Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022: Galaxy S22, Galaxy Tab S8 and everything announced

And we’re kicking off! There’s plenty to look forward to at this year’s first Galaxy Unpacked, especially since we’re expecting the debut of the Samsung and AMD Exynos 2200 chip with RDNA 2.

Samsung states the AMD RDNA 2 tech allows for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and variable rate shading. This means mobile gamers will experience gaming laptop-level simulated light and smoother frame rates on their smartphones, and the chip is also expected to improve the overall experience in social media apps and photography. 

The Exynos chip isn’t all about graphics, as it’s also set to feature support for a 4K display at 120Hz or QHD+ 144Hz, a 200 MP camera, 8K resolution at 30fps video recording, LPDDR5 RAM, 5G connectivity and more. Check out the reveal video below.

We’re not expecting a Galaxy Watch reveal, but Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic owners can expect some nifty updates.

This includes a list of health and fitness features, including the built-in body composition analysis now integrating with popular digital fitness program Centr, support for interval training targets, and a new sleep coaching program with eight sleep symbol animals. What’s more, Samsung is introducing new burgundy and cream sports straps, along with new fabric and link bracelets to dress your Galaxy Watch all fancy.

Check out all the Galaxy Watch 4 updates in more detail. 

Speaking of the Galaxy Watch 4, the latest update revealed the name for Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphone. Surprise, surprise — it’s named the Galaxy S22. 

Spotted by our sister site Techradar on Reddit, the screenshot shows a list of what’s included in the upcoming update. You’ll find the first bullet point talking about the Galaxy S22’s Wallpaper. The name of the next Galaxy S series is assured, although this will hardly come as a surprise for anyone that’s been keeping tabs on Samsung’s upcoming smartphone. The word we’re looking for is “expected.” 

Samsung tells us to watch the Unpacked event until the very end, and we’re positive many will since the immensely popular South Korean boy band BTS will be tagging along. Samsung and BTS have partnered up to work on saving the planet, and we’ll find out how during the livestream. 

About that Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series — the iPad Pro may be in trouble. According to recent rumors and leaks, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra model is set to be the star of the show, with the flagship Android tablet expected to sport a 14.6-inch, 2960 x 1848-pixel, Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, along with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. 

All of the Tab S8 tablets are expected to be equipped with that Snapdragon chip. It boasts a “4th gen Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System,” which can reach an impressive 10 Gigabit download speeds. Wi-Fi are also expected to see a jump in speeds, supporting up to 3.6 Gbps over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E.

Plus, Qualcomm claims this new chip will deliver desktop-level gaming experiences. Thanks to the new Qualcomm Adreno GPU, gamers can expect a 30% boost in graphics rendering capabilities and a 25% improvement in power savings when compared to previous models. Needless to say, we can’t wait to get our hands on this tablet. 

Only three hours to go! Wondering how to watch the Unpacked livestream in the metaverse? Luckily, you can do it right on your browser.

For the first time ever, fans can watch Galaxy Unpacked in the metaverse. The event will take place at Samsung 837X in Decentraland, and you don’t need an account to check it out. Those interested can visit Decentraland and 837X as a guest, where they can create an avatar and explore the virtual 837X building. For logged-in users, expect to experience quests, browse NFT collections, buy and sell exclusive digital assets, and more.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 series is expected to stick closely to the design of their Galaxy S21 counterparts. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, however, is another matter entirely. A massive design leak from @OnLeaks and Ice Universe details a variety of alterations that would leave the Galaxy S22 Ultra as the heir apparent to the Note throne. Later leaks from Jon Prosser showed a similar design for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, so once again, confidence in this new design is high.

The biggest change is the integration of a silo for the S Pen. The phone would pick up some additional Note DNA with the flat top and bottom and more rounded edges of the Note. Is this how the Ultra will turn out? Not long until we find out. 

With just under two hours to go, we’re not far from finally seeing what the Galaxy S22 brings to the table. In the meantime, let’s look back at Samsung’s other recently talked-about smartphone: the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.

The Galaxy S21 FE had a tough act to follow as the Galaxy S20 FE was one of our favorite phones of 2020 and 2021. While it sticks to the same recipe, Laptop Mag’s smartphone expert Sean Riley thought some of the ingredients are past their sell-by date.

