Five Galaxy S22 Ultra features which should be on the iPhone

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in iPhone
The new Samsung Galaxy S22 line-up has many compelling features. Here are five that we'd like Apple to include in future iterations of the iPhone

Apple's iPhone could benefit from copying some Samsung Galaxy S22 features
Apple's iPhone could benefit from copying some Samsung Galaxy S22 features


Samsung's UNPACKED' event revealed the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra which signaled a new direction for its flagship smartphone.

As many have pointed out, the Galaxy S22 Ultra appears to be the Galaxy Note in all but name. Billed as the first S Series device to include the S Pen, the most expensive smartphone in the Samsung Galaxy S22 line-up features a Note-like form factor and similarly all-encompassing screen.

But how do the Galaxy S22 Ultra's features compare against the iPhone? And, more importantly, what is Apple's flagship missing out on?

True edge-to-edge screen

When the iPhone X was launched in November 2017, it was the first iPhone to feature a virtually bezel-free design.

In 2021, the iPhone 13 reduced the size of the bezels further, but Apple's smartphone isn't quite the all-screen affair offered by many of Samsung's smartphones.

Apple could stand to shrink the iPhone bezels further
Apple could stand to shrink the iPhone bezels further


The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is an excellent example of a near full-screen smartphone experience. Featuring a screen-to-body ratio of 89.87%, the absence of bezels is in stark contrast to the iPhone's frame.

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro deliver a screen-to-body ratio of 86%. So those few percentage points do amount to quite a difference between the two devices, although rumors suggest that we're unlikely to see any further bezel trimming on the iPhone 14.

Hole-punch camera

Much has been said about the iPhone notch. Some hate it, while others have grown to accept it as part and parcel of the iPhone's iconic design.

But there's no escaping the lack of a notch on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. In its place sits a simple hole-punch camera used for facial recognition and taking selfies.

The notch may be replaced with a hole-punch camera
The notch may be replaced with a hole-punch camera


This approach - combined with the desirable screen-to-body ratio - results in a display that maximizes virtually every square inch of the S22 Ultra's available screen estate.

Rumors of Apple following a similar approach with the FaceTime camera continue to surface, but debates surrounding the need for the notch certainly aren't over just yet.

Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor

Samsung has been known to pack as many features as possible into its smartphones, so it should come as no surprise that facial recognition isn't the only form of biometric security available on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 offers multiple forms of biometrics
The Samsung Galaxy S22 offers multiple forms of biometrics


Hidden beneath that huge 6.8-inch screen sits an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Debuted on the Galaxy S10 series in 2019, the invisible' sensor can capture fingerprint data through the screen without needing a separate hardware button.

Whether you're a fan of Face ID or Touch ID, the prospect of having a similar sensor placed beneath the iPhone's screen is compelling. Any form of reliable biometric security should be welcomed, and Samsung joins several Android device manufacturers who have taken the two-pronged approach.

Free AirPods Pro

If you order any Galaxy S22 series phones today, you can claim a free pair of Galaxy Buds Pro. This would be akin to receiving a free pair of AirPods Pro with your iPhone purchase.

Apple could offer more freebies to incentivize iPhone buyers
Apple could offer more freebies to incentivize iPhone buyers


When the iPhone 12 line-up was announced in 2020, Apple stopped including its wired EarPods in the box. It signaled the end of any form of bundled peripheral, bar the lightning charging cable -- and 2020 was also the year Apple dropped the charging brick).

In fact, free Galaxy Buds Pro isn't the only carrot dangled by Samsung during the S22 check-out process. Buyers can also claim 12 months of free Disney+ service, and grab a sizeable discount on the new Galaxy Tab if they wish.

Apple rarely provides similar freebies or upsells, making the Samsung Galaxy S22 line-up a more tempting option for bargain hunters who wants to maximize the return on their smartphone purchase.

A stylus

"Who wants a stylus?" quipped Steve Jobs during the launch of the original iPhone in 2007. "You have to get em', put em' away. You lose them. Yuck."

