The New Year Smartphone Battle Begins... "Clash from Mid-Range to Flagship Models"

Samsung Unveils First New Year Model 'S21 FE' and Launches
'Galaxy S22' to Be Revealed Next Month... Focus on Absorbing Galaxy Note Users
Apple to Counter with Affordable 'iPhone SE3' Around March
iPhone 14 Series to Launch Four Models Including Max, Mini Dropped in Second Half

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Eun-mo] Samsung Electronics has kicked off this year's smartphone competition by selecting the quasi-premium smartphone ‘Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE)’ as its first release of the new year and unveiling it in a surprise move. As Samsung is expected to assert its dominance by consecutively launching premium products early in the year, Apple is also anticipated to counter Samsung's offensive with cost-effective products in the first half and challenge the market with its flagship ‘iPhone 14’ in the second half.

Samsung Takes Initiative Early in the Year with ‘Galaxy S22’

Samsung Electronics 'Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE)'

On the 3rd (local time), ahead of the opening of the world's largest IT and home appliance exhibition ‘CES 2022’, Samsung Electronics unveiled the new S21 FE in Las Vegas, USA. The S21 FE is a cost-effective product that maintains the core features of the ‘Galaxy S’ series, such as being equipped with the same application processor (AP) as the flagship model ‘Galaxy S21’, while lowering the price.

With the first model S21 FE revealed, interest in the next model, the ‘Galaxy S22’ series, is also rising. The biggest point of attention for the next-generation flagship smartphone S22 series, scheduled to be unveiled in February, is whether it will lead to the return of the ‘Galaxy Note’ series, which had been rumored to be discontinued. According to leaked render images, the top-tier model ‘Galaxy S22 Ultra’ is expected to have a slot to store the S Pen, effectively serving as a successor to the Note. However, it is reported that Samsung is deliberating whether to revive the product name to inherit the identity and attract Note users.

The S22 series will be released with upgraded specifications befitting a top-tier product. The AP is expected to be Qualcomm’s latest ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’ or Samsung’s ‘Exynos 2200’, depending on the region. The camera will also support improved shooting performance by equipping enhanced image sensors such as ‘ISOCELL HM3’ for the Ultra model and ‘ISOCELL GN5’ for the base and Plus models.

The size is expected to be somewhat shorter vertically and wider horizontally compared to the previous model. The display size for the Ultra is expected to remain around 6.8 inches, similar to its predecessor, while the base (6.06 inches) and Plus (6.55 inches) models are anticipated to be smaller than the previous models (6.2 and 6.7 inches, respectively).

Samsung Electronics 'Galaxy S22 Ultra (Note)' Expected Image

In the second half of the year, Samsung plans to lead market growth by releasing new foldable smartphones with enhanced completeness, which caused a sensation last year. So far, the main improvements expected for the 4th generation Galaxy Z series include the integration of the S Pen in the Z Fold and the expansion of the cover display on the Z Flip.

Apple: ‘iPhone SE3’ in the First Half... ‘iPhone 14’ in the Second Half

Apple is also expected to boost market momentum by releasing the 3rd generation model of the ‘iPhone Special Edition (SE)’, anticipated to be the most affordable 5G iPhone, around March. This will be about two years since the 2nd generation SE was released in 2020.

Notably, the 3rd generation SE is expected to be a budget model starting at an estimated price of $399 (approximately 480,000 KRW), yet it is predicted to be equipped with the latest A15 Bionic chip, which was installed in the ‘iPhone 13’. With overall performance improvements expected, it is anticipated to attract users of ‘mid-to-low-end Android phones’. The SE will include a 4.7-inch display, a home button, and fingerprint recognition ‘Touch ID’.

Apple 'iPhone 14' Expected Image (Source: MacRumors)

In the second half of the year, Apple plans to actively target the market by unveiling its flagship iPhone 14. Although there is still considerable time until the expected September release, various speculations are already circulating, especially among IT tipsters (leakers). The iPhone 14 lineup will first see a change: the 5.4-inch ‘Mini’ model will be discontinued, and four models are expected to be released: ▲iPhone 14 (6.1 inches) ▲iPhone 14 Max (6.7 inches) ▲iPhone 14 Pro (6.1 inches) ▲iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7 inches).

Additionally, the two high-end Pro models are likely to adopt a ‘punch-hole’ design instead of the existing notch. The notch design, used for Face ID facial recognition technology, has been one of the biggest user complaints as it disrupts screen immersion. Other speculations include switching from the existing Lightning port to a USB-C port and applying the 120Hz refresh rate, which was only available on Pro models in the iPhone 13 series, across the entire lineup.

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