November is upon us, and all of the biggest smartphone releases are now officially behind us. In all likelihood, Google’s Pixel 6 will be the last notable phone launch of the year, with Apple and Samsung having already exhausted their reveals for 2021. As such, the internet is already looking to 2022. And if the rumors are accurate, we won’t have to wait long to see a new flagship phone next year. SamMobile reports that Samsung is currently planning to launch the Galaxy S22 in February.
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 launch plans
Samsung isn’t nearly as consistent with its release dates as Apple. The Galaxy S20 launched in March of 2020, and just ten months later, the Galaxy S21 rolled out in January 2021. The trend will apparently continue next year, as SamMobile received “new information” pointing to an early February launch for the Galaxy S22. That might also be when we finally see the Galaxy S21 FE.
SamMobile is confident about its source, but admits that nothing is certain right now. Chip shortages and shipping delays could force Samsung to shift the release next year.
In related news, WinFuture claimed this weekend that Samsung had begun mass production of Galaxy S22 components. Reportedly, plants in Asia began producing components for the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra last week. According to the information that WinFuture received, the factories have begun producing small items, such as flex cables to connect circuit boards.
WinFuture’s Roland Quandt also notes that mass production kicking off in late October likely points to an early 2022 launch. Previously, Samsung has started mass production “two to three months before the market launch,” he says. This lines up with the SamMobile report, as early February is indeed now three months away. It also wouldn’t be all too surprising if Samsung started even earlier this year to account for any potential production issues or shipping delays.
No matter when Samsung decides to start selling its next phone, we can be sure that there won’t be much left to reveal by the time it does. We saw the first leaked renders of the Galaxy S22 Ultra over a month ago. The overall design is similar to that of the Galaxy S21, but the camera array has received a makeover. As you can see in the image above, the camera bump is more of an amorphous blop that wraps around the sensors on the back of the device. The S22 Ultra is also expected to feature a built-in S Pen.
