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Samsung Galaxy S22 Phone Only Deals

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Galaxy S22 Deals: Up To $1,000 Off At Best Buy, $900 Off At Samsung And More


Galaxy S22 Deals: Up to $1,000 Off at Best Buy, $900 Off at Samsung and More


Galaxy S22 Deals: Up to $1,000 Off at Best Buy, $900 Off at Samsung and More

The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra are the latest models in Samsung's flagship lineup of phones -- though it did just announce its new folding Z-series phones, the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. The S22 and its kin are successors to both the previous-gen S21 phones, as well as Samsung's now-discontinued Note series, which has been replaced by the new S22 Ultra. This generation of Samsung phones scored a top spot on our list of the best phones for 2022, and right now, you can pick one up at a bargain. We've rounded up some of the best S22 deals and promotions currently available -- as well as some other details about Samsung's latest phones -- below.

The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra all feature several major camera improvements, including larger pixel sensors and Adaptive Pixel technology for improved nighttime photography and videos. There's an improved portrait mode, as well as a new auto framing feature that can detect and track up to 10 people in order to capture everyone in a photo clearly.

However, it's the Galaxy S22 Ultra that made the biggest splash. Samsung's top-of-the-line phone introduces the S Pen to the S series for the first time, paying homage to the now-canceled Note.

Samsung's lineup of new S22 phones on a black tabletop.
Richard Peterson/CNET

The S22 Ultra also features significant camera upgrades, including Samsung's largest pixel sensor ever, as well a number of raw photo tools for more comprehensive editing, and an advanced Super Clear Glass lens for smoother and crisper nighttime videos without flares. 

We'll take a closer look at all the details for each of the three flagship Galaxy S22 models and show you the best Galaxy S22 deals across the internet and in stores.

What colors does the Galaxy S22 come in?

Both the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are available in phantom black, phantom white, green and pink gold. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a slightly different lineup: phantom black, phantom white, green and burgundy.

How much does the Galaxy S22 cost?

The three models of the Galaxy S22 are available in various storage configurations. US pricing for each model starts at:

  • Samsung Galaxy S22: $800
  • Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: $1,000
  • Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: $1,200

Both the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are available in 128GB and 256GB storage options with 8GB of RAM, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra will also add in options for 512GB and 1TB with up to 12GB of RAM.

Be sure to check out all the Galaxy S22 deals below.

Best Galaxy S22 deals

You might have missed the preorder offers, but most carriers and retailers are offering some stellar deals on these Galaxy S phones, especially if you've got an older device you're looking to trade in. We've rounded up the best Galaxy S22 deals that you can shop for right now.

We will continue to update this page as new offers become available, so keep checking back if your carrier or preferred retailer is not listed below.

Samsung's site is the obvious place to buy the newest Galaxy S22 phones, because it offers all the device configurations and has multiple payment options. Samsung offers carrier and unlocked models so you can choose between buying the phone outright, through carrier payments or financing it through Samsung, depending on your preference.

As of right now, Samsung isn't offering any straightforward discounts, but you can save big with an eligible trade-in. Trading in your older phone, tablet or smart watch, including cracked or damaged devices, will save you up to $700 on the S22 and S22 Plus, or up to $900 on the S22 Ultra.

All models are currently available, though the Samsung exclusive color variants are out of stock at the moment. 

If you don't want the headache of navigating carriers, plans and installment payments, you'll want an unlocked phone that you can purchase outright. You can save $100 on the base model S22, $200 on the S22 Plus or up to $160 on the S22 Ultra. Just not that discounts jump around quite a bit between different colors and configurations, so be sure to double-check before purchasing. All three models are currently in stock, though you will find a few select configurations that are currently unavailable. 

This time around, AT&T is getting far more aggressive with its trade-in offers on the Galaxy S22 devices. The carrier is matching Verizon's offer from last year and is accepting select phones in any condition as a trade-in. If you have any Galaxy Note, S or Z Series phone from any year, you can get $800 off the Galaxy S22 devices, even if your trade-in is broken or doesn't turn on. Trading in other phones or devices can still save you hundreds, but their condition will factor into the estimated value. 

