Samsung Galaxy S22 leak shows all three models for first time — and Ultra really stands out

We've gotten what appears to be our first look at the complete Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup. And with all three models line up side by side, the Galaxy S22 Ultra certainly looks different from the other upcoming phones. "Different" in this case does not necessarily mean better.

The two photos claiming to show off the trio of Galaxy S22 models comes from leaker Yogesh Brar, who tweeted out photos of the handsets in both black and white on Twitter. From left to right, we see what we can only assume are the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 based on the diminishing sizes of the three different models.

The black/white photos prevent us from getting the full effect of how the Galaxy S22 phones will look when they arrive in early 2022. Rumored color options for the S22 and S22 Plus include black, green, pink, gold and white, while the S22 Ultra is tipped to come in black, green, white and red versions. Still, even these photos give us some ideal of how the different S22 models will measure up in terms of size and design.

The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus look a lot alike with their triple camera arrays housed in a contour cut design. That's the same look Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S21 lineup this year, so it seems like next year's flagships will deliver some degree of continuity.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra pictured in these photos goes a different route. It looks a bit flatter than its counterparts, with less rounded edges. The camera array blends more seamlessly into the back of the phone and features a p-shaped array of lenses. Presumably, the extra cameras on the S22 Ultra include a second telephoto lens and a laser auto-focus sensor — the same as what the Galaxy S21 Ultra delivers.

All of this squares with what we've already heard about Samsung's design plans for the Galaxy S22 lineup. Reportedly, Samsung plans to make the Galaxy S22 Ultra more of a Galaxy Note-like device — there's even a rumor the phone will be called the Galaxy S22 Note. Meanwhile, the S22 and S22 Plus are expected to be mirror images of each other, save for the fact that the Plus will have a larger display.

That said, the Galaxy S22 Ultra/S22 Note seen in Brar's posted pictures looks a little staid compared to the other S22 design. Perhaps a pop of color will help liven up that phone's look and feel, but based on this glance, it seems Samsung is serious about treating its Ultra model as a productivity-boosting handset aimed at power users. 

Rumored features for the phones would certainly back up that theory. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to ship with a built-in S Pen, similar to the Galaxy Note phablets of previous years. Meanwhile, the S22 and S22 Plus figure to see camera improvements, as Samsung boosts the main and telephoto lenses on those two phones.

We won't have to wait long to find out if these photos are the genuine article. The Galaxy S22 family is expected to make its debut in February 2022.