You might – understandably – have given up hope of seeing a Samsung Galaxy S22 FE. After all, we’re now a year on from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, and there are very few rumors about a successor. However, it seems this phone might still be planned.
According to @OreXda on Twitter, the Samsung Galaxy S22 FE is “almost confirmed” to be coming, but isn’t yet certified, which makes them think it won’t land at Galaxy Unpacked 2023 on February 1, where we’re set to see the Samsung Galaxy S23 series.
In another tweet (via NotebookCheck) they claim we probably won’t see it in Q1 of this year – meaning it might not launch before April. We would, however, take this with a pinch of salt – the source hasn’t yet leaked much, so we can’t say how accurate or credible they are.
Still, while we haven’t heard much about the Samsung Galaxy S22 FE, one report from December suggested it was still on the way, and would possibly use a new Exynos 2300 chipset. So @OreXda isn’t alone in thinking this phone might still land.
Analysis: too late to make sense
It’s certainly possible that the Samsung Galaxy S22 FE will still land, but whether it should is another matter entirely.
If it doesn’t launch until April (or later), then that will be well over a year after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, and also at least a couple of months after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series.
A phone with 'S22' in the name launching after the S23 will immediately sound dated, and it will presumably be a lesser device than the standard Samsung Galaxy S22, yet could end up costing more, as Samsung’s aging flagship is often reduced these days – and will be all the more so, once the Galaxy S23 lands.
So, the Samsung Galaxy S22 FE could prove an extremely hard sell (not unlike its predecessor). Samsung might be better off renaming it, so it at least sounds less dated, or scrapping it in favor of a Samsung Galaxy S23 FE a few months later.
As things stand, the Galaxy S22 FE will probably need a surprisingly low price or unexpectedly high-end features to rank among the best Samsung phones.
