Best phones of 2022: From iPhone 14 Pro to Galaxy Z Flip 4

We’ve seen several notable smartphones from well-known manufacturers launch this year, from the iPhone 14 Pro to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Unique smartphones like the Nothing Phone 1 also made their debut, while foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 are seeing more development than before. Companies like Xiaomi and Vivo have also introduced powerful flagship-grade smartphones this year, giving customers more options to choose from.

In this week’s episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, host Akhil Arora talks to Reviews Editor Roydon Cerejo and Senior Reviewer Sheldon Pinto to list some of the best smartphones to buy in 2022.

Apart from the ongoing supply chain issue that has affected the availability of smartphones, we have seen several new phones from brands such as Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and a new upstart, Nothing. Apple launched the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro series this year, which competes with the Samsung Galaxy S22 series and the Google Pixel 7 lineup. It is also worth noting that these three phones run on different chipsets.

Sheldon says the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are great phones, with great camera performance and software experience. We liked that the Pixel 7 offered better battery life than the Pixel 7 Pro, despite packing a smaller battery, and it might just be the best Pixel phone you can buy today.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are two of the best iPhone models you can buy today, but we think the price in India is too high. This year, Apple added new features like Dynamic Island, and a new 48-megapixel camera with new zoom capabilities. Sheldon also compared the iPhone 14 Pro to the Pixel 7 Pro, comparing the camera performance of these phones.

Pixel 7, 7 Pro Review: Are These The Best Android Phones You Can Buy Today?

Xiaomi has also launched its flagship smartphone in India this year, the Xiaomi 12 Pro. The Chinese smartphone maker’s flagship phone in India is equipped with a powerful Snapdragon chipset, has a quad speaker setup, and represents a new direction for Xiaomi, according to Sheldon. Image quality was consistent, while the phone featured a small, stripped-down design and we reviewed the phone well.

Launched at the beginning of the year, the OnePlus 10 Pro is one of the best phones launched by the company in 2022. Roydon says it could be better than the OnePlus 10T, which debuted later this year without a screen protector. Apart from a few unusual choices about the handset’s camera, it’s also an improvement over the OnePlus 9 Pro, the company’s flagship phone from last year, he adds.

Next, we discuss the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4, a phone that has gone from a high-end product to a very useful one. Sheldon says the battery life and heating issues with its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, have been resolved, and it’s much easier to use while gaming. It is also the most affordable phone you can buy in India. We also discuss why the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 wasn’t part of our list of the best phones this year.

iPhone 14 Pro review: Islands on the screen

Sheldon recently reviewed the Asus ROG Phone 6, which was actually launched in July and went on sale in India at the end of November. He says you have to buy the handset and its accessories and peripherals, and you can use it as a second phone, like a Nintendo Switch.

The Nothing Phone 1 was the first phone to launch from the UK company led by Carl Pei, and the handset has a transparent back panel with LEDs that light up when you receive a message or when your phone rings. While Roydon says the backlight might be a nice feature, you get wireless charging support, and an IP rating for dust and water resistance in a mid-range smartphone.

Earlier this year, Samsung launched its flagship smartphone for 2022, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in India. Roydon says it represents a complete package, a phone that “does it all”. Sheldon agrees, saying it’s a ridiculous device that competes with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and offers S Pen support. With Samsung’s software commitment, Roydon says that if he had to choose one phone from our list, it would be the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Review: The Complete Package?

Should you buy any of these phones? The end of the year is probably the worst time to buy a new smartphone. We expect to see new phones from Samsung and OnePlus in February or March. The prices of smartphones launched in 2022 may drop when these new phones arrive, so you may have to hold on to your current phone for a while.

You can listen to all that in detail and more in our episode by pressing the play button on the Spotify player embedded above. Don’t forget to check out our guide to the best phones under Rs. 30,000 mark, which you can find linked above.

You can also find the Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital at your favorite location – Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Ghana, JioSaavn, Spotifyand wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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