An Apple Pencil built for iPhone could be a major selling point
An Apple Pencil built for iPhone could be a major selling point


Since then, Apple has obviously released its own stylus -- the Apple Pencil. But, alas, that accessory is currently only compatible with the iPad.

When Samsung launched the original Galaxy Note in 2011, it was among the first flagship smartphones to feature a stylus. Tucking neatly into the device's body when not in use, the S Pen quickly became a favorite feature among Note users.

Since then, it has seen several iterations, with Samsung gradually improving the handwriting experience with better pressure sensitivity, Air Commands, and the introduction of Bluetooth Low-Energy.

The likelihood of a similar peripheral for the iPhone remains relatively low. There have been no meaningful rumors about an iPhone-compatible Apple Pencil, and Apple appears to be standing firm by its founders' words.

It's a decision that's unlikely to dent iPhone sales. Still, anyone who has experienced the convenience of the S Pen will know that its inclusion within Samsung's S line-up is a significant differentiator.

Stylus aside, it's only a matter of time before we start to see some of the Samsung Galaxy S22 features appear on the iPhone. The only question is when and how Apple will put its own spin on them.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    XedXed Posts: 2,546member
    Is the S22's bezel really smaller or does the lack of Face ID allow it to have more "screen-to-body" ratio. Based on the pics in this article the bezels look very similiar.
    Beatsscstrrfkitatit9secondkox2watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 29
    Using both Pixel and Galaxy devices, I don't want to see any of your wishes except maybe 'free' Airpods and stylus but you know they aren't really free - it's built into the S22 Ultra "$1300" base price.  Face ID on the iPhone and even the past PIxel 4XL is far superior to using a fingerprint sensor; not sure why tech pundits push for that and now Apple allows using a mask with Face ID.  Edge to edge might look cool but it's often aggravating with accidental touches.  As for hole punch vs notch, I find the hole punch more annoying (end up hiding it) and I'll be quite annoyed if the iPhone 14 replaces the notch with the two-hole cut-outs.  
    lkruppronnBeatsscstrrfwaveparticleJapheyroundaboutnowkitatitmacpluspluswatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 29
    I believe that only free AirPods Pro would be a good option, the under screen finger print sensor does not seem nearly as good as Face ID. I have a work phone that has a under screen finger print reader and I dislike it strongly. Face ID on my iPhone works way better. 
    ronnBeatsscstrrfroundaboutnowkitatitmacpluspluswatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 29
    I believe that only free AirPods Pro would be a good option, the under screen finger print sensor does not seem nearly as good as Face ID. I have a work phone that has a under screen finger print reader and I dislike it strongly. Face ID on my iPhone works way better. 
    I loved face id, right until the pandemic hit.  Then having to type my passcode in when i was in the office/public became highly annoying.  I would love to see touch id reimplemented in future iphones, either through the power button like the ipads or through an under screen scanner.  I still love face id, but the last couple of years have shown me its good to have multiple options. 
    williamlondonXedpatchythepiratemuthuk_vanalingam9secondkox2watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 29
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    Like how Apple should have had other Sammy “innovations” like wave to answer and the other 100 features Sammy abandoned.


    NO

    Also, Apple doesn’t have to give away VR goggles, 55” TVs and a fridge for you to buy their products.
    ronnscstrrfmike1lkruppkitatitmacpluspluswatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 29
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    BeatsJapheykitatitmuthuk_vanalingammacplusplus9secondkox2watto_cobramattinoz
  • Reply 7 of 29
    "...should be on the iPhone"?

    "...might be nice to have..." is as much as I would give it. Plus, even the "free AirPods" aren't really free, as comment #2 above has pointed out.

