The new year has already brought several phone launches from companies such as Samsung , OnePlus and TCL, and it sounds like there’s plenty more …
The new year has already brought several phone launches from companies such as Samsung, OnePlus and TCL, and it sounds like there’s plenty more to come in 2022. Apple, for example, could be on the verge of launching a new version of the iPhone SE, its budget-friendly iPhone. Meanwhile, the rumored Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to be a real successor to the Galaxy Note, which hasn’t seen an update since 2020. Here’s a look at the smartphones we’re looking forward to most in 2022 based on rumors and reports that have surfaced so far. A previous version of this list also included the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE and OnePlus 10 Pro, both of which debuted in January. Apple refreshed its $400 budget iPhone for the first time in four years in 2020, but it looks like we won’t have to wait that long for the third-generation model. The iPhone SE 3 could launch in the first half of 2022, according to a note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that MacRumors reported. It’s expected to get 5G support and a boost in performance, thanks to the addition of Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, the same processor that powers the iPhone 13, according to Nikkei Asian Review. The current iPhone SE, by comparison, runs on Apple’s older A13 Bionic processor from the iPhone 11. The next-generation iPhone SE might also be the first to get Face ID, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter. The 2020 iPhone SE and 2016 version both have Touch ID since they still have the physical home button. But reports are conflicted over whether the next iPhone SE will get a makeover or retain its retro look. Kuo says it will likely have a similar design that’s the same size as the current model, according to MacRumors, while the Chinese tech site MyDrivers suggests it will look more like the iPhone XR. The second-generation iPhone SE stands out for its balance of great performance, affordability and portability. Based on the reports that have circulated so far, it sounds like Apple plans to expand on that by giving the iPhone SE some more modern features while hopefully retaining the qualities that have made it so appealing in the first place. The iPhone 13 is just a few months old, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start talking about the iPhone 14. The biggest upgrades we’re expecting to see from next year’s flagship iPhone come down to the camera, design and screen size options. But it’s the reported iPhone 14 Max that I’m most excited about, which is said to be a supersize version of Apple’s standard next-gen iPhone. Apple will ditch the iPhone Mini and instead add another 6.7-inch iPhone to the mix next year, according to Nikkei Asian Review. That means the iPhone 14 lineup may consist of two 6.1-inch models (the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro), and two 6.7-inch versions (the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max). Apple’s iPhone 14 Max will seemingly be aimed at those who want a larger screen but don’t necessarily care about the other upgrades that come with Apple’s Pro line, like a triple-lens camera and lidar sensor. It could be a great choice for iPhone fans who have been waiting for a gigantic display but don’t want to splurge on the $1,099 iPhone 13 Pro Max.
