Apple iPhone SE 3
Apple refreshed its $400 budget iPhone for the first time in four years in 2020, but it looks like we won’t have to wait that long for the third-generation model. The iPhone SE 3 could launch in the first half of 2022.
It’s expected to get 5G support and a boost in performance, thanks to the addition of Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, the same processor that powers the iPhone 13, according to Nikkei Asian Review. The current iPhone SE, by comparison, runs on Apple’s older A13 Bionic processor from the iPhone 11.
Apple iPhone 14 Max
The iPhone 13 is just a few months old, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start talking about the iPhone 14. The biggest upgrades we’re expecting to see from next year’s flagship iPhone come down to the camera, design and screen size options. But it’s the reported iPhone 14 Max that I’m most excited about, which is said to be a super-size version of Apple’s standard next-gen iPhone.
Apple will ditch the iPhone Mini and instead add another 6.7-inch iPhone to the mix next year, according to Nikkei Asian Review. That means the iPhone 14 lineup may consist of two 6.1-inch models (the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro), and two 6.7-inch versions (the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max).
Apple’s iPhone 14 Max will seemingly be aimed at those who want a larger screen but don’t necessarily care about the other upgrades that come with Apple’s Pro line, like a triple-lens camera and Lidar sensor. It could be a great choice for iPhone fans that have been waiting for a gigantic display but don’t want to splurge on the $1,099 iPhone 13 Pro Max.
In terms of design, 2022 might be the year Apple says goodbye to one of the iPhone’s most polarizing physical traits: the notch.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
With its spacious screen and S-Pen support, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is a worthwhile alternative for Galaxy Note fans. But at the same time, the S-Pen experience felt a little half-baked compared to the Note’s functionality. For one, the S21 Ultra doesn’t come with an S-Pen in the box, there’s no slot built into the phone for storing it, and it lacks Bluetooth and gesture support for the S-Pen.
But Samsung could address at least one of those concerns with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. A leak from Front Page Tech suggests the Galaxy S22 Ultra may come with a storage slot for the S-Pen, making it much easier to keep track of Samsung’s stylus without losing it. A built-in slot also hints that the S-Pen may come in the box with the S22 instead of being sold separately as an optional accessory.
Otherwise, rumors suggest that the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a camera system with continuous optical zoom, according to leaks from Ice Universe. That would result in a crisper, uncropped zoom when switching between focal lengths.
All told, the upgrades we’re expecting to see could make the Galaxy S22 Ultra an even more compelling choice for Galaxy Note loyalists, or for those seeking a super-powerful camera phone. Samsung typically reveals its new Galaxy lineup in the January through March time window, so we likely won’t have to wait much longer to learn more.
OnePlus 10 Pro
OnePlus made a name for itself by offering phones with hardware capabilities that could compete with the likes of Samsung at cheaper prices. More recently, its premium “Pro” lineup has gained notoriety.
If the rumors hold true, the same may be said for the OnePlus 10 Pro, which is expected to come with some camera updates. The camera system appears to include three lenses like the OnePlus 9 Pro, but with a new arrangement that more closely resembles the quadruple-lens camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Otherwise, the phone is expected to come with a 6.7-inch 1,440 pixel AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 5,000 mAh battery and 128GB or 256GB of storage, according to Zouton, which also reports it will launch in the first half of 2022.
It’s too soon to know how significant of an upgrade the OnePlus 10 Pro will be over its predecessor. But if camera upgrades truly are in store for OnePlus’ next high-end phone, it could address one of our only complaints.
Xiaomi Mi 12 Pro
Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun has just confirmed that the OEM’s upcoming 12 series will indeed run on the freshly-launched Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The executive did not go further into details on the phones in question; however, one variant is widely projected to be a successor for the Mi 11 Pro.
This is because the blog claims that the entirety of the “12 Pro screen protector” can fit within the Mi 11’s 6.81-inch display, and to have the images to prove it. The piece of supposedly next-gen display-spanning glass would indeed make one wonder if there has been a mistake, and this does not apply to a 12X Pro instead.
Finally, this “Xiaomi 12 Pro screen protector” has been designed to fit rounded corners. The phone it might have been designed for remains slated for a debut before the end of 2021.