With this promotion, you can get the base Galaxy S22 for free via qualifying installment plan credits. The credits take place over a 36-month period, and if you cancel service before the 36 months is over you'll have to pay the remaining balance. This means that you could technically pay as little as $0 for the Galaxy S22, under $6 per month for the Galaxy S22 Plus and about $11 per month for the S22 Ultra, but be aware that credits begin 90 days after purchase and require that you pay all taxes and associated fees on the retail price up front. 

All three Galaxy S22 models are available now and ship for free, with most colors and configurations ready to ship right away.

If you're a current Verizon subscriber or someone looking to make the switch to Verizon, there are some great discounts you can take advantage of. Both new customers adding a line, and current Verizon subscribers upgrading their current line can save up to $800 on any S22 model with an eligible trade-in and activation on a qualifying 5G unlimited plan. Those adding a new line will also get a $200 Verizon gift card. You can also save $800 on a second S22 phone when adding another new line of service, and like the trade-in deal, new customers will also get a $200 Verizon gift card. 

You can even trade in broken or damaged phones, as long as the battery is intact, which is something that the carrier started doing last year. That means that you can get the S22 for free, and the S22 Ultra for as low as $11 per month. The discount will be applied via monthly bill credits, so you can't get this offer when you purchase the phone outright. It's also worth noting that Verizon is now using 36-month terms instead of 24-month terms, so you'll want to make sure that works for you before placing your order.

And if you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, Verizon is also offering up to $150 off a new Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro with the purchase of any Android smartphone and activation on any data plan. 

All three models are currently available with free two-day shipping.

Best Buy now offers support for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile upgrades and new lines both in-store and online, which means you can take advantage of some of the great carrier offers available at the moment. If you're looking to trade in a device, you can save up to $1,000 through Verizon or AT&T, or $690 through T-Mobile.

There is also a somewhat misleading deal available on unlocked models of the S22 Plus and Ultra. Supposedly, you'll have to choose same-day activation through one of the qualifying carriers to get the $100 discount, which essentially defeats the purpose of an unlocked phone. However, you can get the same deal when you choose the "activate later" pricing option. Best Buy also has its own trade-in program where you can save up to $900 by trading in select Samsung, Apple, or Google phones. 

T-Mobile usually goes all out for new phone releases with some pretty sweet deals for new customers and current ones alike. This time around, T-Mobile has two deals available: one for those with Magenta Max and one for those without.

Customers who are on Magenta Max plan are able to get any S22 model for free by adding a new line of service on your existing Magenta Max Plan. Those not on a Magenta Max Plan can save up to $400 by adding a new line of service on any qualifying plan. Customers on any qualifying rate plan can also save up to $400 when trading in an eligible device. 

T-Mobile currently has all three models available, though select colors and configurations are currently backordered or out of stock.

Boost Mobile is offering new and existing customers an excellent deal on Galaxy S22 devices. For a limited time, the carrier is offering a nice discount that brings the base price of the 128GB Galaxy S22 down to only $500, $300 off the usual price. You can also save $400 on the S22 Plus and Ultra, dropping the price down to just $600 and $800 respectively. 

Since Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier, you will need to buy the phone outright, but at this pricing it's well worth it. All three phones are currently in stock, though you can only get the 128GB models with a limited selection of colors. 


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Samsung Galaxy S22 Introduces 'Nightography' For Better Photos In The Dark


Samsung Galaxy S22 introduces 'Nightography' for better photos in the dark


Samsung Galaxy S22 introduces 'Nightography' for better photos in the dark

Samsung boosted the camera hardware and photo software in all of the Galaxy S22 phones, it announced Wednesday, but don't think it saved the best frills only for the top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The most important night photography improvements also extend down to the S22 and its larger sibling, the S22 Plus (here's how the three phones in the Galaxy S22 lineup compare).

On all the phones, the upgrades promise sharper photos for both daytime and nighttime shooting. The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus have better main cameras that have grown from 12 megapixels to 50 megapixels, and the image sensor, which is 23% larger than those on last year's Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus, lets in more light. 

Samsung also added Night Portrait mode to the both front and rear cameras. Finally, you can take your stylish depth selfies even when it's dark, or snap a dramatic photo of your dog while out on midnight walks.

Samsung's 'Nightography' software advances

Behind the scenes, Samsung has made its night mode smarter, and it coined an appropriately gimmicky name for its advancements. "Nightography," as it's called, automatically chooses the ideal frame rate to capture as much light and detail as possible, meaning it's a more advanced version of what phone camera night modes already do.

