What you need to know
- Sources for SamMobile claim that Samsung has cancelled the Galaxy S22 FE.
- The phone's likely model number "SM-S900" reportedly "doesn't exist," which suggests the company isn't working on it.
- We previously heard Samsung would use MediaTek Dimensity hardware for the S22 FE, and that it would ship in late 2022.
Samsung has released two Fan Edition phones, or rebranded Galaxy Lite phones, in the last two years. If a recent report is true, however, we may not see a third FE phone anytime soon.
Multiple sources for SamMobile claim that Samsung has canceled the Galaxy S22 FE, and that "it’s quite likely that there won’t be any more FE models being released in the future."
While the Galaxy S21 FE already had a model number and leaked renders by April of last year, no internal model number or data about a new FE phone appears to be available this year. The site uses this as further proof the phone does not currently exist.
We reached out to Samsung for comment on this rumor. A representative responded, "We have nothing to share."
Samsung reportedly considered shelving the S21 FE late last year due to the ongoing chip shortage, before eventually deciding to delay and sell the phone merely a month before the Galaxy S22 series. It's possible this is simply another delay, but the apparent insider sources at Samsung appear to know otherwise.
Back in April 2022, we heard a report that Samsung would use MediaTek chips in the Galaxy S22 FE, as a replacement for Exynos chips. Either this report contradicts SamMobile's claims, or something happened in the ensuing two months to convince Samsung to abandon its S22 FE plans entirely.
On the one hand, this news will serve as a disappointment to many Samsung fans. The S21 FE impressed us with its 6.4-inch 120HZ AMOLED display, fast performance, reliable cameras, and great battery life. It ended up being a solid alternative to the tiny Galaxy S22 with its unreliable battery and the excellent-but-pricey Galaxy S22+.
On the other hand, Samsung may have struggled to sell the phone with the promise of a newer S22 model only a month away. With a reliable mid-range option in the Galaxy A53 5G, Samsung may see the FE series as superfluous.
Or perhaps the brand simply wants to avoid committing itself to another Fan Edition phone until the chip shortage is resolved, to avoid any further delays and complications.
We heard recently that Samsung had cut its phone production estimates for 2022 by about 30 million. It's very possible the S22 FE would be one phone to fall victim to this change in strategy.
Whatever the reason, we'll have to wait and see whether the Galaxy S21 FE is truly the last entry-level flagship Samsung chooses to sell, or if we should remain excited for a Mediatek-backed S22 FE.
The last Fan Edition phone?
Unsatisfied with the Galaxy S22? The S21 FE offers a larger screen, a lower price, a better battery, and the same number of Android OS updates, without falling too far behind on performance. Fans of Samsung phones won't be disappointed.
