Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked, which took place earlier today, delivered three new Galaxy S22 handsets. The S22 and S22+ and S22 Ultra models provide a range of specs to cater to all users from the casual phone buyer to the serious photographer or gamer. You'll find a full run-down of the event in our Galaxy Unpacked recap.
With so much information to take in on the three new handsets – and a new tablet range – it's easy to get overwhelmed. That's why we've summarized the S22's main improvements over the S21 and provided an early review of the Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22 Ultra for more info.
While it's easy to compare the main specs of the new and old models, there are plenty of changes that are less obvious. Even features that may appear the same on the S21 and S22 may be vastly different in design. To uncover some of these subtle differences, I've looked deeper into the new models to bring you some of the less obvious changes.
1. Camera changes
We know that the Galaxy S22 maintains a three-camera array on the rear. Instead of the two 12MP wide angles and the 64MP telephoto camera, we now get a 50MP wide-angle, a 10MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto camera. Aside from the wide-angle, this sounds like a downgrade but the new setup promises much-improved quality for a number of reasons.
First, let's talk about that wide-angle lens. This is the camera that you use most often and the default when you open the camera app. Not only does this have a huge boost in pixels but the actual sensor is larger. This means that it collects more light, and that means better low-light performance and color reproduction.
Then there's the optical image stabilization or OIS for short. This has been made 58% wider for up to 4x more motion stabilization. Allowing the lens to physically move further means that it is able to deal with more extreme shakes and still create a rock steady image.
2. Integrated camera experience in-app
If you've ever used the camera functions from within apps like Snapchat and Whatsapp you'll know that the experience is not the same as if you use the phone's dedicated camera app. Not only is the range of functions more limited but the results don't look quite as good. This is because third-party apps don't have access to all of the in-camera processing functions.
With the Galaxy S22, Samsung has allowed apps such as Snapchat to access the full camera features on the phone. This means that you can get the same great camera experience via the quick snap button as you would using the camera app and importing the image. It's a small change but for those that upload regularly, it's a welcome one.
3. Dynamic AMOLED display
This is another perfect example of a feature that looks the same on the Galaxy S22 but is actually redesigned. Like the S21, the S22 features a dynamic AMOLED display with a maximum 120Hz refresh. However, it now features Vision Booster technology for viewing in bright conditions. This uses tone mapping to adjust the display brightness and color contrast, considering the light intensity around it.
The refresh rate can also drop as low as 10Hz (1Hz on the S22 Ultra) for the occasions when you don't need the fast response. This saves on battery life when viewing still images or static pages.