The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus also use adaptive pixel tech to augment the high-megapixel images with tetra-binning, which combines four pixels into one for sharper images in lower-light situations. 

The top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra does have some advantages over its more affordable siblings. Its 108-megapixel main camera can take sharper photos, it has nona-binning to combine nine pixels instead of four to capture more light, and soon after launch it'll get the Expert RAW mode for professional image control. 

The 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera remains unchanged from last year's phone. A curious downgrade is that the telephoto lens resolution is now 10 megapixels (the S21 had a 64-megapixel telephoto lens). While I don't expect to use zoom photography much at night anyway, I'll have to test the new phones to see if this changes how images come out. 

Read more: Where to buy Galaxy S22: Preorder deals for Samsung's newest phones


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Getting A New IPhone Every 2 Years Makes Less Sense Than Ever


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Getting a new iPhone every 2 years makes less sense than ever


Getting a new iPhone every 2 years makes less sense than ever

We all know the drill. As Apple's annual fall event draws close, many of us start to check in on our previous two-year smartphone plan to see if we're eligible for an upgrade in September. After all, the newest phone is only the newest phone for so long. Even for discerning shoppers like me, it takes serious willpower to resist the lure of a purple iPhone or 1TB of storage.

Mobile carriers have long persuaded many of us to upgrade our smartphones every two years, offering two-year contracts linked to free or low-cost phone upgrades to keep the two-year upgrade cycle going. That feeling of ponying up just a couple hundred dollars (or less) for the newest, fanciest phone available has helped perpetuate the rise of the de facto two-year phone upgrade. Case in point: AT&T and Verizon marketed a "free" iPhone 12 last year for customers who buy unlimited plans and commit to a multiyear deal. And the trade-in deals were even better this year for the iPhone 13.

But even though that might still be the norm in the US, a routine upgrade isn't a thing for much of the world. 

I was born and raised in developing Asia, a region where buying a smartphone is financially unattainable for hundreds of millions of people, much less a two-year upgrade. In India, the average person needs to save two months' salary to buy the cheapest available smartphone, according to a survey published by the Alliance for Affordable Internet last August. From my perspective, the trend of routinely upgrading a phone every two years when it doesn't change that much is a privilege, one that reminds me of the stark income equality gap as well as the ever-increasing digital divide globally.

Read more: Billions of people still can't afford smartphones: That's a major problem

Beyond that, and perhaps more tangibly, I think we should consider the environmental cost of purchasing a new phone. You've read the headlines: Climate change is accelerating at rapid speed. Countries around the world keep setting new records for the highest temperatures. There are more climate-related disasters than ever before, arctic caps are melting and biodiversity is disappearing faster than we can save it. What, exactly, happens to all those discarded phones over time? Does all that plastic ever fully decompose? 

screenshot-2021-07-07-at-1-39-03-pm.png

Apple says it removed the in-box charger from its iPhone 12 lineup for environmental reasons.

Apple

Read more: Apple is opening up its world of iPhone recycling

Consumer electronics are responsible for tonnes of e-waste annually, which in turn contributes to the climate crisis. Experts have warned about how e-waste disposal contributes to climate change due to the chemicals released when the waste is burned, some of which are equivalent to carbon dioxide.

For years, developed countries like the US have shipped recyclable waste overseas for processing. Although that is now beginning to change, there are real costs. iPhones contain toxic materials like lead and mercury, for instance, which can harm the environment and people if disposed of improperly. And often e-waste isn't properly managed. In Southern China, there is a town called Guiyu that has become known as the world's biggest graveyard for America's electronic junk, and synonymous among environmentalists with toxic waste. The UN's 2020 Global E-waste Monitor report found that the world dumped a record 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste last year, of which the US is the world's second-largest contributor to e-waste, dumping 6.9 million tonnes.

Read more: I paid $69 to replace my iPhone battery: Here's what happened

While Apple is committed to a net zero supply chain by 2030, it's tough to argue that there's a better alternative to lower carbon consumption than less consumption. After all, Apple says the iPhone 12's end-to-end supply chain emits 70 kilograms of carbon to the atmosphere. If even 1 million people waited that extra year, we could save 70,000,000 kilograms of carbon from going into the air in a year. Imagine if it was 10 million or 100 million. It's something to think about before making that upgrade. 

