The Most Exciting Android Devices Released in 2022
Reading Time: 5 minutes2022 has given us many great phone and tablet options to choose from.
Android users worldwide experienced leaps forward in both hardware and software for Android devices in 2022. There have been impressive pushes in all kinds of directions, from seemingly durable foldable phones to impressive camera lenses and post-processing image software.
Samsung and Google seemed set on impressing the world by pushing the limits of their devices in 2022. There were a few surprises, though, like the Nothing Phone 1 that brought intrigue and dazzle to the Android space. Keep reading to learn more about the most exciting Android releases of 2022.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S22 made its way into a market saturated with competitively priced and featured devices. It had to outdo the S21 Ultra, but more than that, it had to offer the classic Note experience with a highly functional S Pen and cameras worth talking about. And, it succeeded with flying colors. The S22 Ultra’s incredible display, comfortable design, and fantastic hardware all tied in perfectly with Samsung’s software and built-in app choices. It’s one of the best Android devices of 2022, and with good reason.
What Makes It Special
The S22 Ultra has some exceptional features that make it worth its high price tag. It has a built-in and improved S Pen, an impressive and very bright display, and allows fast 45W charging. It’s a powerhouse worthy of the flagship title. Some performance tests put it ahead of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and place it in the 95th percentile of all devices.
Best Feature
The S22 Ultra’s best feature has to be its camera setup. It’s recognized for excellence in color balance, zoom capabilities, and low-light shooting. The S22 Ultra gets the job done with four rear lenses—the main camera, ultrawide, first zoom, and second zoom, along with a frontal selfie camera.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is another Android device that found its way to the top among heavy competition. It comes with Android 13, and a slew of unique features provided by Google. It’s a versatile option for Android users, with a few unexpected extras.
What Makes It Special
The Pixel 7 Pro is comfortable to hold and has a high-quality build. It lags behind flagships from the likes of Samsung and Apple in regard to display and speaker sound quality. However, it makes up for this with a jack-of-all-trades approach and a more accessible price tag.
Best Feature
While the rear camera setup is quite impressive, what really makes the Pixel 7 Pro, and a handful of other Pixel devices, stand out is Google’s software integration.
Some examples include cough and snore detection, photo unblur, message transcription, and active stabilization. Some of these features are available from third parties on the Play Store, but Google’s exclusive versions for Pixel devices appear to be far superior.
Nothing Phone (1)
The Nothing Phone creates an air of mystique and intrigue right off the bat with its unique name. It stood out in 2022 thanks to its design, which differs greatly from most other Android devices. It’s a mid-range Android device, but it’s powerful enough to compete.
What Makes It Special
The most apparent feature that sets the Nothing Phone apart is its design. The see-through backplate and more than 900 LEDs are definitely an attention grabber. The design is actually an integral part of its notification setup, with certain light patterns and colors to represent phone calls, messages, and specific contacts.
Best Feature
The Nothing Phone’s best feature is actually a combination of its design and affordability. It’s lacking in a few areas, like photography in low-light conditions and processor power. But it’s worth the price tag and quite unique.
Galaxy Z Fold 4
Tablet fans aren’t the only ones that rejoiced with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. What many took as a tablet wannabe device turned out to be so much more. The Fold 4 has the performance and features to bump elbows with the best of the best Android devices in 2022. This means quality camera shots, an incredible display, and everything you’d expect from a Note or Ultra when it comes to using the S Pen. When folded open, it feels less like a tablet and more like a phone with a giant screen, meaning Samsung got it right.
What Makes It Special
The enormous screen offered by the Z Fold 4 isn’t its only grand feature. When folded closed, it works well as a normal mobile phone, albeit with a smaller display than even some mid-range Android devices. It’s surprisingly compact, though, and fits comfortably in virtually any pocket. Two things that make it stand out are how bright the displays are, the impressive battery life, and its improved multitasking capabilities.
Best Feature
Of course, the Z Fold 4’s most outstanding feature is its enormous foldable display. It’s not just the size that impresses, though. It’s packed with features that help users take advantage of the large display.
The two main ways to multitask on the Fold 4 involve using a split screen view and pop-up view. Simultaneously using multiple apps at a time has never been easier, or more comfortable.
Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a is considered a mid-range phone with some limitations. It’s a compact and affordable option that has a few noticeable strengths.
What Makes It Special
The Pixel 6a is a compact powerhouse. It has a bright display while maintaining reasonable battery life. It also comes with many Google Pixel-exclusive features that would otherwise only be available for flagship devices.
Best Feature
The Google Pixel 6a finds a way to compete with devices like the iPhone 13 and its ‘older brother,’ the Pixel 7 Pro, when it comes to taking pictures. It’s the Android device that offers the best captures under $500. Many also see it as the best value for its price.
Samsung Galaxy Flip 4
While flip phones are nothing new, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 stepped into the market with a few more features than its predecessors and what looked like a promise for more durability. One of the issues that keeps many users far away from flip-and-fold devices is that they’re prone to break over time with use.
Samsung showed serious effort with the Flip 4, offering what looked like more durable material and a more durable design. More than that, it also had the hardware to put a few other flagships to shame. The combination of unique design and powerful internals drew in a ton of attention.
What Makes It Special
At first glance, many might assume that Flip 4’s foldable design would come with multiple sacrifices to performance. However, this is not the case.
The Flip 4 has a fantastic camera, excellent battery life, and great overall performance. It’s a safe alternative pick to the S22 and similar Android devices.
Best Feature
The Flip 4 is an overall great Android phone that performs well in most aspects, but it does have one interesting feature that stands out. It has the best in-display fingerprint sensor currently available for any Android device.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
2022 brought with it a slew of Android tablets that created an extremely competitive market. Some of these devices had incredibly low prices thanks to the integration of advertisements. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is an exception, though, that we feel beats out the competition with ease.
What Makes It Special
While the Tab S8 might have a cramped book cover keyboard, and might not compete in terms of performance with iPads, it comes with a few pleasant surprises.
Its cameras are fantastic and only are slightly lacking in certain cases, like night shots.
Best Feature
The Tab S8’s best feature has to be its battery life. It can run for up to almost 13 hours, beating out most of the tablet competition. And it comes with a 45W charger, promising 45 percent charges in just half an hour.
2022’s Most Exciting Android Phones and Tablets
2022 shaped up to be an interesting year for Android device releases. It was a tug-of-war between new features and improved hardware. Some devices were of more note, like the Samsung S22 and Pixel 7 Pro, standing in as flagships with a sweet combination of unique features and impressive hardware.
Others, like the Pixel 6a and Nothing Phone, proved that you don’t have to buy a flagship to get some of the best Android features and designs.
With the impressive release in 2022, it’s hard to imagine what’s coming to the world of Android in 2023. Samsung seems ready, with some already surprising details on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 series.
Ref: makeuseof