As 2022 draws to a close, we take a look at the highlights of the smartphone industry this year. Some manufacturers pushed the envelope, others rode the 5G wave, and few others took the tried and true route. Some technical changes may not be apparent now, but could become mainstream in the next 12 months or more. This is our brand-wise highlight of the new technologies and developments in the smartphone industry in 2022.
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Apple
Apple dropped notch display and ‘mini’ phone series and launched ‘dynamic island’ with its iPhone 14 Pro series. The move seems half-hearted as the base iPhone 14 models still use a notch display and an A15 processor. But the phone’s transformation was visible in the Pro version’s lens setup. For the first time, Apple used a 48 MP main lens, replacing the 12 MP sensor. Although Apple introduced crash detection and satellite navigation in iPhone Series 14, the features are not available in all markets.
Asus
The laptop maker introduced its 6th generation Asus ROG phones in June. It was launched commercially much later. The Taiwanese brand undoubtedly makes hardcore gaming phones and the ROG Phone 6 series is no less. The ROG Phone 6 has great haptics, a 165Hz panel and massive battery life to meet whatever gaming needs you might have. Despite these brilliant features, the Asus ROG Phone 6 came late to the party this year.
Google
The search giant was very pleased with India and launched three smartphones in 2022: Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, after a break of 2 years. With its growing Pixel ecosystem, Google wants to assert its presence in the premium segment, but it has shrunk from launching the Pixel Watch and Tablet in India. The search giant’s TWS is yet another emerging segment that Google is targeting with its Pixel earbuds.
Lava
Probably the only surviving Indian smartphone brand has made an effort to stay alive in the China-dominated market by launching Blaze in various formats. There’s the Blaze 5G which is said to be the cheapest 5G smartphone on the market today, and the Blaze Pro with a 50MP main lens.
Lava also focused on customizing the phones and easy availability of services after purchase by bringing Lava Agni phone and along with the Agni Mitra or auxiliary manager.
Samsung
The standard bearer of foldable phones launched the 4th generation of flexible phones in two form factors. Before that, the South Korean electronics giant came up with the flagship smartphones of the Galaxy S22 series, with Ultra being the leader of the tribe.
Samsung will look to further extend its foldable dominance in 2023 by introducing new form factors, while the upcoming Galaxy S23 series promises to bring new technology. We also hope that the mass production of the foldable phones can lower prices and boost adoption.
Opposite
Oppo was the only smartphone brand to register positive shipments in the third quarter of 2022, while the rest of the players bite the dust. The Chinese smartphone brand kept its focus on the Reno series as it experimented with its first foldable phone.
Chances are that Oppo will bring its foldable smartphone to India in 2023 and thus compete with Samsung’s foldable phones. The brand is also aggressive on VR goggles and other AIoT devices likely to go commercial next year.
vivo
Betting on the association of Zeiss, Vivo introduced the X80 series with fanfare in 2022. The BBK smartphone brand will continue to expand this partnership with its upcoming X90 series phone.
With its manufacturing facility based in Greater Noida, Vivo plans to start exporting smartphones from India in 2023. Under pressure from enforcement authorities, the brand kept a low profile in the country. Once the proud title sponsor of IPL, Vivo could also bring its foldable phone next year. The iQOO sub-brand continued to be a popular choice in the gaming realm.
OnePlus
OnePlus started the year 2022 with OnePlus 10 Pro and expanded its branding with Hasselblad. It largely relied on the Nord series and thus launched successive phones under this series. Not just phones, Nord smartwatch also made its debut in 2022. The Chinese brand also pushed its range of affordable smart TVs and ended the year by venturing into the monitor space.
Realme
Realme stuck in the budget and mid-range segment and competed with Xiaomi. The brand experimented with new technology, such as a 150W fast charger, and focused on design collaboration.
Xiaomi
A year that Xiaomi would like to forget. Xiaomi, accused of royalty evasion and financial irregularities, continued to fight the perception problem through the agencies. The Chinese smartphone brand, which had been operating in India alongside other BBK brands for eight years, was not given much time to focus on smartphones due to undue pressure and account freezes. Manu Kumar Jain’s quiet departure from the Indian biz also raised questions. The head of the company, Raghu Reddy, also stepped down at the end of 2022.
Despite all this, Xiaomi brought tablets, phones under Redmi and Poco in 2022 and maintained its online lead in the country. Xiaomi could also splash in the foldable pool in 2023, bringing its own version in the form of Mix Fold 2.
Nothing
The London-based tech startup launched its first smartphone, Nothing Phone 1, in the summer of 2022, and ended the year with the launch of a design-heavy TWS, Ear Stick. The Phone 1 was one of the flashiest phones launched to date with a Glyph interface and transparent design. With three products to date, Nothing will expand the portfolio in 2023 and potentially enter new segments with the theme of ‘transparent’.
