Intro
The iPhone 14 is aiming to take down its main rival – the Galaxy S22. There are other options out there when it comes to Android smartphones but the reality is that most people opt for either an Apple or a Samsung device, depending on their hardware and software preferences.
There are a lot of similarities between those two phones, even though on the surface they might look nothing alike. The iPhone 14 will be the vanilla model, the benchmark for all other iPhones (no iPhone mini this year, sadly), and the same applies to the Galaxy S22 – it’s the base model, and also the one that’s selling the most.
Today we’re going to do a preliminary comparison between the two devices – granted, the iPhone 14 is still a couple of months away but we already know a substantial amount of info about Apple’s next flagship. We will focus on areas such as display, camera, performance, battery, etc. So, without further ado, let’s get this thing going.iPhone 14 vs Galaxy S22 in a nutshell:
- 6.1″, 60Hz, OLED ‘slim’ notch display vs 6.1″, 120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED
- Apple A15 Bionic (4GB RAM) vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (8GB RAM)
- iOS 16 vs Android 12 (update to Android 13)
- Dual camera system (48MP main) vs triple camera system (50MP main, 12MP ultra, 10MP zoom)
Table of Contents:
Design and Display Quality
Battle of the compact flagships
According to the latest info, Apple is going for some incremental changes and upgrades in its iPhone 14 series devices. While the upper models in the iPhone 14 lineup are believed to change their frontal appearance (with a pill-shaped camera cutouts), the vanilla iPhone 14 is expected to retain the narrow notch from the iPhone 13 series.
The exact dimensions of the iPhone 14 are not known at the moment but the fact that it will sport the same-sized 6.1-inch display as the Galaxy S22 puts both devices in the same ballpark, when it comes to physical size.
iPhone 14 and 14 Pro – renders by Ian Zelbo
Focusing on the color scheme, rumors are pointing to the possibility that the iPhone 14 will come in Midnight, Starlight, Product RED, Blue, and possibly a new Purple color. On the other hand, the Galaxy S22 is already available in Cream, Violet, Sky Blue, and Graphite. There is some overlap here, even though the names don’t match.
The Galaxy S22 design is also an evolution rather than revolution
Little is known about the display characteristics of the iPhone 14, barring the fact that it will retain the 60Hz refresh rate (faster refresh rates are expected to come in the upper-tier models). The OLED panel will most likely be made by Samsung so there won’t be a huge difference in quality and brightness. Check out our Galaxy S22 display benchmarks below.
Display Measurements:
Performance and Software
Fast and furious
There’s good news and bad news here – the iPhone 14 is expected to retain the A15 Bionic chipset we all know (and love) from the iPhone 13 series. That’s the bad news – the good news is that this chipset is plenty fast and will most likely be on par with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Galaxy S22. When it comes to comparing Apple silicon with Qualcomm chipsets things are a bit sketchy but we will include a Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13 comparison, as the performance won’t be that much different, given the same silicon inside the iPhone 14.
Performance Benchmarks:
As for the RAM situation, there’s not much to be compared here, as the way iOS and Android are taking care of apps and processes is a bit different. Just for the sake of numbers we would say that the Galaxy S22 comes with 8GB of RAM while the iPhone 14 is expected to have 4GB onboard.
The iPhone 14 will come with iOS 16 out of the box while the Galaxy S22 is running Android 12 with OneUI 4.1 on top. The software support cycle here is still in iPhone’s favor, although Samsung has opted to extend the support to four years of Android updates.
Camera
Covering the basics
The rumor mill has it that Apple is going for a big upgrade for the main camera of the iPhone 14. The phone is expected to feature a new 1/1.3-inch 48MP sensor capable of shooting 8K video. The sheer size of the sensor also points to a better quality night and low-light photos. Another big rumored upgrade is the auto-focus selfie camera with a wider aperture of F1.9.
The Galaxy S22 on the other hand is a known variable in the photography equation. The phone comes equipped with a triple camera system – consisting of a 50MP main camera (F1.8), 12MP ultrawide snapper, and a 10MP 3.0x zoom lens. On paper, the Galaxy S22 has an advantage but we need to wait for some real-life samples in order to make any conclusions. Meanwhile, here’s some Galaxy S22 image samples for reference.
Battery Life and Charging
The big unknown
There’s very little (to none) info about the battery of the iPhone 14. Some leakers claim that there will be a substantial increase in battery life in the iPhone 14 compared to its predecessor but there are no numbers to support those claims whatsoever. The iPhone 13 made a big jump (15% – from 2,815mAh to 3,227mAh) in battery capacity compared to the previous model, and given the chipset will stay the same in the iPhone 14, the battery life should be comparable to the predecessor.
The 3,700mAh cell in the Galaxy S22 would probably beat the iPhone 14 at least in capacity but the actual real-life battery endurance may be quite close. Here’s the benchmark results for the Samsung’s flagship:
PhoneArena Battery Test Results:
The situation with the charging speed is even more complicated. We don’t expect a charger in the retail box of the iPhone 14, and given the fact that the USB-C transition won’t happen until at least 2023, there probably won’t be any major upgrade in charging speeds. For what it’s worth, the Galaxy S22 also lacks a charger in the box and uses the same 25W fast-charging tech from the old Galaxy S21.
Specs Comparison
| Specs | iPhone 14 (rumored) | Galaxy S22 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | – | 5.75 x 2.78 x 0.30 inches (146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm) |
| Weight | – | 5.89 oz (168.0 g) |
| Screen | 6.1 inches, 60Hz | 6.1 inches, 2340 x 1080 pixels, 19.5 ratio, 422 PPI, 120Hz |
| Processor | Apple A15 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB |
| Rear Cameras | Dual system 48MP main camera |
Triple system 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) main camera 10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, 3.0x zoom) 12 MP Ultrawide |
| Front Camera | Yes, auto-focus | 10 MP |
| Battery Size | – | 3,700mAh |
| Charging Speeds | – | 25W |
| Price | – | $799 |
Summary and Final Verdict
The fight between these two hasn’t even begun – we’re waiting for the official reveal of the iPhone 14 series. From what we know so far we can extrapolate some conclusions. Apple seems to rely on evolution in the iPhone 14 – some people might demand the new series to be called 13s. On the other hand, this isn’t a bad thing – the iPhone 13 is a very successful device and there’s no reason for the successor not to be able to take on the Galaxy S22.The flagship release cycles of both companies are offset with a couple of months which means that on paper the iPhone 14 will be the newer device. On the other hand, with the incremental character of the changes, people might be hesitant to upgrade, especially from iPhone 12/13 models. If you’re looking for a new flagship (and you’re swinging between Android and iOS) both devices are a viable option and will serve you well.
Source: https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/iPhone-14-vs-Galaxy-S22_id5436
