Gaining Insight into Watching Samsung Unpacked and Its Anticipated Reveals
Samsung's first Unpacked event for 2022 begins this week, and it might be the most thrilling one of the year. We're anticipating new iterations of Samsung's most popular flagship items, such as the Galaxy S22 series smartphones and Galaxy Tab S8 tablets. Being among the first flagship mobile products of the new year, these will serve as an early benchmark against which other companies' subsequent releases will be evaluated.
Samsung hasn't done a fantastic job of keeping secrets, with numerous leaks revealing the upcoming product lineups. Although we have a good idea of what to anticipate, there's always a chance of a surprise presentation. Even if we don't receive one, Samsung will display these devices live and possibly demonstrate some of their finest features on stage.
Here's how you can view the Unpacked live stream and what to expect from the event.
How to Watch Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked Event
Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked commences on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. The virtual event will be live-streamed on various platforms, including Samsung's website, YouTube, and even (regrettably, but I must mention it) in the metaverse.
Perhaps the most popular way is to locate the live stream on Samsung's YouTube page. It will be uploaded well before the event, so it's never too early to check for it. You can also view the event directly on Samsung's Unpacked webpage, where a download link to add the event to your calendar is currently available.
Lastly, I apologize to inform you that Samsung is also hosting the event in a virtual world that the company refers to as a "metaverse." Those interested in learning about the company's upcoming products can watch the event at Samsung 837X, a digital recreation of the company's flagship New York store located in a browser-based virtual reality world called Decentraland (warning: it's quite cryptic and NFT-focused).
Now let's delve into what we anticipate will be showcased.
Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra
As usual, Samsung unveils its flagship Galaxy S-model smartphones in the first few months of each year—typically in either February or March. This time around is no different. At Unpacked, we will almost certainly see the introduction of the Galaxy S22 series smartphones, and this year, the collection is expected to consist of a Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Before we proceed, let's consider this upcoming release within context. For one, Samsung is set to discontinue its Galaxy Note "phablet" and integrate its features into the S-series phones to create a "one phone fits all" device. At the same time, the company faces increased competition from Google's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, a pair of commercially and critically acclaimed devices. For these reasons, it feels as if there's a bit more at stake going into this Unpacked.
Fortunately, leaks and rumors suggest Samsung has some noteworthy upgrades coming to the Galaxy S22 series. In terms of design, the most significant change we're anticipating is a flatter shape on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which will mimic the appearance of previous Galaxy Note devices. As the spiritual successor to the Note, the S22 Ultra is said to house an S Pen stylus for taking notes or scrolling through web pages. Samsung even subtly hinted at the change by teasing the announcement of the "most remarkable S series ever." The Ultra is also tipped to utilize more durable materials, including Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and Samsung's Armor Aluminum.
Image: WinFuture (Other)
The other two phones, the S22 and S22+, will adopt the curved, rounded design of their predecessors. Leaked images courtesy of WinFuture show a flat screen with a punch-hole selfie cam situated at the top. On the back, these two standard models will have a shallow camera bump housing three lenses while the Galaxy S22 Ultra appears to eliminate the camera bump entirely and seamlessly blend multiple cameras into the rear. In terms of colors, since-removed images posted by leaker Evan Blass showed four shades for each phone: black, white, and green for all three, along with pink for the S22 and S22+ and purple for the S22 Ultra.
As for specs, these phones will likely be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chips in North America and Samsung's Exynos 2200—the first SoC with an AMD-based GPU—in other markets. Rumors indicate the S22 and S22+ will be equipped with 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage, while the S22 Ultra will have several configurations: 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage.
According to WinFuture, the Galaxy S22 will have a 6.1-inch OLED (2340 x 1080) display while the Galaxy S22+ will measure 6.6 inches (2340 x 1080)—both of which are a 0.1-inch reduction from last year. They are supposed to have a higher peak brightness of reaching 1,500 and 1,750 nits, respectively. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the largest in the trio with a 6.8-inch (3080 x 1440) OLED display. Each display will have a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
The focus will be on the cameras, and it appears that the regular models are receiving more enhancements than the Ultra. The S22 and S22+ are supposedly equipped with a trio of lenses, including an upgraded 50-megapixel main camera, a 10MP telephoto for 3x zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The S22 Ultra, on the other hand, will feature a familiar setup, with a 108MP main camera, two 10MP telephoto lenses (for 3x and 10x zoom), and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens.
As for the pricing, the S22 is expected to cost €849 or approximately $958, while the S22+ will increase the price to €1,049 (around $1,183). The Galaxy S22 Ultra might be priced around $1,400.
Moving on to the new flagship tablets, Samsung is introducing the Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8+, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. The Galaxy Tab S8 and Galaxy Tab S8+ are successors to last year's devices, while the "Ultra" edition is a first-time release.
Regrettably, Samsung again fails to thwart leaks, with the alleged official press release for these devices being leaked online before the event, revealing all their features and specifications.
The tab that is generating hype is the "Ultra" model, which will be one of the largest tablets on the market when it debuts. It reportedly has a 14.6-inch (2960 x 1848) display, a screen that will outsize even the larger iPad Pro. In comparison, the Tab S8 is said to be the smallest of the bunch at 11 inches (2560 x 1600) while the Tab S8+ features a 12.4-inch (2800 x 1752) screen. The S8 Ultra and S8+ boast OLED panels while the standard edition is stuck with an LCD screen.
Evan Blass's alleged marketing materials provide even more details, indicating that the Ultra model can be equipped with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, while the other versions max out at 12GB and 256GB. The processor is vaguely listed as a 4-nanometer chip, which we can assume is the same found in the Galaxy S22 devices.
Other intriguing points include support for a new S Pen that "uses a prediction algorithm for ultra-low latency," and renders showing the stylus can be docked on a rear magnet, similar to previous models. Samsung will also offer covers and keyboards for these tablets.
The leaked press release states that the tablets will be available for preorder on Feb 9, but it does not contain pricing details.
Any Surprises?
Unlikely—unless Samsung manages to keep a secret, which they clearly struggle with. And remember, the products mentioned above are the company’s flagship models, so any other reveal would likely be overshadowed.
If Samsung does have a secret, my guess would be a new pair of earbuds. With so many models, it's hard to keep track, and the Galaxy Buds Plus, Galaxy Buds Live, or Buds Pro 2 are the most likely candidates for a refresh. I wouldn't bet on it, but who knows—it's not like I predicted the Bengals going to the Super Bowl.
Despite the numerous leaks, there might be a surprise presentation of Samsung's new earbuds, potentially an upgrade to the Galaxy Buds Plus, Buds Live, or Buds Pro 2. The live stream on Samsung's YouTube page will showcase the latest Galaxy S22 series smartphones, Galaxy Tab S8 tablets, and possibly these new earbuds, providing a glimpse into Samsung's future tech offerings.