Taken as a whole, the Galaxy S21 FE is still solid hardware with a Snapdragon 888 processor, a triple camera array with telephoto, a bright and vivid 120Hz display and a large 4,500mAh battery. However, the $699 price point that made it a standout in late 2020, now places it just $100 shy of the main Galaxy S series that is about to be refreshed again (in just a couple of hours).

Check out the full Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review. 

The hype for Samsung’s next flagship tablets is real, with the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+ still being the best Android tablets on the market. Considering the previous generation came out in 2020, we’re expecting some significant upgrades with the Galaxy Tab S8 lineup.

As previously reported, a Samsung device was spotted in the Geekbench database that is expected to be the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus with 5G support, revealing potential specs for the upcoming tablet. According to the listing, the Galaxy Tab S8 scored a single-core score of 1,211 and a multi-core score of 3,193. This is similar to the 3,159 Geekbench score seen by GSMArena, stating the listing was leaked benchmarks for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 expected to be in the Ultra model.

The listing reportedly shows details about the Plus variant, stating it will have 8GB of RAM and will run Android 12. Putting the Geekbench score into context, the Xiaomi Pad 5 achieved a multi-core score of 2,614 (Snapdragon 860), while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus scored 2,910 (Snapdragon 865+). However, the iPad Air (2020) scored 4,262 (A14 Bionic). 

We won’t really know how well it handles until we get our hands on the Galaxy Tab S8, and we can’t wait. 

Samsung is a leader in the smartphone industry, so we’re not surprised that the tech manufacturer can apply some of its machine magic to its tablet devices. In fact, so much so that we’ve put together the best Samsung tablets you can get today. Although, we recommend you wait a while, seeing as the launch of the Galaxy Tab S8 may be right around the corner. 

The countdown begins! One hour to go.

By the way, you can register to be among the first to reserve Samsung’s new Galaxy smartphone and Galaxy tablet by heading over to Samsung’s website. Plus, those who do register can get an extra $50 in Samsung Credit toward other Galaxy products during pre-orders. Not a bad deal if you’re keen on upgrading your Galaxy devices. 

We’re not sure how long Samsung’s February Unpacked will last. But, considering last year’s January Unpacked event lasted over an hour, we expect the livestream to have the same runtime. There are quite a few products to look forward to, and seeing how the Galaxy S21 Ultra took up a big portion of last year’s event, prepare for an in-depth show. 

We’re 20 minutes away from all the big announcements, and if you’re still looking for more places to watch Samsung’s latest Unpacked event, the livestream will be available to watch over on Samsung’s Newsroom, Facebook, Reddit, Twitch and Amazon Live. It will also take place on Samsung’s YouTube, TikTok and Twitter accounts. Althgouh, you’re already in the right place.

As for those looking to check it out in the virtual Samsung 837X building in Decentraland, visit Decentraland and 837X as a guest, where you can create an avatar, explore and watch the event live.

With just five minutes to go, we’re being greeted with the usual Samsung pre-show animations on a box, along with flashes of “S” and “22.” We wonder what Samsung might be alluding to.

Get the popcorn and prepare for the show. Oh, and don’t worry about that refresh button, this live blog will do it all for you. 

Here. We. Go.

We’re being greeted with the usual Samsung stage, with President TM Roh telling us that this will be an “Unpacked unlike any other.” We’re intrigued. 

We’re getting a throw back to last year, with Samsung launching energy-saving tech, minimizing plastic in packaging, making products last longer, and so on. All of this to create a better future, plus more cutting edge Samsung

Samsung is now going into more detail about their partnership UN Development program, with Achim Steiner talking about a “greener, more resilient action for all.” 

Roh talks about open partnerships, with Microsoft, Netflix and more notable brands, along with its top notch security.

In just a moment, we’ll be getting a glimpse at the new devices we’ve been waiting for. Apparently, it’s the “ultimate smartphone” that will make “your everyday epic.” We’re welcome to that future indeed.

We’re now getting a slick cinematic set in a royal chamber, with each person showcasing new inventions. We first got a raincoat, and now we’re seeing the Samsung S22! 

We caught a glimpse of all the different colors, with the white model being the star of the show. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are based on the iconic S series design, similar to last-gen’s Galaxy S21.

It will be available in four different shades. Expect a 50MP wide lens, with a large sensor for great shots both during the day and at night. There’s also a 10MP tele-lens, with 3x optical zoom.  

We’re now getting a glimpse of its video features, which features video image stabilization, and up to 50% wider angles. 

