Samsung is expected to reveal the flagship Galaxy S22 Ultra in early 2022, but you don’t have to wait any longer to get a glimpse of its design. Based on a recent leak, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will look similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but with a few notable changes that should excite Galaxy Note owners.
The oft-cited and typically reliable leaker Ice Universe shared on Twitter alleged products shots of the Galaxy S22 Ultra sourced from a case maker. As you can see from the images, the phone will retain the quadruple-camera setup as the previous model, with three lenses vertically aligned next to a smaller fourth camera that sits below the flash and laser autofocus sensor.
Look closely and you’ll notice the cameras sit almost flush with the back of the phone instead of being housed in a raised module. This is notable for a few reasons. We assumed the elevated camera module block would be a staple of Galaxy phones, but this leak suggests Samsung could be doing away with its device’s most distinguishing design signature. This also raises questions about durability–we liked the metal camera housing because it offered some protection for the glass lenses.
Without the dedicated camera module, the four lenses and flash sit independently on the rear of the device, which we haven’t seen from a Galaxy S with multiple cameras. It means the rear will have a single colour not broken up by a dark block.
Here is where I ask you to take this leak with a grain of salt because Ice Universe didn’t say where exactly he obtained these photos, and the case maker may only have blueprints of the phone (or is only using leaks), not actual photos. It’s also worth noting that Galaxy S22 leaks suggest the camera block will return and that Ice Universe previously leaked Galaxy S22 cases with the familiar housing.
With that in mind, the leaked images reveal the Galaxy S22 Ultra to have a tall shape with a flat top and bottom edge and sharper corners, a physique that evokes the look of the Galaxy Note (RIP). Speaking of which, the S22 Ultra appears to have a dedicated S Pen slot, making it the spiritual successor to the Note line. While not confirmed, the lavender finish on this model could be one of the colour options Samsung offers.
Previous rumours claim the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a 6.81-inch display, boast upgraded camera sensors (and bring back the 108MP main camera), and deliver faster performance from the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip (widely referred to as the Snapdragon 898).
Viewed together, these leaks paint the Galaxy S22 Ultra as a minor upgrade to the S21, but one that will appease angry Galaxy Note who still mourn the death of their beloved S-Pen-wielding phablet.