Samsung Galaxy S22 could steal this great Galaxy S21 Ultra feature

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The Galaxy S22 could get a major telephoto zoom boost

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

A new rumor for the Samsung Galaxy S22 claims that it's going to get a big improvement to its telephoto camera, borrowing one of the Galaxy S21 Ultra's most powerful features. 

Sources speaking to Dutch site GalaxyClub (via SlashGear) claim that for the Galaxy S22, Samsung's going to swap out the current telephoto camera on the Galaxy S21 for a new 10MP camera with 3x optical zoom. This would make for a substantial upgrade that will help the Galaxy S22 series' cheaper models stand out against the iPhone 13 and Google Pixel 6.

The Galaxy S21 offers 3x hybrid magnification with its 64MP telephoto camera, but only 1.1x optical zoom. So with 3x optical zoom, the Galaxy S22 could be capable of clearer zoomed-in images than its predecessor, even though it may have fewer megapixels. It actually means the basic Galaxy S22 will match the lower-powered telephoto camera on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which features a 3x optical zoom 10MP camera and a 10x optical zoom 10MP camera.

According to other sources, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus will both use a new 50MP RGBW sensor, along with a 12MP ultrawide camera and the new 10MP telephoto. As for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the only camera change rumored is an improved 108MP main sensor. There are currently no details about what selfie cameras these phones will use.

Previous rumors we've heard for the Galaxy S22 series point to it being powered by a new Exynos 2200 chip, which according to some benchmarks beats Apple's mighty A14 chipset from the iPhone 12 series. We've also heard talk of Samsung downsizing the displays by a few fractions of an inch, which should make them easier to handle, and more usable for the average owner.

We probably won't see the Galaxy S22 appear until January 2022, so there's still while to wait. In the meantime, check out our Samsung Galaxy S22 hub for all the latest rumors, leaks and news. 

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Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.