If you’re thinking about picking up a Samsung Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra, there are some steps you should take before their release date.
After months of rumors, Samsung’s confirmed the new flagship Galaxy S22 series. The new trio of devices are now on sale at Samsung, various carriers, and popular retailers.
As expected, the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra all come with a variety of upgrades. Notable improvements include improved S Pen support for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Android 12 with One UI 4.1, design tweaks, new processors, and a whole lot more.
Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra pre-orders are live in the United States and other countries around the world. The Galaxy S22 release date is set for February 25th.
With pre-orders live and the Galaxy S22 release date just hours away, those of you interested in Samsung’s new flagships should start preparing for their arrival.
If you’re already committed to buying a Galaxy S22 model or simply interested in buying one, there are some steps you should take before the release date arrives.
Check Your Upgrade Status
If you’re planning to buy a Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra right now or in the near future, now would be a great time to check your upgrade status to ensure that you’re eligible for one. If you’re not eligible for an upgrade, you’ll probably have to pay extra to secure your device or wait.
Checking your status is extremely easy and it should only take a few minutes provided you have all of your account information handy.
If you aren’t sure where to go, follow these links to check your upgrade status at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, or U.S. Cellular.
You can also call your carrier’s customer service line or go into a physical retail location to check your status that way if you’d prefer to talk to someone about your current status and options moving forward.
Evaluate Your Trade-in Options
The Galaxy S22 series isn’t cheap and the Galaxy S22 Ultra in particular commands a premium price point. Fortunately, there are ways to save cash if you want to buy one right now.
Samsung, carriers, and retailers are providing some enticing trade-in deals that knock a ton of dollar signs off the price of a new Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra.
If you want the most cash back on your phone, it needs to be in great condition. If it’s damaged you won’t get nearly as much money back.
In addition to those trade-in offers you’ll also want to look into trade-in sites like Gazelle and see what kind of price you can lock in for your current device.
Trade-in values could fluctuate as we push toward the Galaxy S22’s release date so you’ll want to make sure you get top dollar for your old smartphone.
You Don’t Need to Pre-Order Right Away
You might be tempted to pre-order a Galaxy S22 model right now, but there’s no need to rush into anything. In fact, we advise against it.
Galaxy S22 pre-orders will be open for a bit so you’ll have plenty of time to research and pick the model that fits your budget and needs.
For more on Galaxy S22 pre-orders, check out our guide.
Check Out Galaxy S22 Alternatives
If you’re interested in buying a Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra, make sure you get familiar with the competition before you buy.
If you’re adamant about sticking with Samsung, make sure you look into the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra from last year. They’re older, but they’re in excellent shape.
You’ll also want to check out the Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy S10 series, and the Galaxy Note 10 series just to be sure.
If you’re willing to move outside the Galaxy family of devices, look at Google’s Pixel 6, Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a, the OnePlus 8 Pro, and budget models like the Moto G Power.
If you aren’t married to Android, dig into Apple’s flagship iPhones. Apple’s current flagship models are the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 mini.
You should also research other models like the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max. iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR.
If you’re conflicted, you might want to skip a pre-order and wait for the Galaxy S22 to hit shelves so that you can go hands-on with it, and its competitors, before you buy.
Limited Times Offers
It’s important to note that Samsung’s Galaxy S22 pre-order offers will end later on this month.
All Galaxy S22 pre-orders come with a free pair of Galaxy Buds Pro ($199 value) or $200 worth of Samsung store credits. These deals end when the pre-order period ends.
If you want to take advantage of these offers, you’ll need to order ahead of the release date.
Decide If You Need Samsung Care+
These are expensive gadgets and you’ll want to protect your investment from harm. Buying a case and/or screen protector helps, but you also might want to pickup Samsung’s Care+ warranty.
With Samsung Care+ you’ll get a bunch of benefits including video chat, in-person support, and an extended warranty. That said, like Apple’s AppleCare warranty, you have to pay extra for the service.
It’s important to note that you can sign up to Samsung Care+ within 365 days of purchase of your new phone so you have plenty of time to make a decision.
We recommend digging into Samsung Care+ reviews to gather feedback from users in an effort to determine if the service is worth it.