The smartphone upgrade cycle has gotten longer

Even with the enticing deals offered by carriers, the upgrade cycle has seemingly lengthened. In recent years, several reports show how Americans and Europeans are more than happy to hold on to their phones for longer periods of time. In fact, in 2019 smartphone upgrades hit record lows at two of the biggest US carriers, Verizon and AT&T. Carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon seem to have responded to this by offering month-to-month plans, which offer more flexibility and options, indicating a potential departure from the "norm" of a two-year phone upgrade. 

Barring big-picture factors like the struggling global economy amid the ongoing pandemic as well as our increased mindfulness over the environment, I think this trend is persisting for a confluence of reasons. Phones today are receiving software, and therefore security, updates for longer. For instance, 2015's iPhone 6S is compatible with iOS 15, potentially dampening desires for a bi-yearly upgrade.

In addition to all this, smartphone innovation has hit a plateau, and the industry bears the hallmarks of one that's maturing: slowing smartphone sales growth along with the slower evolution of what we need, what we want and so forth. There are no big surprises here: Today's phones are getting more nice-to-have refinements rather than the awe-inspiring innovation seen just three or four years ago.

Decreasing technological gap

Up until a couple of years ago, smartphone manufacturers had us sitting on the edge of our seats, waiting for the next design refresh. But that's not as much the case anymore. With the iPhone 12 series, 5G was probably its buzziest feature -- one that understandably ended up triggering an upgrade supercycle. But the most exciting thing for many of us at CNET was MagSafe, which is hardly new. Apple's proprietary technology, allowing you to magnetically snap on attachments, was first introduced some 15 years ago with the first-gen MacBook Pro. It was then reintroduced for the iPhone 12.

Galaxy S21 vs. iPhone 12 camera compare
Patrick Holland/CNET

When you look at what changed from the iPhone 11, you'll see the usual suspects on your list: 5G, OLED screen, new design. Admittedly there are a few more things you won't see everywhere, such as MagSafe and the Ceramic Shield, but nothing extra-special to truly write home about. Personally, the last time I was blown away by an iPhone reveal was back in 2017 when Apple introduced the iPhone X, which set new design standards for the modern-day iPhone. The iPhone X did away with the physical home button and chunky bezels of its predecessors and made way for a sleek, futuristic device that inspired the iPhone 12 family. Also, for the first time with Apple, we were able to unlock an iPhone with Face ID, Apple's facial recognition technology.

Looking at the iPhone 13, the narrative sounds familiar. We knew it wouldn't get a major technical upgrade (though that didn't stop us from wishing). While we appreciate the upgrades Apple did give the phone (a smaller notch, a larger battery and a faster screen refresh rate), the iPhone 13 is "not radically different," according to CNET's Patrick Holland. Plus a number of these new iPhone features, like the 120Hz screen, currently exist on Android phones, reinforcing the notion of a decreasing technological gap in the smartphone landscape. Apple itself says the life-cycle of a typical iPhone is now three years. So the company times its new releases accordingly: We get a major redesign every three years, not two, with more minor updates in between. 

Look no further than the glitziest non-Apple flagship launch of this year for clues: Samsung's Galaxy S21 family. Here the standout change wasn't made to the hardware or software, but perhaps to its least interesting feature: its price tag. The S21 lineup has a starting price of $800 (£769, AU$1,249), which is $200 less than last year's $1,000 Galaxy S20, making for an enticing deal. 

Apart from that, major differences between the S21 and last year's S20 were mostly incremental. I remember having to pore over the specs sheet to spot salient differences as I covered Samsung's virtual Unpacked event. Refinements were made to the usual suspects, including the processor, software and 5G. This might have been part of Samsung's response to the global coronavirus pandemic, but again it lends credence to the notion of that decreasing technological gap. It was also interesting to note the items Samsung dropped from the S21 flagship family to meet that lowered price. We said goodbye to expandable storage, bundled earphones and most notoriously the in-box charger, as Samsung followed in Apple's lead -- apparently in the name of the environment. 

Read more: Here's what we know so far about Samsung's Galaxy S22

Let's also take a moment to consider the question: What makes the S21 an attractive buy? Chances are, a great camera, fast performance, battery longevity and a crisp display with narrow bezels are at the top of your list. But the truth is 2019's Galaxy S10 boasts all those features. Heck, even the Galaxy S7 from five years ago did. My point is yearly changes have become too incremental to compel most people to upgrade with urgency, especially given the backdrop of rising smartphone prices.

samsung-galaxy-zflip

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip.

