The Galaxy S21 FE is here, and we may not need to wait much longer for Samsung’s Galaxy S22 line. We’ve heard buzz …
The Galaxy S21 FE is here, and we may not need to wait much longer for Samsung’s Galaxy S22 line. We’ve heard buzz about a possible February announcement date. The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra could even sport Android 12 compatibility, four new colors, camera upgrades and possible S Pen support, just to name a few pieces of gossip we’ve heard about the phone line so far. Samsung’s August event excited us with two new foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, alongside the company’s latest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 4, and the Galaxy Buds 2. In October, Samsung showed off more ways to customize its foldable phones, and the first week of January brought us the Galaxy S21 FE. Though we still don’t know exactly when Samsung will take the wraps off the rumored Galaxy S22. Read more: My Samsung Galaxy S22 wish list: 5 upgrades I need to see The Samsung Galaxy S21 impressed us with its solid all-round performance and better balance of features and price than the S20. The Galaxy S21 Ultra blew us away with its incredible camera setup and its ability to take superb zoomed-in shots. So what about the follow-up series? Here’s what we think the Galaxy S22 might bring. Samsung typically launched its S-series phones in March, but it bucked that trend in 2021 by launching the S21 line in January. The company typically follows a 12-month cycle of updating its handsets so it’s possible the S22 could be announced in January, as well. Samsung held a CES preshow keynote on Jan.4, and the company already took the wraps off the budget Galaxy S21 FE. It’s also possible that Samsung might want to give the S21 line a bit more breathing room and could return to a March launch schedule. Leaker Jon Prosser, however, speculates the Galaxy S22 will be revealed during a Samsung Unpacked event on Feb.8. A report from Korean publication DDaily also speculated the Galaxy S22 will be announced on Feb.8. The report adds that the company’s upcoming flagship phone lineup is said to be available for preorder on Feb.9 and in stores starting Feb.24. Read more: When is the next Samsung event? Samsung could offer slightly smaller display sizes for the Galaxy S22 line. According to Twitter leaker FrontTron, the Galaxy S22 could have a 6.01-inch screen, the Galaxy S22 Plus could have a 6.55-inch screen and the Galaxy S22 Ultra could get a 6.81-inch screen. For comparison, the Galaxy S21 lineup has 6.2-,6.7- and 6.8-inch displays, respectively. Batteries might also be smaller in the Galaxy S22 lineup. FrontTron speculates that the S22 and S22 Plus will have 3,800- and 4,000-mAh batteries, respectively. The leaker says the Galaxy S22 Ultra will maintain its 5,000-mAh cell. Read more: Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. Galaxy S21 Sales of the Galaxy S20 line didn’t impress and it’s likely it had a lot to do with the generally high prices, coupled with widespread financial uncertainty for many people due to the pandemic. The S21 offered handsets at slightly more affordable prices by swapping glass back panels for toughened plastic. Here are all the differences between the Galaxy S21 and S20. At launch, the base S20 came in at $1,000 in the US, while the base S21 undercut that at $800. While we don’t expect Samsung to try and make the S22 line any cheaper, we do think it’s a safe bet that the company will try and match the approximate price of the S21, rather than increase it back to S20 levels. More recent leaks, however, speculate the Galaxy S22 line may be more expensive than we anticipated. According to tipster @chunvn8888 (a leaker who doesn’t have much of a track record compared to others), the Galaxy S22 lineup will be priced higher than the Galaxy S21 series. The standard Galaxy S22 is said to cost $899, while the Galaxy S22 Plus and S22 Ultra are rumored to be priced at $1,099 and $1,299, respectively. If this rumor comes true, Samsung’s new flagship phone collection would see a $100 price hike compared to the Galaxy S21 series. It’s a sure bet that Samsung will offer multiple variations of the S22 line with different specs at a variety of prices. It’s likely that we’ll see a base S22, along with an upgraded S22 Plus and an S22 Ultra model with the best specs — and the highest price to match. ( Here’s how the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra variants compare.) It’s a recipe Samsung has followed for the last few generations, and as a strategy it’s working.