Get Familiar with Android 12 and One UI
The Galaxy S22 series is powered by Android 12 and Samsung’s new One UI 4.1. If you haven’t done so already, now is a great time to get familiar with the software.
Samsung’s version of Android 12 comes with numerous changes to the look and feel of the user interface. There will be an adjustment period if you’re coming from a Galaxy phone running an older version of Android/One UI. It will be an even harder if you’re moving from another Android OEM or Apple’s iOS software.
Getting familiar with the Galaxy S22’s software ahead of time will help make the transition from your current operating system a little bit smoother. It’ll also help you decide if it’s the right software for you and your needs.
If you don’t know where to start, you should also check out our guide to Samsung’s Android 12 software. It’ll walk you through the biggest, and smallest, changes on board.
Research Galaxy S22 Accessories
If you want to pair your new Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra with a case, screen protector, or another accessory, start doing your research now.
There will be a mind-boggling number of Galaxy S22 accessories on shelves. If you don’t know where to start, we recommend getting familiar with the look, style, and features from various case and screen protector manufacturers ahead of time.
It’s also worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S22 series doesn’t have a charger in the box so you’ll need to buy that separately.
Compare Carriers & Data Plans
If you haven’t done so already, now would be a great time to start researching carriers.
Check your data plan to see if you need to make any adjustments. If you spend time digging into your usage you might be able to save some money. Don’t be afraid to call a rep and ask questions.
You should also start researching other carriers if you think you might get a better deal, or better coverage, from another provider.
The Galaxy S22 series is available on an assortment of carriers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon in the United States and each carrier has its pros and cons that you’ll want to be aware of before you buy.
6 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 14 & 5 Reasons Not To
Wait for a Hole-Punch Design |
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If you hate Apple’s notch, you might be in luck because it looks like the company is making significant changes to the iPhone’s design. Apple didn’t eliminate the notch in 2021 but the iPhone 13 series has a smaller notch than the iPhone 12 series and previous iPhone models. In 2022, Apple will reportedly ditch the notch in favor of a hole-punch display design. The rumor comes from respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He’s reiterated this in a newer note though he says the change may be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models. Analyst Ross Young believes that while the iPhone 14 Pro models will be the only ones with this new design, the hole-punch design will likely come to all iPhone models in 2023. Young has reiterated this stance in two other reports. Korean publication The Elec backs up these rumors and claims Samsung Display will help with the manufacturing process. Like Kuo, the site says the new design will be limited to the Pro models. A newer report from The Elec states that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will come with LTPO OLED displays with a hole-punch. The panels will reportedly be supplied by Samsung and LG. Another report from the same publication sheds more light on Samsung’s OLED plans for the iPhone 14. If true, it would put the iPhone more in line with Samsung’s high-end Galaxy phones which also employ a hole-punch design. The hole-punch isn’t as invasive as the notch which should be music to the ears of those who don’t like the notch. Jon Prosser has shared an image of alleged iPhone 14 Pro schematics and they showcase what the hole-punch could look like. 91Mobiles has shared renders of the alleged iPhone 14 Pro design. The site says these are based on leaked CAD images. They show circular and pill-shaped cutouts replacing the notch. Leaker @dylandkt suggests the iPhone 14 Pro models will have a pill-shaped camera cutout located at the top of the display. We’ve heard the iPhone 14 Pro design has been finalized as supplies have entered the trial production phase of the new iPhone models. Alleged CAD images of the iPhone 14 Pro Max hint at thinner display bezels. As for the lower-end iPhone 14 models, they’re expected to keep the same thickness and bezel size as the iPhone 13 series. We’ve also seen renders of the alleged design Apple will deploy on the low-end iPhone 14 models. The renders, from MySmartPrice, hint at a design that’s virtually unchanged from the iPhone 13’s. The device in the images has a notch and it also has the same rear camera setup as the iPhone 13. We’ve also seen leaked iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max display panels corroborate all of this information. Apple won a patent for under-display cameras for biometric authentication on the iPhone so it’s pretty clear the company is working to get rid of the notch at some point. It’s just a matter of when. If you aren’t thrilled with the look of the iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, think about waiting for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. |
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