Samsung Galaxy S22: release date, price, specs and leaks

We expect the Galaxy S22 lineup to be unveiled next spring. There is already some information about these new models, but most of them are currently rumors, so you should still take them with a grain of salt:

• Exynos with a new GPU from AMD
• Samsung will supposedly focus more on polycarbonate
• Smaller displays for the base and Plus models
• Better camera thanks to sensor-shift technology

Even by the time the Samsung Galaxy S21 was unveiled alongside its big brothers, the Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra, there were already the first rumors swirling around concerning its successor. Naturally, these rumors concern the likes of better performance, improved cameras, and design changes. Let's sift through the information that we have heard of so far.

Galaxy S22 series design

One rumor that remains very fresh until now would be the South Korean conglomerate's choice of materials for the upcoming flagship models. From South Korea, a leaker reported that Samsung might rely more on plastic than before. If this rumor proves to be true, then Galaxy S22+ will also sport a polycarbonate back in the base model. Only the top-end Galaxy S22 Ultra model would arrive with a glass back if that were the case. The existing flagship lineup relies on high-quality Gorilla Glass Victus, at least for both the Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra.

According to a report, a new processing technology should enable Samsung to produce a plastic back that closely resembles the feel of glass. Whether this is actually the case (pardon the pun) and what Samsung fans think, remains to be seen. In any case, it is possible that this will make the Plus model lighter and more robust compared to its predecessor.

It remains to be seen, whether such a design decision will ultimately lead to a lower price while ensuring that the Ultra model becomes all the more exclusive. The very idea of exclusivity is also supported by the assumption that only the Ultra will use an LTPO OLED panel. You can also read our NextPit article that explains the different display technologies used in smartphones.

Meanwhile, there is another rumor regarding the design which also concerns the base variant as well as the Plus model. A few days ago, leaker MauriQHD shared over Twitter what could very well turn out to be true.

The rumor? It concerns the display sizes of the Galaxy S22 series – and if it's true, the screens would be smaller for both the Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22+. The Galaxy S22 ought to then feature a screen size of 6.06-inches compared to the 6.2-inches in the current handset. The Galaxy S22+ is also tipped to see a smaller display size from 6.7- to 6.5-inches, while the Ultra will still carry the 6.81-inch panel.

More gaming power thanks to AMD?

This one is rather official than just design leaks. We have come across information that concerns the GPU in the next flagship Exynos series SoC – and it will not be a Mali GPU this time around. Instead, Samsung themselves announced a partnership with AMD! Word on the street has it that the upcoming Exynos SoC will rely on AMD's RDNA-2 architecture, making that the exact same base that is used for the GPUs in the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and S, and across various PC graphics cards.

• Smartphone SoCs explained: A comprehensive guide

While we don't know much about the general performance of the next Exynos flagship, we can at least have legitimate hope (finally!) that the upcoming Samsung models with the new SoCs will make a decent performance when it comes to mobile gaming.

Galaxy S22 series cameras: Is Olympus on board?

Now, we are in the area that plays a very huge role in the world of smartphones: the camera! Based on our experience, Samsung has always delivered in this department, and it makes perfect sense that they want to raise the bar yet again with the upcoming flagship models.

This could be made possible via a collaboration with Olympus, which has already been the subject of much speculation. Just as how other smartphone manufacturers have entered into partnerships with established camera brands such as Leica, Hasselblad, and Zeiss, Samsung could also be embarking on a similar path for the very first time.

The fact that the Olympus brand could feature prominently on the back of a Samsung smartphone was first brought forward by leaker Yogesh and subsequently "confirmed" by fellow leaker Ice Universe. What kind of partnership will this end up as, however, remains unclear.

Samsung has theoretically already enabled a 200 MP sensor with the Exynos 2100, and it is also suspected that the Galaxy S22 will see the same 200 MP sensor in action on the hardware specifications. Furthermore, there's talk of an exceptionally large lens that receives far more light than before, which supposedly delivers even better results in low-light conditions.

Finally, SamMobile reported that Samsung may be working on the best zoom performance ever seen in a smartphone camera. Again, this is based on info from leaker Ice Universe. The talk of the town is that Samsung Electromechanics and Samsung LSI have developed a continuous zoom periscope solution for the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The lenses within could move freely within this new periscope unit, which would make it akin to the technology used in both digital and DSLR cameras. It is also believed that the Galaxy S22 Ultra will feature the very same Sensor-Shift technology that helps stabilize the iPhone 12 Pro Max's camera.

As mentioned, much of what you read here continues to be unverified rumors at this point in time. Thus, it is highly advisable that we remain as cautious as possible when it comes to the probable hardware specifications. Nonetheless, we'd love to know what you're hoping to see in the Galaxy S22 range and what you think of the rumors that have made their way onto the Internet concerning the trio of upcoming handsets so far.