Angela Lang/CNET

Are we at peak phone?

I'm not discounting foldable phones. Samsung and Huawei have made undeniable technological progress, and their bendy handsets have dramatically altered the way smartphones are used and could represent the future of the industry. But folding phones are far from the mainstream. Phone manufacturers and carriers in the US have moved the most innovative devices to a price that's simply beyond reach for most people. For instance, the Galaxy Fold 3 starts at $1,800 (£1,599, AU$2,499) and Huawei's Mate X2, available in China for now, costs nearly $3,000 ($2,800, £1,985, AU$3,640 converted). Until these prices hit price parity with, say, the iPhone 12 Pro or Pro Max, foldable phones are likely to remain a niche product.

Smartphone innovation has stagnated, and this is not a knock against the consumer electronics companies or the tech giants that design them. Maybe we've reached peak smartphone, and this is as far as it needs to go. It could well be part of the reason why the race to upgrade your phones is slowing.


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Getting A New IPhone Every 2 Years Makes Less Sense Than Ever


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Getting a new iPhone every 2 years makes less sense than ever


Getting a new iPhone every 2 years makes less sense than ever

We all know the drill. As Apple's annual fall event draws close, many of us start to check in on our previous two-year smartphone plan to see if we're eligible for an upgrade in September. After all, the newest phone is only the newest phone for so long. Even for discerning shoppers like me, it takes serious willpower to resist the lure of a purple iPhone or 1TB of storage.

Mobile carriers have long persuaded many of us to upgrade our smartphones every two years, offering two-year contracts linked to free or low-cost phone upgrades to keep the two-year upgrade cycle going. That feeling of ponying up just a couple hundred dollars (or less) for the newest, fanciest phone available has helped perpetuate the rise of the de facto two-year phone upgrade. Case in point: AT&T and Verizon marketed a "free" iPhone 12 last year for customers who buy unlimited plans and commit to a multiyear deal. And the trade-in deals were even better this year for the iPhone 13.

But even though that might still be the norm in the US, a routine upgrade isn't a thing for much of the world. 

I was born and raised in developing Asia, a region where buying a smartphone is financially unattainable for hundreds of millions of people, much less a two-year upgrade. In India, the average person needs to save two months' salary to buy the cheapest available smartphone, according to a survey published by the Alliance for Affordable Internet last August. From my perspective, the trend of routinely upgrading a phone every two years when it doesn't change that much is a privilege, one that reminds me of the stark income equality gap as well as the ever-increasing digital divide globally.

Read more: Billions of people still can't afford smartphones: That's a major problem

Beyond that, and perhaps more tangibly, I think we should consider the environmental cost of purchasing a new phone. You've read the headlines: Climate change is accelerating at rapid speed. Countries around the world keep setting new records for the highest temperatures. There are more climate-related disasters than ever before, arctic caps are melting and biodiversity is disappearing faster than we can save it. What, exactly, happens to all those discarded phones over time? Does all that plastic ever fully decompose? 

screenshot-2021-07-07-at-1-39-03-pm.png

Apple says it removed the in-box charger from its iPhone 12 lineup for environmental reasons.

Apple

Read more: Apple is opening up its world of iPhone recycling

Consumer electronics are responsible for tonnes of e-waste annually, which in turn contributes to the climate crisis. Experts have warned about how e-waste disposal contributes to climate change due to the chemicals released when the waste is burned, some of which are equivalent to carbon dioxide.

For years, developed countries like the US have shipped recyclable waste overseas for processing. Although that is now beginning to change, there are real costs. iPhones contain toxic materials like lead and mercury, for instance, which can harm the environment and people if disposed of improperly. And often e-waste isn't properly managed. In Southern China, there is a town called Guiyu that has become known as the world's biggest graveyard for America's electronic junk, and synonymous among environmentalists with toxic waste. The UN's 2020 Global E-waste Monitor report found that the world dumped a record 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste last year, of which the US is the world's second-largest contributor to e-waste, dumping 6.9 million tonnes.

