Samsung is set to hold its first "Unpacked" event of the year on Wednesday, February 9, and the South Korean company is expected to unveil new flagship smartphones that will compete with Apple's iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models released in September.
"Join us as we break the rules to set the epic standard," reads Samsung's tweet about the event. An included graphic references the S22, which is the next-generation device that we're likely to see launch. Samsung's YouTube video also mentions breaking "through the night," suggesting camera improvements.
Samsung's Galaxy S22 lineup is expected to feature a trio of devices in size options that will be mostly on par with the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Samsung is working on an 6.1-inch S22, a 6.5-inch S22 Plus, and a 6.8-inch S22 Ultra.
Multiple leaks, rumors, and mockups have provided insight into what we can expect from Samsung's newest smartphones. The two smaller smartphones will feature rounded corners and triple-lens cameras, and the high-end flagship will have a boxier design similar to the Galaxy Note, a built-in S-Pen holder, and a four-lens camera setup.
Samsung's updates are expected to be fairly modest, but the two more affordable smartphones will offer updated 50-megapixel main cameras plus ultra wide and telephoto lenses. We are expecting Apple to add 48-megapixel cameras to the iPhone 14 Pro models, but as of right now, Apple's iPhone 13 camera lenses are 12 megapixels.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra could have a 108-megapixel main camera with a Super Clear lens for reduced glare and reflections, plus an ultra wide lens, a telephoto lens, and a periscope lens for zoomed in shots. Apple is working on periscope lens technology, but rumors suggest a periscope lens won't come to the iPhone until 2023.
Hole-punch camera designs are expected for the front display of the S22 lineup, as are new body colors and performance improvements. We'll learn more about how Samsung's new flagship smartphones compare to Apple's iPhone 13 devices when February 9 rolls around.