Samsung's next Fan Edition smartphone could be released in the first week of 2023, assuming it follows a yearly launch schedule. Or it might hit the market in late 2022 if Samsung decides to go back to the FE launch timeframe it followed prior to the supply shortages that led to the delay of the Galaxy S21 FE.
Regardless, we're still many months away from the potential release of a Galaxy S21 FE sequel. Even so, the follow-up model, dubbed “Galaxy S22 FE,” is already growing into a topic of conversation in the mobile industry, so let's see what we can expect.
The Galaxy S22 FE will probably look a lot like the ongoing Galaxy S22 flagship series, or more specifically, the Galaxy S22 and S22+. It should have a prominent camera housing and a flat display.
As for other hardware specifications, we can make a few educated guesses based on the history of the Galaxy S Fan Edition smartphone series in terms of chipsets, cameras, and firmware.
Galaxy S22 FE features: Exynos 2200 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipsets
Early rumors explored the possibility that the Galaxy S22 FE could end the Snapdragon vs. Exynos debate by switching to a MediaTek chipset. Those rumors may have been exaggerated, and even if Samsung and MediaTek have a deal going, it probably doesn't concern iconic devices like the Galaxy S and FE. But, who knows?! Perhaps the Galaxy S22 FE will launch with a MediaTek SoC in select Asian markets.
However, if history is any indication, the Galaxy S22 FE will ship with 2022 flagship chipsets, just like the Galaxy S21 FE is powered by 2021 SoCs. Having said that, the Galaxy S22 FE could feature the Exynos 2200 in some markets and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in others.
Samsung could upgrade to a higher resolution camera
We haven't heard any rumors about the camera system that the Galaxy S22 FE will be using, but we hope Samsung will bring the Fan Edition device closer to what the 2022 flagships are capable of in terms of mobile photography.
Samsung has used the same 12MP+8MP+12MP camera configuration for the Galaxy S20 FE and the Galaxy S21 FE. Reusing it again a third time in a row for the Galaxy S22 FE wouldn't look good for the Fan Edition brand, and we're guessing that Samsung might want to do something about it.
We're hoping that the Galaxy S22 FE will borrow at least some camera elements from the Galaxy S22 flagship series, just like it should borrow its design and chipset. The Fan Edition phone deserves at least a 50MP primary camera.
The Galaxy S22 FE should get fantastic firmware support
This year, Samsung went the extra mile again when it extended its Android support policy to cover four major OS upgrades for select Galaxy smartphone and tablet models. Most other OEMs can't guarantee two OS upgrades, but that's beside the point.
What's probably an accurate guess is that the Galaxy S22 FE will take advantage of Samsung's new four-year OS upgrade policy, just like the Galaxy A33, A53, and Galaxy S21 FE do. And by the way, if it hits the market in early 2023, the Galaxy S22 FE will most likely run Android 13 at launch.
The Galaxy S22 FE will probably cost the same as the other models
Finally, we expect the Galaxy S22 FE to go on sale in the United States for the same $699 as the Galaxy S20 FE 5G and S21 FE did.
The S21 FE felt a bit overpriced because, unlike the S20 FE, it didn't ship with any accessories aside from a USB-C cable. There's not much else Samsung could remove from the retail box of the upcoming Fan Edition models, so we're hoping that the Galaxy S22 FE will at least retain the $699 launch price and won't go any higher than that.
Keep in mind that all of the information above remains subject to change, in some places more than others. But the puzzle pieces are slowly falling into place, as they usually do. Stick around, and we'll keep you up to speed with everything about the Galaxy S22 FE.
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