Read more: I paid $69 to replace my iPhone battery: Here's what happened

While Apple is committed to a net zero supply chain by 2030, it's tough to argue that there's a better alternative to lower carbon consumption than less consumption. After all, Apple says the iPhone 12's end-to-end supply chain emits 70 kilograms of carbon to the atmosphere. If even 1 million people waited that extra year, we could save 70,000,000 kilograms of carbon from going into the air in a year. Imagine if it was 10 million or 100 million. It's something to think about before making that upgrade. 

The smartphone upgrade cycle has gotten longer

Even with the enticing deals offered by carriers, the upgrade cycle has seemingly lengthened. In recent years, several reports show how Americans and Europeans are more than happy to hold on to their phones for longer periods of time. In fact, in 2019 smartphone upgrades hit record lows at two of the biggest US carriers, Verizon and AT&T. Carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon seem to have responded to this by offering month-to-month plans, which offer more flexibility and options, indicating a potential departure from the "norm" of a two-year phone upgrade. 

Barring big-picture factors like the struggling global economy amid the ongoing pandemic as well as our increased mindfulness over the environment, I think this trend is persisting for a confluence of reasons. Phones today are receiving software, and therefore security, updates for longer. For instance, 2015's iPhone 6S is compatible with iOS 15, potentially dampening desires for a bi-yearly upgrade.

In addition to all this, smartphone innovation has hit a plateau, and the industry bears the hallmarks of one that's maturing: slowing smartphone sales growth along with the slower evolution of what we need, what we want and so forth. There are no big surprises here: Today's phones are getting more nice-to-have refinements rather than the awe-inspiring innovation seen just three or four years ago.

Decreasing technological gap

Up until a couple of years ago, smartphone manufacturers had us sitting on the edge of our seats, waiting for the next design refresh. But that's not as much the case anymore. With the iPhone 12 series, 5G was probably its buzziest feature -- one that understandably ended up triggering an upgrade supercycle. But the most exciting thing for many of us at CNET was MagSafe, which is hardly new. Apple's proprietary technology, allowing you to magnetically snap on attachments, was first introduced some 15 years ago with the first-gen MacBook Pro. It was then reintroduced for the iPhone 12.

Galaxy S21 vs. iPhone 12 camera compare
Patrick Holland/CNET

When you look at what changed from the iPhone 11, you'll see the usual suspects on your list: 5G, OLED screen, new design. Admittedly there are a few more things you won't see everywhere, such as MagSafe and the Ceramic Shield, but nothing extra-special to truly write home about. Personally, the last time I was blown away by an iPhone reveal was back in 2017 when Apple introduced the iPhone X, which set new design standards for the modern-day iPhone. The iPhone X did away with the physical home button and chunky bezels of its predecessors and made way for a sleek, futuristic device that inspired the iPhone 12 family. Also, for the first time with Apple, we were able to unlock an iPhone with Face ID, Apple's facial recognition technology.

Looking at the iPhone 13, the narrative sounds familiar. We knew it wouldn't get a major technical upgrade (though that didn't stop us from wishing). While we appreciate the upgrades Apple did give the phone (a smaller notch, a larger battery and a faster screen refresh rate), the iPhone 13 is "not radically different," according to CNET's Patrick Holland. Plus a number of these new iPhone features, like the 120Hz screen, currently exist on Android phones, reinforcing the notion of a decreasing technological gap in the smartphone landscape. Apple itself says the life-cycle of a typical iPhone is now three years. So the company times its new releases accordingly: We get a major redesign every three years, not two, with more minor updates in between. 

Look no further than the glitziest non-Apple flagship launch of this year for clues: Samsung's Galaxy S21 family. Here the standout change wasn't made to the hardware or software, but perhaps to its least interesting feature: its price tag. The S21 lineup has a starting price of $800 (£769, AU$1,249), which is $200 less than last year's $1,000 Galaxy S20, making for an enticing deal. 

Apart from that, major differences between the S21 and last year's S20 were mostly incremental. I remember having to pore over the specs sheet to spot salient differences as I covered Samsung's virtual Unpacked event. Refinements were made to the usual suspects, including the processor, software and 5G. This might have been part of Samsung's response to the global coronavirus pandemic, but again it lends credence to the notion of that decreasing technological gap. It was also interesting to note the items Samsung dropped from the S21 flagship family to meet that lowered price. We said goodbye to expandable storage, bundled earphones and most notoriously the in-box charger, as Samsung followed in Apple's lead -- apparently in the name of the environment. 

