It's only July, and although Samsung has yet to officially unveil the oft-leaked and thoroughly detailed Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 5G, a number of insiders and publications are already trying to guess the main specifications and key selling points of next year's Galaxy S22 lineup.
Given that it's practically impossible to know anything for certain with so much time still left to go until 2022's first big Unpacked event, it's genuinely amusing to see such wildly different predictions bandied about of late.
The newest juicy rumor comes from Pulse News Korea (via SamMobile), directly contradicting Ice Universe's speculation on the exact same matter from just last week.
108 or 200MP primary shooter? That is the question
Unfortunately, the answer will obviously have to wait, as there's no way to anticipate just how reliable this Korean publication's "multiple industry sources" will prove when all is said and done.
Said sources are hinting at the preparation of a shutterbug-friendly Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G model with a "200MP five-lens camera on the back" dwarfing both the megapixel and sensor count of the S21 Ultra's rear-facing snapper arrangement.
Due to its lack of details and clarity when it comes to imaging specs, this hot new (and somewhat sketchy) report actually leaves the door open for Ice Universe's aforementioned prediction to pan out as well.
The S21 Ultra comes with a 108MP main camera and four rear imaging sensors totaling 140 megapixels
That's because 200 could represent the megapixel count of the S22 Ultra's main shooter... or the combined number of those five lenses rumored to reside on the back of Samsung's next (non-foldable) powerhouse.
If the latter possibility ends up coming to fruition, the Galaxy S22 Ultra could (at least in theory) combine Samsung's previously rumored third-generation 108MP sensor with a beastly 50MP secondary camera (of some sort), as well as a 20MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 12MP periscope telephoto shooter, and another 10MP telephoto cam.
Alternatively, the main rear-facing camera might go from 108 all the way up to 200 megapixels, which sounds... about as unnecessary as the other possibility. But when has that ever stopped the world's top smartphone vendor from pushing the flagship envelope?
Olympus technology and S Pen support
Believe it or not, the (vague) 200MP tidbit is not even the most implausible part of the latest Pulse News report, with the same publication claiming that the Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G will be using camera technology provided by "Japan's Olympus" as well.
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This is not an entirely new rumor either, but just like a few months ago, a partnership with Olympus in the mobile industry doesn't feel... right for Samsung.
Unlike Carl Zeiss or Leica, this particular optics manufacturing company has yet to dip its proverbial toes into optimizing smartphone cameras, and unlike Nokia or Huawei, Samsung makes its own industry-leading image sensors.
Could Olympus bring some of its mirrorless magic to the S21 Ultra?
Of course, Olympus could bring its mirrorless camera expertise to the table and undoubtedly help improve the photography-taking chops of the S22 Ultra compared to its predecessor, but even if that does end up being the case, it's unclear why the super-premium handset would need a 200MP lens... or a grand total of five rear-mounted shooters.
That leaves us with S Pen support as the only believable rumor of today considering that this year's S21 Ultra can also be paired with a (separately sold) stylus.
The Galaxy S22 family, which should also include a "regular" and a "Plus" variant, is expected to go official in January 2022, thus following exactly one year on the heels of the S21 series.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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