Samsung Galaxy S22 rumour round-up: What to expect from the next Galaxy S series

Note: This article was first published on 5th February 2022.

1) Design

Samsung is expected to retain the design language of the current Galaxy S21/S21+ for the Galaxy S22/S22+.

Based on a leaked video posted by @OnLeaks, purported dummy units of the Galaxy S22 models show the same rear camera module, glossy finish and rounded corners for the Galaxy S22 and S22+. However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is seen with a new camera layout on the back, a matte texture and more rectangular design similar to the Galaxy Note20.

A purported official marketing poster of the Galaxy S22 Ultra reinforces the earlier rumour; the device has a Galaxy Note-like design. Further leaks including one from Singapore, purported press photo, and renders confirm that the Galaxy S22 Ultra is highly likely to come with a different design from the rest of the lineup.

2.) Display sizes

While the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series has display sizes ranging from 6.2-inches to 6.8-inches, the upcoming Galaxy S22 models are expected to have display sizes from 6.6-inches to 6.8-inches. This means that the Galaxy S22 base model is likely to have a bigger display. Is that why Samsung went ahead to release the 6.4-inch Galaxy S21 FE so late to the launch of the Galaxy S22 series? We'll find out soon enough.

3.) Exynos 2200 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

With the exception of Galaxy S20 FE from 2020, most recent Galaxy S series flagship phones sold in Singapore are powered by Samsung's very own Exynos chipsets. The Exynos chipsets have always been seen as inferior to their Qualcomm Snapdragon's counterparts, in the areas of thermal and power management, as well as graphics performance. However, this year could be very different. 

Samsung's latest Exynos 2200 processor is built on a 4nm process and uses Xclipse GPU which is based on AMD's RNDA 2 architecture. It will have advanced features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and variable-rate shading, which will greatly boost its graphics performance to match and perhaps exceed other flagship-grade mobile chipsets.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is also built on a 4nm process and boasts 30% better graphics rendering and 25% more power savings. It also has variable rate shading pro for finer control over graphical shading and volumetric rendering for particle effects.

Having shared a quick overview of the two mobile chipsets, what would consumers in Singapore get with the Galaxy S22 models? Well, one tipster claims that the Galaxy S22 models sold in Singapore are powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. If true, that should please many Galaxy S fans on our little red dot! 

4.) New camera tricks

The mobile camera has been the differentiating feature among smartphones today and it is almost certain that Samsung is going to throw in some nifty features on the Galaxy S22 models.

Tipster @FrontTron shared that the camera hardware will be upgraded across the board. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are said to have a 50MP main camera, which is a significant boost from the 12MP main camera on their predecessors. However, the telephoto lens on both models are likely to be 12MP instead of the current 64MP. The ultra-wide lens remain at 12MP.

As for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it is expected to come with an upgraded 108MP main camera, two 12MP telephoto lenses, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and laser autofocus. Another tipster corroborates the camera specs of the Galaxy S22 Ultra; the 108MP sensor will have 0.8µm pixels and an aperture of f/1.8. The ultra-wide lens has 1.4µm pixels with an aperture of f/2.2, while one 10MP telephoto lens supports optical zoom of up to 3X, and the other supporting optical zoom up to 10x. 

Moving to software, tipster @UniverseIce shared that there would be optimisations and enhancements to the processing algorithms for the camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Materia IT Korea reported that there could be a detail enhancer" feature to help the 108MP camera "capture even more detail", which will result in improved macro shots.

5.) Other specs 

The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ models are reportedly powered by a 3,800mAh and 4,600mAh battery respectively while the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery. Compared to the Galaxy S21 (4,000mAh) and S21+ (4,800mAh), the Galaxy S22 and S22+ have a slight dip in battery capacity.

In terms of memory, storage and colours, the Galaxy S22 and S22+ are believed to have 8GB RAM by default, two storage capacity options (128GB and 256GB), and five colour options (pink, gold, green, black and white).

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is rumoured to have two RAM options (12GB and 16GB), with the 12GB available in two storage options (128GB and 256GB), and the 16GB with 512GB storage space. Colour options are lesser for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, with dark red, black and white. 

6.) Galaxy Unpacked 2022

Samsung has confirmed that it will be holding the Galaxy Unpacked 2022 event on 9 February, 11pm (SGT). The Galaxy Unpacked 2022 will be streamed live on its official YouTube account.

Besides the Galaxy S22 lineup, Samsung is also believed to be announcing the Galaxy Tab S8 at the event. WinFuture reported that there would be three Tab S8 models: the Tab S8 Ultra, the Tab S8+ and the Tab S8. 

7.) Retail availability

As with previous launches, we can expect pre-orders for the Galaxy S22 to start immediately for selected online stores, and the following day at the three main telcos. The pre-order period is expected to last at least two weeks.

Coupled with the supply chain issues caused by the global shortage of components, it is possible that the retail availability of the Galaxy S22 could be pushed back further.

 

8.) Retail prices

With prices of components rising last year and into 2022, Nikkei Asia claims that consumers should brace themselves for hikes in prices for phones, tablets and PCs. Purported retail prices of the Galaxy S22 models in Europe appear to confirm the rumour: 

• Samsung Galaxy S22 (8GB RAM + 128GB) - EUR 849 (~S$1,292)
• Samsung Galaxy S22 (8GB RAM + 256GB) - EUR 899 (~S$1,368)
• Samsung Galaxy S22+ (8GB RAM + 128GB) - EUR 1,049 (~S$1,597)
• Samsung Galaxy S22+ (8GB RAM + 256GB) - EUR 1,099 (~S$1,673)
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (8GB RAM + 128GB) - EUR 1,249 (~S$1,901)
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (12GB RAM  +256GB) - EUR 1,349 (~S$2,053)
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (12GB RAM + 512GB) - EUR 1,449 (~S$2,205)

To put these retail prices into perspective, here are the official retail prices of the Galaxy S21 models at launch: 

• Samsung Galaxy S21 (8GB RAM + 256GB) - S$1,248 
• Samsung Galaxy S21+ (8GB RAM + 256GB) - S$1,498
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (12GB + 256GB) - S$1,798
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (16GB + 512GB) - S$1,998

If the above report turns out to be true, be prepared to fork out a bit more money for the Galaxy S22 this year!

For those who don't quite feel the new Samsung flagship incumbents are worth their salt, you can always consider the just-launched Galaxy S21 FE that captures the best of what you need out of a top tier phone in 2021 but without a hefty price.

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