Read more: Here's what we know so far about Samsung's Galaxy S22

Let's also take a moment to consider the question: What makes the S21 an attractive buy? Chances are, a great camera, fast performance, battery longevity and a crisp display with narrow bezels are at the top of your list. But the truth is 2019's Galaxy S10 boasts all those features. Heck, even the Galaxy S7 from five years ago did. My point is yearly changes have become too incremental to compel most people to upgrade with urgency, especially given the backdrop of rising smartphone prices.

samsung-galaxy-zflip

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip.

Angela Lang/CNET

Are we at peak phone?

I'm not discounting foldable phones. Samsung and Huawei have made undeniable technological progress, and their bendy handsets have dramatically altered the way smartphones are used and could represent the future of the industry. But folding phones are far from the mainstream. Phone manufacturers and carriers in the US have moved the most innovative devices to a price that's simply beyond reach for most people. For instance, the Galaxy Fold 3 starts at $1,800 (£1,599, AU$2,499) and Huawei's Mate X2, available in China for now, costs nearly $3,000 ($2,800, £1,985, AU$3,640 converted). Until these prices hit price parity with, say, the iPhone 12 Pro or Pro Max, foldable phones are likely to remain a niche product.

Smartphone innovation has stagnated, and this is not a knock against the consumer electronics companies or the tech giants that design them. Maybe we've reached peak smartphone, and this is as far as it needs to go. It could well be part of the reason why the race to upgrade your phones is slowing.


Source

AT&T's Latest 5G Midband Network Will Support More Of Its Older Devices


AT&T's Latest 5G Midband Network Will Support More of Its Older Devices


AT&T's Latest 5G Midband Network Will Support More of Its Older Devices

AT&T is updating its list of devices that will be capable of connecting to its latest 5G midband networks. After originally saying that it might only enable support for its new 3.45 GHz network on some of the latest and greatest 2022 devices, the nation's third-largest carrier now tells CNET it will bring support for the spectrum to all of its devices that currently support its C-band spectrum. 

That list as of press time consists of over 30 products, including all 5G iPhones going back to 2020's iPhone 12 line, the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S22 lines and Google's Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Other devices on the list include Samsung's foldable phones (Z Flip 3 and 4 along with Z Fold 3 and 4), Apple's 5G iPads and a variety of budget phones from Motorola (G Stylus 5G, 2021 G Stylus and 2022 Moto G 5G) and Samsung (A53 5G, A13 5G). Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 FE 5G tablet, Netgear's Nighthawk M6 and M6 Pro hotspots will also gain support for the new spectrum. 

The carrier would not give an exact timeline for when the software updates will be rolled out, but according to Chris Sambar, AT&T's executive vice president of network, they should arrive "by the end of the year." 

When you consider that the carrier has increasingly been offering deals incentivizing users to upgrade to 5G devices on 36-month installment plans, extending support to older devices like 2020's iPhone 12 will be important for allowing those locked into a device payment plan to be better able to utilize more of AT&T's 5G network as it continues to expand.

This update will be particularly important for AT&T users as the 3.45 GHz spectrum will help make up AT&T's midband 5G footprint. The carrier spent $9.1 billion on this spectrum, and together with similar C-band airwaves it acquired last year, it aims to cover 200 million people with these midband 5G networks by the end of 2023. 

AT&T says that both the C-band and the 3.45GHz frequencies can work together, allowing the company to offer better performance than if it were relying solely on C-band. Sambar notes that while not every cell site will have access to both 3.45GHz and C-band, the "majority" will get both bands. 

When it comes to 5G, having midband spectrum is proving to be incredibly valuable. Although there are three different "flavors" of 5G (low-band, midband and a higher-frequency millimeter-wave), wireless service delivered over the midband spectrum offers the best combination of range and speed improvements. This is why all three major US operators have spent so much money acquiring and deploying network upgrades on these frequencies. 

In an interview with CNET, Sambar says that the carrier now covers over 80 million people with its C-band network and will strive to "approach" availability to 100 million people by end of this year. 

By comparison, rival Verizon already covers 100 million people with its C-band 5G network and aims to reach over 175 million people this year. T-Mobile, meanwhile, continues to lead the field with its midband coverage and reaches over 235 million people today, with goals for its midband 5G to be accessible to 260 million people by the end of 2022 and to 300 million by the end of 2023. 


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