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 camera is more in tune with other social media apps, including Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, making it easier to capture images and post them on your ideal social media account.

Oh, and check out each of the model colors. 

The Galaxy S22 is available today for $799, while the S22+ is also available today for $999. 

Here’s the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra model, which shows a glimpse at the S Pen that’s included into the phone. Hello, evolution of the Galaxy Note.

It also comes in four classic colors, including phantom black, white, green and burgundy.

It’s official, the S Pen is fitted into the Ultra. The display is three times more responsive to the S Pen, with enhanced AI tech to make it a seamless experience. 

The Galaxy S22 Ultra features a 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X adaptive 120Hz display. That’s not all, as the display is also getting a “Vision Booster” that automatically adapts to your environment. This means it boosts brightness in different colors when needed, and sharper contrasts for enriched colors, too. It’s Samsung’s “most advanced display yet.”

The Galaxy S22 Ultra also boasts its more powerful processor yet. Although, we’re still not sure what the processor is. However, we’re hearing it offers a “nano tin” that can cool the phone easily and maximize heat diffusion. All in all, the Galaxy S22 Ultra can keep your phone, well, ultra cool.  

The Ultra’s cameras is the most powerful camera in Samsung’s arsenal yet. In fact, it has a 100x zoom, enhanced AI that makes for crisp photos and videos, along with “Nightography” that’s exclsuive to the device.

It uses multi-frame processing to get rid of motion blur and more to make for a clear picture, especially at night. It’s available on portrait mode, the telephoto and selfie camera. That 108MP f/1.8 wide-angle with its massive 2.4um pixels will allow for excellent low-light photos and video from the primary sensor.

Unlike many competitors, Samsung allows you to use that full resolution if you prefer, giving you considerable flexibility with editing. Samsung backs this up with software and the Expert RAW app giving you a level of control over your images typically reserved for DSLRs and the ability to save up to 16bit RAW images. 

The Samsung Galaxy syncs across all devices thanks to OneDrive, with Samsung claiming it’s easier than ever before to edit photos and videos caught using the Galaxy S22 smartphones.

We’re now seeing a partnership with Samsung and YouTube, with the ease of sharing YouTube videos via messages and owners getting a subscription to YouTube Premium. 

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is available to pre-order today, and will be priced at $1,199. Fancy picking it up? 

The Galaxy Tab S8 is being introduced through a trailer of The Batman, which is fairly wicked.

The Tab S8 will come in three editions, including the newest addition: The tab S8 Ultra. It boasts a 14.6 inch display, with minimal screen bezels to maximize screen real estate. It’s also aiming to be a great device for video calls.

The S Pen will also be compatible with the Tab S8 lineup, with the screen being optimized for a seamless writing and drawing experience. 

With the Galaxy Tab S8 with the S Pen, Samsung is collaborating with a number of different apps for taking notes, drawing and organizing files. The Tab S8 will also offer cameras capable of 4K shots. Connecting it to the detachable 2-in-1 keyboard, Samsung DeX will get to work, and the Tab S8 will also be compatible with Windows PCs.

Plus, the Tab S8 series comes with expandable storage of up to 1TB.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 will be available for $699, the Tab S8 Plus for $899, and the Tab S8 Ultra for $1,099. You can pre-order it and get a 2-in-1 keyboard for more of a laptop-like experience. 

Samsung talks about the updates coming to the Galaxy Watch 4, that were previously announced, along with a further expansion with Samsung Wallet which can add more ID cards, and can even support cryptocurrency. There will be more collaborations in the future. 

One UI 4 is getting plenty of updates, which is getting a more PC-like experience where users can seamlessly integrate with Windows PC and other Samsung devices. 

Samsung is also making an emphasis on privacy, with users being able to control who sees your location, muting your mic easily, and more. 

The Galaxy S22 is the first smartphone to incorporate fishing nets, one of the biggest problems in the ocean. Apparently, Samsung will be getting rid of 50 tonnes of old fishing nests thanks to recycling materials, and will also use 100% recyclable paper for its packaging. 

And that’s the show! Samsung is closing out with a short clip of the promised BTS partnership, all about saving the planet — particularly about ocean waste. 

So, here’s a quick summary of the biggest announcements during Samsung Galaxy Unpacked:

All the recent rumors and leaks appear to have hit the nail on the head for all of these announcements. We’re excited to test all of these new devices out, so stay tuned for reviews.