    PS: The article mentioned the iPhone charging brick being eliminated with the iPhone 12. I was OK with this once I got my 13, since I have a lot of lightning cables on older USB A chargers, but given that the included lightning cable is USB-C, it seems like Apple could have included a USB-C based charging brick for a while to help with the transition, or at least included a discount coupon for one with every new phone. I just ran into a situation where a USB-C charger would have been convenient and I didn't happen to have one around amongst the drawer full of USB A chargers.
    muthuk_vanalingamBeatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 29
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    payeco said:
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    That is EXACTLY what I thought when I was reading it. 
    kitatitmuthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 29
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    Free AirPods Pro? Never. The only reason to give anything like that away is because they aren’t selling very well. And we all know that isn’t the case with AirPods or iPhones. I know many people that are diehard Samsung fans, and not a single one of them uses Galaxy Buds. Maybe that’s the real reason they are giving them away. But, as others have noted above, they aren’t really giving them away anyway, as the cost is baked into the price of the S22. 

    And while I don’t think it necessary to include a dedicated stylus, I would definitely welcome Apple Pencil support. At least on the Pro models. The rest of the requested features will arrive eventually. 
    edited February 2022 kitatitmuthuk_vanalingamlukeiBeatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 29
    The claim that free Galaxy Buds are built into the cost of the S22 is wrong.

    This js evidenced by the fact the pre-order bonuses disappear once the phones launch. 

    Pre-order specials are just that - specials to encourage you to pre-order. 

    Japhey said:
    Free AirPods Pro? Never. The only reason to give anything like that away is because they aren’t selling very well. And we all know that isn’t the case with AirPods or iPhones. I know many people that are diehard Samsung fans, and not a single one of them uses Galaxy Buds. Maybe that’s the real reason they are giving them away. But, as others have noted above, they aren’t really giving them away anyway, as the cost is baked into the price of the S22. 

    edited February 2022
  • Reply 11 of 29
    I can skip all but the Touch ID.  Miss it for many reasons.  Can open camera without looking at it and take pictures in a museum or of people in their natural state. Plus many other things. FaceID is okay, but mask, no mask, many other things.  Touch ID added and I upgrade immediately.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 29
    payeco said:
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    And? Don't know if you noticed, but the apple rumorsphere has been incredibly boring lately. Anything that can stir some discussion is welcome to me.

    I think I'd prefer the hole punch, but I don't care that much either way.

    I definitely want an under the screen fingerprint reader. It's so much easier than positioning your head and eyes (yes, I know the eye thing can be changed in settings), and that's even before dealing with annoying issues like glasses, masks, etc. It's so much easier to confirm apple pay without having to look at or position your phone, I miss that. In addition, it'd be cool to be able to program certain fingers for different tasks, eg authenticating, popping up a menu (like a right click type thing), open a specific app, triggering a home kit scene, etc.
    blastdoor9secondkox2
  • Reply 13 of 29
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,421member
    You can get a stylus that works on iPhones on Amazon. 

    But seriously, there's no need for stylus on iPhones. 


    patchythepirateBeats
  • Reply 14 of 29
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 2,000member
    Are the "true edge to edge" screens more likely to crack or be damaged if the phone is dropped?  
    Beatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 29
    payeco said:
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    Japhey said:
    payeco said:
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    That is EXACTLY what I thought when I was reading it. 
    That was my thought as well.

    First 2 points were fairly lame. Apple's FaceID implementation is far superior than any Android phone implementation and that necessitates those minor compromises, basically Form following Function, I couldn't imagine AI suggesting Apple to compromise on FaceID functionality.

    3rd one on under display FPS - I am fine with this suggestion. Hope Apple implements this in next generation iPhone.

    4th one on freebies - Ridiculous. I guess other commenters have articulated their views very well and I don't have much to say on top of those comments.

