Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung has been in a bit of a rut for the past few years when it comes to its smartphone lineup, with each successive Galaxy S flagship struggling to beat or even match previous entries. However, it seems the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 have struck a chord with buyers, as Samsung says pre-orders have broken records.

Between shortages and shipping delays, it’s no surprise when newly released products have long shipping times. However, just days ahead of their formal release, the shipping dates for Samsung’s new Galaxy S22 series are slipping quickly.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note series was a beloved lineup thanks to its standout feature, the S Pen. The brand officially died as of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, but Samsung wasn’t finished with its features. The Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 3 both adopted S Pens, and this year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra is the Note reborn under a new name.

eSIM has the convenient ability to get you connected to a network quickly and without any additional hardware. Just sign into an account, and you’re good to go. However, only Google and Apple have really pushed this technology with Pixel and iPhone, but Samsung has been hesitant to really go all-in on the feature. Now, with the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung is making eSIM available out of the box.

Smartphone cameras have come to a point where it’s genuinely hard to find a truly terrible camera in today’s market, leading to differentiators being relatively small. As I’ve been using Samsung’s latest devices, I’ve really come to value the live HDR that Google’s Pixel devices offer.

Connectivity is perhaps one of the most important parts of a smartphone, and as the landscape evolves with new 5G tech and more, it’s always interesting to see who reigns supreme. After the last major Android flagship, the Pixel 6 was a bit lacking when it came to connectivity, and it’s nice to see that Samsung’s Galaxy S22 is reaching even further for rock-solid networking.

Android updates are getting faster and more regular, especially on Samsung devices. However, Samsung still hasn’t adopted Android’s faster and safer “Seamless Updates” feature that was introduced years ago, and the Galaxy S22 keeps up the streak.

Messaging on Android has been a mess for years, but the tide is finally changing. With Google Messages bringing enhanced RCS messaging to virtually any Android user that wants it, there’s finally a “default.” Now, RCS is getting a big boost as Samsung has finally adopted Google Messages as its default app in the United States.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a Note by another name, but its most unique design aspect is easily the five circular camera-related cutouts on the back of the device. In a new ad, Samsung is fully embracing how that design reminds one of a spider.

The Pixel 6 ushers in a new era for Google with a new chip under the hood that enables focused performance, specialized software, and longer updates. However, Google’s promise has already been dwarfed by the Galaxy S22, and Samsung isn’t even using special chips there. Google has no excuses left for limiting the Pixel 6 to only three major Android updates.

Samsung’s latest flagship phones have arrived, with the Galaxy S22 and S22+ delivering moderate upgrades and the Galaxy S22 Ultra the Note reincarnate. You’ve probably learned a lot about these phones from our coverage, but surely there are a few more things you want to know. With nearly a month until it starts shipping, what are you biggest questions about the Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra?

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series made its debut today, bringing with it a revival of the Galaxy Note in spirit. There’s a lot to know about these new devices, but here are a few little tidbits you might have missed, including where Samsung is actually using recycled materials on the Galaxy S22.

After spending a very brief time with the entire Samsung Galaxy S22 series – including the Ultra – my overriding feeling is that we have reached “peak” Samsung smartphone.