Samsung Galaxy S22: Camera, features, price and everything you need to know

The Galaxy S22 is currently Samsung’s flagship smartphone. It runs Google’s Android operating system, is available with three different screen sizes, and is Samsung’s closest rival to the iPhone 14 and Google Pixel 7.

Samsung announced the Galaxy S22 family during one of its Unpacked product launch events in February 2022. The range is made up of the regular S22, as well as the S22 plus and S22 ultra.

The first two handsets are almost identical, save for the plus having a large display, while the ultra is a different beast altogether, with a more capable camera system, an even bigger screen, different colour options, a larger battery, and support for Samsung’s S-Pen stylus.

As we write this, in October 2022, it is still a good time to buy any member of the S22 family. It is still several months before Samsung is expected to announce a replacement, likely to be called the S23 and released sometime in February 2023.

Read on to discover everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S22.

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Following months of rumours and leaks, a trio of Galaxy S22 smartphones was announced by Samsung at a product launch event on 8 February 2022.

Just as the S22 arrived a year after the S21, we expect to see Samsung announce a new phone, likely called the S23, around the same time next year.

At the time of writing, in October 2022, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is priced at £769 for 128GB of storage, or £819 for 256GB. These are both directly from Samsung’s website, but there are deals to be had elsewhere. The 128GB version is available for 21 per cent off at Amazon (£605, Amazon.co.uk), and the same retailer also has a discount on the 256GB version, which is down by 11 per cent (£733, Amazon.co.uk).

The larger Galaxy S22 plus is priced at £949 for the 128GB model and £999 for 256GB of storage directly from Samsung. But, again, there are deals to be found elsewhere. The former model is currently down by 16 per cent (£799, Amazon.co.uk) and the latter is also reduced by 16 per cent (£838, Amazon.co.uk).

Lastly, the range-topping S22 ultra is available with four storage options. The first is 128GB and carries a price of £1,149 at Samsung. Next is a 256GB model with more RAM than all aforementioned models, up from 8GB to 12GB – this costs £1,249 from Samsung. Then there’s the 512GB model, also with 12GB of RAM, which costs £1,329.

Again, these can often be found for less at other retailers. For example, the 128GB model of the S22 ultra is reduced by 19 per cent (£928, Amazon.co.uk), the 256GB can be had for 21 per cent below Samsung’s own price (£992, Amazon.co.uk) and the 51GB model has 10 per cent off (£1,200, Amazon.co.uk).

Here are all of the vital statistics for the Galaxy S22. These are all the same for the S22 plus, apart from the screen size.

The flagship S22 ultra has the same display technology, but with a larger 6.8in size and Quad HD+ resolution. This model also benefits from a different camera system with 40MP ultra wide, 108MP wide-angle and 10MP telephoto lenses, plus a 40MP selfie camera. The ultra also benefits from additional storage and RAM, as outlined in the price section earlier.

Samsung has, in effect, turned the S22 ultra into a replacement for the discontinued Galaxy note range, giving it support for the company’s S Pen stylus. As well as the larger screen, improved camera and extra storage and RAM, this further helps to differentiate the Ultra from the rest of the S22 family.

A feature of all three versions of S22 is ‘fast charging’, which has been ramped up to a charge rate of 45W. This is a significant step up from the 25W charging seen on the Galaxy S21.

Reverse wireless charging is also included, where the S22 can fill the battery of another device, such as a phone or earphones case, when placed on the rear of the Samsung handset. This is particularly useful for Samsung fans who also own the company’s Galaxy buds 2 pro earphones, as their wireless charging case can be topped up when placed on the phone.

It was previously claimed Samsung was working on a selfie camera hidden beneath the screen of the Galaxy S22, but this didn’t materialise. This is certainly a feature tech firms are interested in adopting for future smartphones, but isn’t one offered by Samsung models just yet.

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The Samsung Upgrade Programme is an interest-free payment plan operated by the brand, which lets you spread the cost of your phone over 24 months, once you’ve put down a 10 per cent up-front payment. It works similarly to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Programme.

When a new Galaxy phone is announced – and as long as you’re at least 12 months into your contract – you’re given the option to upgrade to the new device and rejoin the Samsung Upgrade Programme with a new 24-month payment plan. You can also wait out the full two years before deciding to keep your existing phone, upgrade it to the latest Galaxy, or return it to Samsung.

The ultra stands apart from the rest of the S22 family because of the extra RAM included in the models with 256GB and 512GB of storage. These have 12GB of RAM, compared with 8GB for the S22 and S22 plus, as well as the 128GB version of the S22 ultra.

MicroSD card slots are becoming increasingly rare on flagship smartphones, with manufacturers opting to increase internal storage (and charging plenty for it) instead of letting owners upgrade with a far cheaper SD card.

The Galaxy S21 didn’t have a microSD card slot – nor do any members of the S22 family, including the ultra.

This often comes down to which market you live in, or where you buy your phone. Samsung made single- and dual-SIM versions of the S21 and a more recent S21 fan edition, and it’s a similar story for the S22 family. All three phones, when bought in the UK, include two nano SIM card slots. They also have eSIM technology to work with one physical SIM and a digital eSIM.

No, it does not. Headphone jacks are pretty rare now, especially when it comes to flagship handsets. This is down to various reasons, including packaging and waterproofing demands, plus it gives manufactures a convenient opportunity to sell wireless earphones. As well as a wireless Bluetooth connection, it’s also possible to listen to music through the S22’s USB-C port, if you have headphones that support it.

Yes, it is. Here are the dimensions of all three S22 phones:

As we update this article in October 2022, we’re likely just a few months away from the launch of the Galaxy S23. As is often the case, there are several leaks and rumours floating around, revealing a lot about the new phones.

We expect to see a standard S23, as well as larger plus and ultra variants. According to display supply-chain consultant and technology leaker Ross Young, colour options for the S23 will include the return of black, green and pale pink, but white will be replaced by beige. It’s an unusual choice by Samsung, but we’ll reserve judgement until we’ve seen it for ourselves.

Elsewhere, it is widely claimed the S23’s specifications will include a 6.1in display, a rear camera with 50MP, 12MP and 10MP sensors, a 10MP front camera, 8GB of RAM, storage options of 128GB and 256GB, and a 3,900 mAh battery.

Device news website Android Police suggests larger batteries will feature across the S23 range, which “could make a big difference in day-to-day use”. The website also claims Samsung could announce the S23 earlier than usual, with a potential launch in January, just after the annual CES technology show.

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