever featured in a Samsung phone, reaching peak brightness of 1,750 nits. This would be a significant increase from the previous display we saw on S21 Ultra, which reached 1,500 nits.
We’ve also heard that 120Hz refresh rates are here to stay, with Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus screens set to boast FHD+ resolution while the S22 Ultra will have a QHD+ one.
Samsung Galaxy S22: Camera
Keen photographers and Instagrammers, this one’s for you: Galaxy S22 will reportedly receive some pretty impressive camera upgrades.
From a collaboration with camera giant Olympus to an impressive 200MP camera sensor, and an under-panel selfie camera like we saw in the Galaxy Z Fold 3, there has been no shortage of rumours about the Galaxy S22 camera! Although the rumour mill has been working overtime, the above all appear to have been quashed.
The latest rumour is that the S22 and S22 Plus will both feature 50MP main sensors along with 12MP ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, however there’s no word on what sensors will be used. The S21 Ultra was widely regarded as the highlight of the trio when it came to the camera system and leaks suggest that the S22 Ultra will follow suit. Expected features include a P-shaped camera with five standalone rear lenses, an improved 108MP main sensor and new SuperClear lens.
And for video recording? Leaked information says the S22 will be capable of recording in 8K at up to 60 frames per second, which would be quite a step up from S21’s 24fps.
Aside from some software upgrades, the S21’s camera hardware remained relatively unchanged from its predecessor so we’re hoping the Galaxy S22 camera lives up to the hype.
Samsung Galaxy S22: Battery
If the latest whispers are to be believed, we’re expecting Galaxy S22 to offer improved battery life and faster charging speeds.
In saying that, battery capacities may be smaller in some Galaxy S22 handsets. The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus could have 3,700mAh and 4,500mAh batteries respectively, as opposed to the 4,000mAh and 4,800mAH capacities on the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus. Reports suggest that the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a 5,000mAH battery, the same size of its S21 counterpart.
Samsung appear to be turning their focus towards charging speeds instead, with some sources suggesting that the trio have been tested for 45W or 65W charging. This would be an improvement on the 25W charging capabilities of the S21 range. This has been backed up by persistent rumours that the Galaxy S22 Ultra will get a boost with 45W charging, which could see it offering lightning-fast charging speeds of up to 70% in 35 minutes.
One thing that has been confirmed by Samsung? In a move to be more environmentally sustainable, Samsung chargers won’t be included in the box.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your Galaxy or considering making the switch to a Samsung phone, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the rumoured specs of the Galaxy S22 compared to the S21:
| Galaxy S22 Rumoured Specs | Galaxy S21 | |
| Display | 6.06-inches | 6.2-inches |
| Processor | Exynos 2200 | Exynos 2100 |
| Cameras | 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto | 12MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and 64MP telephoto |
| Colours | Black, Green, Rose Gold, White | Phantom Violet, Phantom Grey, Phantom White, Phantom Pink |
| Battery | 3,700mAh (typical) | 4,000mAh (typical) |
In the meantime, check out the range of Samsung phone cases at Harvey Norman.
Samsung Galaxy S22: What we want to see
Like most Samsung fans, we have a wish list of features we’d like to see in the Galaxy S22:
• A better camera – The S21 cameras didn’t receive much of an upgrade from their predecessor, with Samsung choosing to focus on software improvements instead. We’re hoping to see some bigger camera upgrades this time around.
• S Pen support – The S21 Ultra model was S Pen compatible, but it seemed like an oversight that it didn’t come with its own stylus or a space to store it. This time around, it’d be great to see S Pen support for every Galaxy phone.
• Expandable storage – Samsung decided to scrap Micro-SD support for the S21 range. With limited base storage for photos, games and more, our fingers are crossed that it will make a comeback in the S22.
The countdown is officially on. Get ready for launch day by registering your interest and we’ll keep you up to date on all things Samsung Galaxy.
Now the only question that remains is…Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, or S22 Ultra?
(Heading image source: Samsung)