How camera phones will change in 2022 — Galaxy S22, iPhone 14 and more

How camera phones volition change in 2022 — Galaxy S22, iPhone 14 and more

(Epitome credit: Tom's Guide)

2021 was a banner year for smartphone photography. From Apple and Google pushing the envelope to Samsung and OnePlus drastically improving their offerings, it was a great year for the best camera phones. But now that 2022 is here, what'due south next? Where do these phone makers go from here?

Nosotros've idea long on this question and we accept a few ideas. Obviously, we won't know what the major names take in store until we get our hands on the new flagships, merely we can make some guesses based on what nosotros saw in 2022 and rumors surrounding the virtually anticipated phones, including the Galaxy S22 and iPhone xiv.

Here are 5 things nosotros expect to see in 2022'due south phone cameras.

Zoom lens improvements

pixel 6 back facing camera up against pillar — (Image credit: Tom'southward Guide)

In 2022, we saw several upgrades to zoom lenses. The Milky way S21 Ultra, for example, continued Samsung's dominance in total zoom capabilities. Meanwhile, the iPhone 13 Pro received a crash-land to 3x (from 2x on the 12 Pro and two.5x on the 12 Pro Max in 2022) and the Pixel half dozen Pro saw a 4x folded optical lens.

Look this tendency of higher optical zooms this yr. We retrieve many phone makers will get-go to employ folded optics, meaning that you get a stronger zoom without the demand for larger hardware (aka photographic camera crash-land).

And nosotros besides think more than phone makers will improve their digital zoom technologies, much like Google has with the Pixel'due south Super Res Zoom. This would allow for much cleaner zoomed-in images.

Macro photography with ultrawide lens

iPhone 13 Pro Max, in front of a background of water — (Prototype credit: Tom'south Guide)

With the iPhone 13 Pro models, Apple tree introduced macro photography using the ultrawide lens. We've seen Android telephone makers include dedicated macro lenses on mid-tier and budget phones to questionable success. Merely the iPhone has one of the first useful macro modes since information technology not merely works really well, but uses the existing photographic camera hardware.

Every bit usual, expect Android phone makers to re-create Apple here and start calculation macro modes to the ultrawide lenses. This could be a actually neat matter to happen, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra's main camera is tipped to offer a macro mode. Nosotros also fully anticipate loftier-end phones like the Pixel 7 to employ this feature. And if a device tin employ already-existing hardware, information technology might lower costs since the manufacturer wouldn't have to include a macro lens.

Existent-time filters and effects

iphone 13 pro back in hand with wood background — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

With the iPhone xiii, Apple introduced Photographic Styles. These deed similar real-time filters, allowing you lot to see dissimilar color calibrations and such before taking the photograph. It seems like a small feature, but it requires a lot of AI smarts to work.

With Google'south 2nd-generation Tensor chip and the newly-announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Android phones might go something similar. Some phones in the past have employed something akin to Photographic Styles, but the filter is nevertheless applied in post-processing. Apple's method does and then in real-fourth dimension.

Of all phones in 2022, nosotros'd guess that the Pixel 7 will come the closest to what Apple has done, only the meaning image signal processing upgrades on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 could also come shut.

Portrait video

Apple tree pushed alee on portrait video, called Cinematic mode. This allows for dynamic adjustments to focus in a video frame. It'due south all done in real-time, which presents a huge challenge for many mobile chips. It's a cool selection if you're into "artistic" videos. The only bummer is that information technology'due south limited to 1080p.

Qualcomm said that the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will support portrait video (via a hardware bokeh engine) upwardly to 4K, potentially giving phones using that bit a leg up over the iPhone 13. So nosotros definitely recollect the Galaxy S22 Ultra and OnePlus 10 Pro will accept portrait video. And who knows, Google might have figured out something similar with the new Tensor scrap nosotros'll encounter in the Pixel 7 Pro.

AI and machine learning enhancements

Pixel 6 Pro vs Galaxy S21 Ultra — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

In 2022, Apple's A15 Bionic and Google'south Tensor fries set up the standard for what's possible with AI and machine learning when it comes to photography. Merely put, yous'll find Google and Apple have the strongest offerings. It all comes downwardly to software and the postal service-processing that the iPhone 13 and Pixel vi do.

It'southward a given at this betoken that the iPhone xiv and Pixel seven will be photography juggernauts, just what nearly other Android phones? Qualcomm is talking up the new AI/ML capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Gen one'south paradigm signal processor (ISP). Qualcomm's new chip handles all image-related AI/ML tasks on the ISP itself, not offloaded to other parts of the fleck, which could drastically better efficiency.

All of this to say, we recollect that 2022 will come across a lot of powerful camera phones thank you to the upcoming A16 Bionic, second-generation Tensor, and Snapdragon 8 Gen one. From Samsung to OnePlus, choosing the entries for the best camera phones list could become quite challenging this year.

2022 smartphone photography outlook

pixel 6 pro vs iphone 13 pro max: both phones laying face down to show camera modules — (Image credit: Tom'due south Guide)

At first glance, you might think that smartphone photography has effectively peaked. In some cases, it has. The hardware gets iteratively better each year, but the true magic comes from software. That's how Google and Apple take kept their crowns for years on end.

2022 might see some features become more widespread, like Apple's macro ultrawide mode. Some things may experience marginally useful, like real-fourth dimension photo effects and portrait video, merely that's how many smartphone camera features piece of work.

It's easy to experience bored with smartphone photography, but simply keep in mind that all of the features we're accustomed to nowadays, even night mode, started somewhere. Remember that portrait mode for stills seemed like a contemporary matter back in the day, and at present expect at how many people utilise it. It's completely possible that something similar that could happen again.

Hashemite kingdom of jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over five years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nix more relaxing in his dwelling with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to swoop into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, simply you lot can all-time attain him on Twitter.