A little later than last year, and following weeks of online leaks, Samsung has today unpacked its latest flagship smartphones. The Galaxy S22 series is topped by a powerhouse hybrid model that includes a 108-MP camera, embedded S Pen and sunlight-readable display.
For the development of the S22 Ultra, Samsung says it's tapped into two series of its smartphones – combining the best bits of the Note series with the S series to produce "the most powerful Ultra device Samsung has ever created."
As such, the design language leans toward the sharp angles of the Note, with a slot down below for the company's fastest and most responsive S Pen to date, and a fairly big screen ready for handwritten notes and doodles.
That 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED display has a sunlight-readable peak brightness of 1,750 nits, with technology included that automatically adjusts screen brightness throughout the day. And it has a gaming-friendly 120 Hz refresh rate and 240 Hz touch sampling rate too.
Inside, the range-topper is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos chipset, depending on region, supported by up to 12 GB of RAM and a massive 1 TB of storage.
The rear camera array looks like a similar affair to the S21 Ultra before it, with a 108-MP F1.8 main camera joined by a 12-MP ultra-wide and two 10-MP telephotos – one with 3x optical zoom, and the other with 10x. Completing the imaging lineup is a 40-MP F2.2 front camera with an 80-degree field of view.
AI-assisted photo modes are included to help users get the best shots, and Samsung has introduced new features for improved after-dark videos. There's exclusive access to the Expert RAW app introduced last year as a beta too, for comprehensive editing tools and the ability to save photos to 16-bit RAW format, as well as enabling manual exposure controls.
In addition to 5G mobile wireless, the Ultra boasts Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. The phone's 5,000-mAh battery is reported capable of more than a full day of per-charge use, with 45-W fast charging allowing users to record more than 50 minutes of video footage from a 10-minute top-up, and 15-W wireless charging available as well.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra can survive submersion in up to 5 ft (1.5 m) of water for 30 minutes, runs Android 12 with the One UI 4.1 over the top – with Samsung committing to four OS upgrades – and is expected to go on sale from February 25 in a choice of burgundy, white, black or green. Prices start at US$1,199.
Where the Ultra is something of a Note in S clothing, the S22+ and S22 models carry over the looks of the previous generation S series flagships.
Both models are quite similar in terms of specs, with the screens being the main difference. The Plus handset comes with a 6.6-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 1,750 nits of peak brightness, while the standard S22 features a 6.1-inch display with 1,300 nits – in both cases, users should be able to view the onscreen action in direct sunlight.
Again, both handsets are powered by Qualcomm's latest mobile chipset or Samsung's own Exynos chips, depending on region, with support from 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage.
The 50-MP F1.8 main camera is reported to come with a 23 percent larger image sensor than found on the S21 equivalents, and is joined around back by a 12-MP ultra-wide and 10-MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. The front of the handsets each make room for a 10-MP selfiecam.
The S22+ comes with 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, and is home to a 4,500-mAh battery for more than a day away from the power outlet, with up to 45-W wired fast charging available and 15-W wireless charging. The S22 boasts similar connectivity but makes do with Wi-Fi 6 instead of 6E. It also comes with a smaller battery, at 3,700-mAh for a full day between charges and support for 25-W wired charging and 15-W wireless.
Samsung says that these phones are first S series models to be made from Armor Aluminum, its strongest aluminum frame for peace-of-mind durability, with toughened glass front and back and Corning's new Gorilla Glass Victus+ also joining the rugged party.
The S22+ and S22 phones run Android 12 with One UI 4.1, and again Samsung has committed to four OS upgrades. Available in white, black, green and gold from February 25, the S22+ starts at $999.99 while the S22 has $799.99 as its starting point.
Samsung has also revealed that a new material made from discarded fishing nets is debuting in the new Galaxy handsets, part of the company's "ongoing effort to eliminate single-use plastics and expand the use of other eco-conscious materials, such as recycled post-consumer material and recycled paper."
Source: Galaxy S22 series