    5th one on stylus - I agree with @Japhey on this. Stylus support would be good, but need not be bundled.
    Japhey9secondkox2watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 29
    imatimat Posts: 209member
    Seriously what is wrong with the tech press and FaceID? It is a great system, work flawlessly and is very secure. I can have notifications without details. As soon as I put the phone in front of me, at a glance, I can see the whole notification without needing to unlock my phone. Simply by picking it up. Do you purchase something with Apple Pay? No need to do anything special. It just activates. Logins? The same. Of all the things listed maybe the notch is the only one. 
    Beatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 29
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    kiowawa said:
    I can skip all but the Touch ID.  Miss it for many reasons.  Can open camera without looking at it and take pictures in a museum or of people in their natural state. Plus many other things. FaceID is okay, but mask, no mask, many other things.  Touch ID added and I upgrade immediately.  
    It should be added to the power button like iPad. 
    9secondkox2
  • Reply 18 of 29
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    payeco said:
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    And? Don't know if you noticed, but the apple rumorsphere has been incredibly boring lately. Anything that can stir some discussion is welcome to me.

    I think I'd prefer the hole punch, but I don't care that much either way.

    I definitely want an under the screen fingerprint reader. It's so much easier than positioning your head and eyes (yes, I know the eye thing can be changed in settings), and that's even before dealing with annoying issues like glasses, masks, etc. It's so much easier to confirm apple pay without having to look at or position your phone, I miss that. In addition, it'd be cool to be able to program certain fingers for different tasks, eg authenticating, popping up a menu (like a right click type thing), open a specific app, triggering a home kit scene, etc.

    I don’t get the whole argument against FaceID being inferior because you have to look at your iPhone to activate it.

    Ummm… don’t you have to look at your iPhone to use it anyway? Or are some of you using your iPhone blindly?
    ronn9secondkox2watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 29
    Beats said:
    payeco said:
    This article was written like was meant to fill a quota. 
    And? Don't know if you noticed, but the apple rumorsphere has been incredibly boring lately. Anything that can stir some discussion is welcome to me.

    I think I'd prefer the hole punch, but I don't care that much either way.

    I definitely want an under the screen fingerprint reader. It's so much easier than positioning your head and eyes (yes, I know the eye thing can be changed in settings), and that's even before dealing with annoying issues like glasses, masks, etc. It's so much easier to confirm apple pay without having to look at or position your phone, I miss that. In addition, it'd be cool to be able to program certain fingers for different tasks, eg authenticating, popping up a menu (like a right click type thing), open a specific app, triggering a home kit scene, etc.

    I don’t get the whole argument against FaceID being inferior because you have to look at your iPhone to activate it.

    Ummm… don’t you have to look at your iPhone to use it anyway? Or are some of you using your iPhone blindly?
    Lol, feeling sassy today, eh? I’m not against Face ID, it’s very convenient when I’m actively staring at my phone, but I want the option to use a fingerprint for certain things or if I’m multitasking and don’t want to stare at my phone or have a mask on or sunglasses on or bilateral pinkeye or whatever. Options are a good thing. 
    avon b79secondkox2muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 20 of 29
    Mark, I'll be curious to read your review and comparisons vs. iPhone after using the Galaxy S22 Ultra for a while.  

    I covet the look of an edge-to-edge screen, it's very cool, but I've read that Apple avoids it because 1) very edge of the screen isn't useful and 2) it's not ergonomically smart on a touch screen because of accidental touches at the very edge. But that's what I've read, not something I know as fact. 

    As for biometrics, it's quality over quantity. Whether touch or face, iPhone biometrics have always worked REALLY well. I prefer Face ID because my fingerprints are nearly unreadable. Getting electronically fingerprinted for Global Entry was a calamity of errors that took forever. I should consider a life of crime, maybe. Curious to hear your experience with Samsung. (I will add that Touch ID on the new Apple keyboard has worked flawlessly--and that's saying a lot coming from me.) 

    The notch has never been an issue for me, but I'm sure Apple will get around to dumping it when the tech warrants doing so.

    I don't have a need for an iPhone stylus, but such a model wouldn't shock me. There was a time when Apple thought phablets were silly, too. In the Tim Cook era, Apple seems more open to iterating on an existing product providing it helps build marketshare and Apple can deliver a bulletproof version of whatever it is. I tend to think there are a sizable number buyers who go to Android simply because Apple offers no stylus model. I don't think it's coming in the iPhone 14, but maybe the 15. 


    patchythepiratewatto_cobra
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