Samsung, like almost all phone manufacturers out there, has been gradually increasing the size of its phones over time. In 2015, its flagship handsets had 5.1-inch displays, but last year’s Galaxy S21 started at 6.2-inches after steady biennial inflation.
Next year, with the Samsung Galaxy S22, the company is apparently putting that into reverse with both the Galaxy S22 and S22 Pro/Plus models getting smaller with sizes of 6.06- and 6.55-inches respectively. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, being a surrogate Galaxy Note 22 in all but name, is set to retain its 6.81-inch frame.
Raw numbers don’t really help visualize what that looks like in the hand. But the leaker Ice Universe has given us something to put the three models into perspective: what seems to be screen protectors of each model, showing what they look like side by side.
The vanilla Galaxy S22 certainly looks markedly smaller than the other two, feeling reminiscent of the 5.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S10e from 2019.
Do people want smaller phones? Well, it’s a bit of a gamble given even Apple has struggled to shift its mini versions of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 to the extent that it apparently won’t exist as a form factor with the next generation.
But this isn’t really that big a screen reduction. If the rumors are correct, you’re looking at a 0.14- and 0.15-inch reduction on each — something that may feel a bit different, but isn’t likely to be noticeable unless you have both generations of phone next to each other.
Elsewhere, the screen protectors confirm what we’ve heard before: extremely thin bezels and a cut-out for a hole-punch camera on all three. That means that the underwhelming under-display camera from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 won’t be making its way to the Galaxy S-line this time around. It also appears that while both the Galaxy S22 and S22 Pro/Plus have flat displays, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will be slightly curved, giving that extra premium feel.
Meanwhile, another leaker — Rodent950 — appears to have got his hands on camera lens protectors for the three phones.
#GalaxyS22 camera lens protectors.. pic.twitter.com/EcKHjQcY4hNovember 26, 2021
Interestingly, the ‘Ultra’ version maintains the ‘P’ shape seen in early leaks. But that’s unlikely to be reflected on the handset itself, with the most recent Jon Prosser leak showing a series of circles, rather than the divisive ‘P’ outline.
Update: Roland Moore-Coyer predicts the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra could be the best Galaxy Note ever.
