Galaxy S22 5G • Locked AT&T vs iPhone 15 Pro • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G, released in February 2022, and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro, launched in September 2023, represent two distinct approaches to flagship smartphone design and functionality. While both devices offer a compact form factor, they operate on different ecosystems, Android and iOS respectively. The Galaxy S22 focuses on a refined, traditional Android experience, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro introduces newer materials and a shift towards a more universal charging standard.

When considering the long-term usability of a smartphone, factors like software support and physical durability are key. The Galaxy S22 5G and iPhone 15 Pro offer different timelines and approaches to longevity.

• Software Support: The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G launched with Android 12 and is upgradable to Android 14, with Samsung promising four major OS upgrades and five years of security updates, extending support until approximately 2027. The iPhone 15 Pro, released with iOS 17, is guaranteed a minimum of five years of software support, with updates expected until at least September 2028, and historically, Apple often provides support beyond this minimum.
• Repairability: The iPhone 15 Pro initially received a repairability score of 4 out of 10 from iFixit, which was later promoted to 7 out of 10 due to improvements in Apple's repair ecosystem, allowing users to install parts from other identical iPhones and calibrate them on the device. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G received a lower iFixit repairability score of 3 out of 10, primarily due to the extensive use of adhesive, making battery and screen replacements challenging.
• Physical Durability: Both devices feature IP68 dust and water resistance, meaning they can withstand submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. The Galaxy S22 5G uses Gorilla Glass Victus+ for both its front and back, along with an aluminum frame. The iPhone 15 Pro features a Ceramic Shield front cover, described as tougher than any smartphone glass, and a titanium frame, which contributes to its strength and lighter weight.

Performance in smartphones is influenced by the internal components, affecting everything from app responsiveness to battery endurance. The Galaxy S22 5G and iPhone 15 Pro offer different performance profiles.

• Processing Power: The iPhone 15 Pro is equipped with a more recent generation processor, which provides a highly fluid experience for demanding applications, intensive mobile gaming, and high-resolution video editing. The Galaxy S22 5G, powered by its respective generation processor (either Exynos 2200 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 depending on region), handles everyday tasks and multitasking smoothly, offering robust performance for most users.
• Battery Behavior: The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G has a 3700 mAh battery. The iPhone 15 Pro features a 3274 mAh battery. In real-world usage, the iPhone 15 Pro often provides consistent battery life throughout a full workday due to its power-efficient design, while the Galaxy S22's battery may require a top-up for heavy users.
• Storage and Multitasking: Both devices come with 8GB of RAM, allowing for efficient management of background applications and smooth switching between tasks. The iPhone 15 Pro offers more storage configurations, ranging from 128GB up to 1TB, while the Galaxy S22 5G is available in 128GB and 256GB options.

The display is a primary interface for smartphone interaction, and both the Galaxy S22 5G and iPhone 15 Pro offer high-quality viewing experiences with distinct characteristics.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G features a 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, known for its vibrant colors and deep blacks, with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, resulting in approximately 425 pixels per inch (ppi). The iPhone 15 Pro also has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, offering a higher resolution of 2556 x 1179 pixels, which translates to about 460 ppi, providing slightly sharper text and images.
• Brightness and Refresh Rate: Both phones feature a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and responsive interactions. The Galaxy S22 5G can reach a peak brightness of 1300 nits, suitable for outdoor visibility. The iPhone 15 Pro offers higher peak brightness levels, reaching 1000 nits typical and up to 2000 nits for outdoor use, making it exceptionally visible in bright sunlight.
• Viewing Experience: The iPhone 15 Pro incorporates ProMotion technology, allowing the refresh rate to dynamically adjust from 1Hz to 120Hz, which can conserve battery life while still providing a fluid experience. It also features an Always-On display. Both displays support HDR content, enhancing the viewing of movies and high-quality videos.

Camera capabilities are a significant consideration for many users, and both the Galaxy S22 5G and iPhone 15 Pro offer advanced systems for photography and videography.

• Rear Camera System: The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G features a versatile triple-camera setup, including a 50MP wide-angle lens with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. The iPhone 15 Pro also has a triple-camera system, with a 48MP main camera that outputs 24MP photos by default, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 12MP telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom.
• Photography Performance: The iPhone 15 Pro's main camera delivers noticeably more detail and quality, especially with its 24-megapixel default output, and excels in bright light conditions. Its low-light performance is also improved across all cameras due to larger sensors and enhanced processing. The Galaxy S22 5G provides strong everyday photography with good detail and color reproduction, and its telephoto lens offers effective optical zoom.
• Video Recording and Audio: Both devices are capable of high-quality video recording. The Galaxy S22 5G supports up to 8K resolution at 24fps and 4K at 30/60fps. The iPhone 15 Pro offers advanced video features like ProRes video recording directly to external storage and 4K60 HDR output, making it suitable for professional videography workflows. Both phones offer stereo speakers for media consumption.