"Is it the S Series? Or the Note?" Gathering Galaxy S22 Release Rumors

Rendering image of the Galaxy S22 Ultra model [Source: LetsGoDigital]

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] Samsung Electronics' next flagship smartphone, the 'Galaxy S22,' is widely expected to inherit the contour cut design of its predecessor, the Galaxy S21, with little change in appearance. However, the top-tier Ultra model is anticipated to feature a more angular design and an S Pen slot, closely resembling the 'Galaxy Note20,' which did not have a new release in the second half of this year.

The S22 series was initially expected to launch early by the end of this year. However, with the continued success of Samsung's third-generation foldable phones, the ‘Galaxy Z Fold3’ and ‘Galaxy Z Flip3,’ released in the second half of this year, there are forecasts that the launch will be postponed until February next year. This move is seen as a strategy to focus on popularizing foldable phones amid ongoing semiconductor supply shortages.

According to industry sources on the 16th, a comprehensive review of the information released so far about the S22 series confirms that Samsung will retain the 'contour cut' design, which integrates the rear smartphone frame and camera module, first introduced with the S21 series.

A recent video of an aluminum dummy (model) of the S22 released by an Italian media outlet shows the S22 looking very similar to the S21. It features symmetrical bezels on the front, and the side and bottom designs are identical. It supports a USB-C port but excludes the 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot. The design of the S22 Plus (+) model is also reported to be similar to that of the S22.

The top-tier S22 Ultra model is expected to undergo some design changes. Like its predecessors, the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Note20, it will support the S Pen, but it is anticipated to include an embedded S Pen slot similar to the Note20. The S Pen, a symbol of the Note series, has recently been expanded to the S21 series and Galaxy Z Fold3, but without a slot, users had to store it separately in a case, which was inconvenient.

Additionally, the rear camera design of the S22 Ultra model is expected to feature a quad-camera setup with four lenses arranged in two rows. Dutch IT media LetsGoDigital cited Indian Twitter user Technizo Concept, revealing a design where the quad cameras on the rear camera module are arranged in two separate rows.

Earlier, another Twitter user, OnLeaks, predicted that the S22 Ultra would arrange the quad cameras in a P-shaped layout. The lower-tier models, S22 and S22 Plus, are expected to have three cameras arranged in a single line on the rear camera module, similar to their predecessors.

The S22 series is expected to be equipped with the Exynos 2200 chipset and Qualcomm's next-generation Snapdragon 898 AP. However, the maximum charging speed is expected to fall short of expectations, likely maintaining the maximum 25 watts (W) charging speed, as with the previous S21 series. Although the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Galaxy Note10 Plus previously introduced 45W fast charging, the actual charging speed showed little difference compared to using a 25W adapter.

In this case, the charging speed is relatively slower compared to the competing iPhone 13 Pro Max, which supports fast charging up to 27W. This is why it is pointed out as a weakness in the Android market competition against Chinese manufacturers who offer fast charging above 45W, enabling a full charge in about 30 minutes. The recently unveiled Xiaomi 11T Pro supports wired charging up to 120W.

The S22 series was once expected to launch early by the end of this year. However, the launch timing was reportedly delayed due to the unexpectedly strong performance of the third-generation foldable phones unveiled at the second-half Unpacked event. Samsung, which launched the S21 series early in January this year, is now expected to release the S22 series later in February next year.

In particular, with the Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 showing better-than-expected sales and the global semiconductor supply shortage continuing, analysts suggest Samsung has no reason to rush the launch. Currently, Samsung is also delaying the release of the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE). Earlier, IT specialist media PhoneArena reported that Samsung has reduced the production volume of the S22 series by about 30% compared to the S21 series.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.