Several new phones from Apple, Samsung, Google, and OnePlus have already come out this year, but some of the most-anticipated phones of 2022 are likely to come out in the fall. This year, Apple is said to be releasing a bigger version of its regular, non-Pro iPhone, while Google’s Pixel 7 will have a new version of its own Tensor chip. There are rumors that Samsung is also working on new foldables.
Here are the phones we’re most looking forward to seeing in 2022, based on what we’ve heard so far. We’ve also added a section at the end for phones that were on this list before but have since been announced, like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The next-generation iPhone 14 Pro will probably have the usual updates, like a new Apple processor and maybe some design changes. But the new camera seems to be the most interesting change that could be made. If you believe the rumors, the main camera on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max could have 48 megapixels. This is what well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in two reports, which were published by 9to5Mac and MacRumors.
Apple has made many changes to the iPhone Pro camera over the years. In 2019, the iPhone 11 Pro will have a third ultrawide camera lens, and in 2020, the iPhone 12 Pro Max will have a better zoom range for the telephoto camera. But the resolution has been 12 megapixels for a long time, even when the iPhone 7 came out.
Not everything can be solved. There’s a lot more that goes into making a good picture than just taking it. Image quality is largely determined by things like the size of the sensor and the camera’s aperture, which is the opening that lets light in. Other internal changes, like how Apple’s new chips improve algorithms for image processing and machine learning, also affect how well the camera works. But a big jump like this would still suggest that the next pro-grade iPhone from Apple will have a much better camera.
We think the iPhone 14 Pro will come out in September, which is when Apple usually releases new products. Kuo says that the phone will also get a new hole-punch-shaped cutout for the front camera instead of the notch.
Apple iPhone 14 Max
The camera, design, and size of the screen are where we expect to see the most changes in next year’s flagship iPhone. But I’m most excited about the rumored iPhone 14 Max, which is said to be a bigger version of Apple’s next-generation iPhone.
Nikkei Asian Review says that Apple will stop making the iPhone Mini and instead add another 6.7-inch iPhone to its lineup next year. That means the iPhone 14 lineup could include two 6.1-inch models (the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro) and two 6.7-inch models (the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max).
Apple’s iPhone 14 Max seems to be aimed at people who want a bigger screen but don’t necessarily care about the other upgrades that come with Apple’s Pro line, like a triple-lens camera and lidar sensor. It could be a great option for iPhone fans who want a big screen but don’t want to spend $1,099 on the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Google Pixel 7
This fall, Google will make a big change to its Pixel phone. During Google I/O in May, the company gave hints about the Pixel 7. They said it would have a second-generation Tensor processor, a glass design with a new aluminum camera bar, and a triple-lens camera on the Pro model. So far, that’s about all Google has told us, but the company said it would tell us more later this year.
The Pixel 6 was the first phone to have Google’s own Tensor chip, which marked a turning point for the Pixel series. The chip made tasks that depend on machine learning, like translating, processing images, and recognizing speech, better. Even though the Pixel 7 probably won’t be as big of a change as the Pixel 6, I’m excited to see what Google’s next-generation Tensor chip can do.
Google Pixel Fold (or Pixel Notepad)
Google hasn’t said anything about releasing a foldable Pixel phone, but there have been more and more rumors about it lately. The most recent leak comes from 9to5Google, which says that Google’s first flexible phone could be called the Pixel Notepad. The report also says that this so-called Pixel Notepad could be less expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from Samsung, which costs $1,800. That’s a big deal because one of the biggest problems with foldable phones right now is how much they cost.
Google’s foldable phone is more likely to look like Oppo’s Find N than it is to look like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3. According to animations found by 9to5Google in Android 12L, Google’s Android software for devices with bigger screens like tablets, this is the case.
Google says that the Pixel 5 camera sensors may be used in the foldable phone. The article says that references to the Pixel Fold’s camera sensor were found in the Android package kit files for Google’s camera app. These files are used to distribute and install Android apps.
If Google’s foldable phone does have a worse camera than the Pixel 6, it’s possible that they did this to keep the price low and keep the device thin. 9to5Google says that other files related to Google’s camera app have code that talks about a possible release date of 2022. This suggests that the search giant may indeed announce its first foldable this year.
Still, folding phones are expensive and have a lot of restrictions. But the way Google is handling smartphones right now gives me hope that it will bring something useful or at least interesting to this space. For example, both the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro have special features that use Google Assistant. These include Wait Times, which tells you how long you’ll have to wait before you call a toll-free number, and Direct My Call, which translates the menus you hear when you call a toll-free business. Both of these changes show that Google is thinking about ways to make smartphones better at what they do best. I hope it will take the same approach to folding devices, especially now that Google makes its own phone chips.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the most polished foldable phone I’ve used, and it’s almost the first foldable phone I’d recommend. But it’s still much more expensive than the average phone, and the Z Fold 3’s unusual design makes it hard to use as a regular phone.
Given how far Samsung has come with its foldable phones so far, I can’t wait to see how it fixes these problems in the future. We don’t know much about what Samsung has planned for the future of foldable phones. But Samsung is already on the third generation of the Z Fold, and the first one came out in 2019, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they released another version this year.
Samsung also said that it would sell four times as many Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 phones in 2020 as it did of its other foldable phones. That alone shows that the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 have at least been in high demand, giving Samsung a good reason to keep going full speed ahead.
If Samsung does make another Galaxy Z Fold this year, we can probably expect the usual updates, like a newer processor and a slightly better design. But I’d also like to see a longer battery life, a lower price, more software features that make better use of the Z Fold’s larger screen, and an updated design that makes the device easier to carry when folded. It would also be great if Samsung included the S-Pen stylus with future versions of the Fold instead of selling it separately.