2021 was a great year for smartphones, but 2022 looks like it could be even better. If, like us, you also can’t wait to get your hands on all the best smartphones of next year, here’s a quick refresher on all the things they could offer.
Before we begin, a word of caution that all the details and specifications mentioned in this video are based upon leaks and speculation, and are liable to change. With that in mind, let’s peek into our crystal ball and look ahead at the most anticipated smartphones of 2022.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Samsung launched a winner in 2021 with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a phone much loved by many people. However, fans of Samsung’s Note line were left disappointed, as no new Note was launched this year. That could be fixed in early 2022 because the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra could be that Note phone you’ve been waiting for. According to reports, the S22 Ultra will have the Note series’ boxy design language, and even include an S-Pen that slides into the body. Some reports even say that it could be named the Galaxy S22 Note.
On the specs front, the phone is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 chipsets, depending on region. It could come with 8GB and 12GB RAM options.
For optics, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra may come with a quad rear camera setup, with a 108MP primary camera. It may also feature a 12MP ultrawide, and two 10MP telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x zoom support respectively.
The device may sport a 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung may also pack in a 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast charging support. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, along with the Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22, could release in February 2022.
Also Watch: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Review: the flagship to beat!
OnePlus 10 Pro
OnePlus established their place in the premium flagship market with the OnePlus 9 Pro, and now the company looks to solidify that position with the upcoming OnePlus 10 Pro. The phone is rumoured to have quite the distinctive camera bump.
Under the hood, OnePlus’ upcoming flagship is expected to run the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. On the front, the device may feature a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display, with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. It could come with up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. The phone is also tipped to come with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It could come with a 5,000mAh battery, which would be an upgrade from the 4,500mAh battery featured in the OnePlus 9 Pro.
For optics, the OnePlus 10 Pro could feature a triple rear camera setup at the back, with a 48MP primary camera, 50MP ultra-wide camera, and an 8MP telephoto lens. It is not yet known whether the camera sensors used will be the same as the OnePlus 9 Pro, or whether OnePlus will put in an upgrade. The front camera is tipped to get an upgrade, with a 32MP sensor replacing last year’s 16MP sensor.
Co-Founder and CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that the OnePlus 10 Pro will launch in January, 2022.
Also Watch: OnePlus 9 Pro Review: the best just got better!
iPhone 14 Pro
Apple’s iPhones have been pretty static in terms of design for a while. From the iPhone 11 Pro to the iPhone 13 Pro, not much has changed on the outside, aside from the flat edges. But many Apple fans have been crying out for something new, and their prayers may be answered with the iPhone 14 Pro.
If reports are to be believed, Apple is bringing in a completely new design. This could finally be the year Apple does away with the notch, in favour of a hole-punch camera, making the phone look a lot more modern. The flat sides will remain, and so will the 120Hz OLED display for both the 6.1-inch Pro and 6.7-inch Pro Max models.
There’s also a rumoured big upgrade on the camera, with the Pro models moving to a 48MP primary rear camera sensor. The iPhone 14 Pro will also reportedly come with 8GB RAM, as opposed to the 6GB RAM in the iPhone 13 Pro.
There are also some less certain rumours, like the one that Apple could be doing away with the lightning port in favour of USB-C, or that the iPhone will finally get an in-display fingerprint sensor. But all of this is mostly speculation at this point. Apple fans may have to wait a bit for their upgrades, as the iPhone 14 series is expected to launch around September next year.
Also Read: Apple iPhone 13 to be made in India: all you need to know
Xiaomi 12
Xiaomi announced that it was doing away with the ‘Mi’ branding in 2021, meaning that the company’s next flagship will just be called the Xiaomi 12. The Xiaomi 12 is expected to pack a powerful punch, as the company has already confirmed it will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC.
Some leaks say that the Xiaomi 12 Ultra could feature an under-display camera, making for a completely uninterrupted front display. The base Xiaomi 12 is, however, expected to feature a center-aligned hole-punch camera. On the back, it may feature a 50MP triple rear camera setup. The Ultra variant could feature a partnership with lens maker Leica for the rear camera module.
The base variant is expected to offer a 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast charging. The Xiaomi 12 Ultra, meanwhile, could offer the company’s 120W fast charging technology.
Xiaomi 12 launch date is officially set for December 28 in China, but the Indian announcement will take place sometime in 2022.
Also Read: Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 11 series in China
Google Pixel 6a
Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were two of the hottest phones of 2021, but unfortunately, neither phone came to Indian shores. However, there’s still hope for Pixel fans, as the Google Pixel 6a has been rumoured to launch with the same design language.
A report has claimed that the upcoming Pixel 6a would get the same Google Tensor SoC as the Pixel 6 series. This would also mean that the smartphone would get some of the features that the Pixel 6 series launched with, including Google Assistant voice typing, Live HDR, and on-device translation.
The leak also claims that Google’s next mid-range phone will use the same 12.2MP sensor for the main camera as the Google Pixel 5a, along with the 12MP ultra-wide lens. The front-facing camera could be an 8MP unit.
Leaked renders for the device, which were shared earlier, indicate that these cameras would be placed on a camera island that goes across the back of the phone, as seen in the Pixel 6. The back could also be made out of glass.
The leaks do indicate that the phone will not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, making it the first ‘a’ series phone from Google to miss out on the port.
Also Read: Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro won’t launch in India, Google confirms: report
Galaxy S21 FE
2022’s big smartphones are expected to bring new features and design, but sometimes old is as good as new. The Galaxy S21 FE is expected to offer the same experience as Samsung’s much-loved Galaxy S21 series, but like the Galaxy S20 FE, at a lower price point.
The Galaxy S21 FE is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset, or the Exynos 2100 chipset, depending on market region. It may feature a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. For optics, Samsung may opt for a triple camera setup similar to the Galaxy S21 series, with a 12MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and 64MP telephoto camera. The phone may also pack in a 4,500mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging.
For those who skipped the S21 series, and want to upgrade to a modern smartphone, the Galaxy S21 FE could be the perfect upgrade when it launches in 2022.
