Samsung has today unveiled the Galaxy S22 and S22+ flagship smartphones, and we’ve got good reason to get excited about the camera these things boast. I think. At least Samsung is doing a good job of talking it up. It’s early morning, I’m tired.
2021 was the year smartphones had to battle over camera quality, and Samsung jumps out the gate first in 2022 to show what it’s got. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are designed to deliver next-level camera experiences, Samsung says, so people can “connect and share wherever they are”. Yes. That’s basically the idea of a camera on your phone.
Something that seems pretty rad is the Galaxy S22 series’ new Nightography features for, um, night photography. Samsung says these new phones boast a larger sensor than S21 and S21+ and Adaptive Pixel technology.
“Your camera is designed to let in more light, draw out details and capture colours that make your content pop, even in the dark,” Samsung says.
So the Galaxy S22 and S22+ camera, eh?
Samsung is competing with the Pixel 6 Pro’s exceptional camera setup. And the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a pretty compelling camera experience, too. So what are we getting?
Both Galaxy S22 and S22+ come with a 50MP main camera, 10MP tele-lens and 12MP ultra-wide lens.
Its new Auto Framing feature is designed to detect and track up to 10 people and can automatically adjust the camera’s focus – basically allowing the camera to capture everyone clearly.
Galaxy S22 and S22+ are also equipped with Samsung’s latest AI tech that the company says takes your photos to the next level.
“It’s easy to take perfect Portrait Mode photos with the new AI Stereo Depth Map, and your subjects will look better than ever with even the smallest details appearing crisp and clear thanks to a sophisticated AI algorithm,” they boast.
Samsung also kinda promises good furry pal portraits, too, thanks to the S22 and S22+’s new Portrait mode that helps prevent pet hair from blending into the background.
On the video side, the new Galaxy devices are powered by advanced VDIS technology which helps minimise vibrations, resulting in smooth, sharp footage.
What else?
Just like their Galaxy S22 Ultra pal, the S22 and S22+ are powered by Qualcomm’s latest 4nm processor, which powers Samsung’s most advanced AI and ML processing. Kinda cool is the smarts (‘network behaviour analysis’) which automatically detect which app you’re using and direct the most power there.
Both phones are limited to 8GB of memory and up to 256GB of storage space but Samsung is claiming an all-day battery for the S22 and S22+ phones, and 25W fast charging.
It’s pretty obvious the S22 and S22 plus are built on the design legacy of the S Series, there’s no massive overhaul in terms of shape and size.
I’m not actually a Samsung user, I tend to find their phones not all that aesthetically pleasing. But I can admit symmetric flat glass (the camera lenses don’t stick out like, um, dog’s balls) (sorry) …the flat glass gives a sleek and elegant look to the new S22 and S22+ and the curved sides make me happy.
While the S22 Ultra looks like a rectangle, the S22 and S22+ are more phone-like even with a metal trim around the edges.
The new phones come in pink gold, phantom black, phantom white and green, with capacity up to 256GB.
We break out the differences between the Samsung S22, the S22+ and the Ultra over here, with a hands-on with the devices kinda helping to break through the fluff a little.
Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22+ specs
- Display: S22 – 6.1-inch FHD+& S22+ – 6.6-inch FHD+, dynamic AMOLED 2x display, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate in Game Mode and vision booster/ blue light control.
- Security: ultrasonic fingerprint.
- Dimensions: S22 – 70.6 x 146 x 7.6 mm & S22+ – 75.8 x157.4 x7.6 mm.
- Weight: S22 – 168 grams & S22+ 196 grams.
- Camera: 12MP ultra-wide camera, 50MP wide camera, 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and a 10MP front or ‘selfie’ camera.
- Memory: 8GB + 256GB and 8GB + 128GB.
- Battery: S22 – 3,700mAh & S22+ 4,500mAh.
- Charging: S22 – 25W wired, 15W wireless & S22+ – up to 45W wired, 15W wireless.
- OS: Android 12.
- Network & connectivity: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E (Galaxy S22+)/Wi-Fi 6(Galaxy S22), Wi-Fi direct Bluetooth v 5.2.
Pricing
- Galaxy S22 8GB + 128GB model has an RRP of $1,249
- Galaxy S22 8GB + 256GB model has an RRP of $1,349
- Galaxy S22+ 8GB + 128GB model has an RRP of $1,549
- Galaxy S22+ 8GB + 256GB model has an RRP of $1,649
From now through March 3, you can choose a gift valued up to RRP $258 when you pre-order the Galaxy S22 or S22+ from Samsung Online, plus receive a bonus Lucky Box surprise when you purchase a silicone case with a strap in the same transaction. Which is odd but OK.
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have preorder plans ready to go, as does Woolworths.