Last year, Apple finally released iPhone 13 Pro with a 1TB storage option. Samsung has long been rumored to have similar plans for its flagship handset, the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and now a leaker has thrown his weight behind this claim.
There's only one problem — the 1TB Galaxy S22 Ultra may not be an option in your area.
“Can confirm 1TB Galaxy S22 Ultra is a thing,” tweeted WinFuture’s Roland Quandt. “Though not for all markets.”
Unfortunately, that was explicit as Quandt would prove to be, although later he added that “my info is for specific European markets” when discussing which color options will get the 1TB version. (“All of them,” apparently.) We’d imagine the US would be treated to the 1TB model, but that’s pure speculation.
my info is for specific European markets,but you'll likely be able to get that Burgundy 1TB variant some way or the other in the US.February 6, 2022
Of course, if correct, this won’t be the first time Samsung has released a 1TB version of its phones. Samsung pioneered a 1TB option with the Galaxy S10 Plus — a model that was only available via the company’s website — but then reverted to 512GB as the top option for the Galaxy S20 and S21.
Back for good?
That was a curious step backward for a company that typically improves each and every spec year on year, and suggests that the 1TB S10 Plus may simply not have sold very well. But there are two very good reasons to suggest that a 1TB Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra may fare better.
The first is simply that the passage of time means that larger storage options have become more normalized. When Samsung was first pushing the 1TB S10 in 2019, it’s worth remembering that you could still buy a 64GB iPhone 11, and even Galaxy S handsets started at 128GB. Larger capacities are simply the norm nowadays, and 1TB doesn’t seem quite as extreme as it did three years ago.
The second is that 1TB was overkill for the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus for a reason that likely won’t apply for the S22 Ultra — that older phone had a microSD card slot. That meant that the S10 Plus could be upgraded to a ludicrous 1.5TB if you wanted, but more importantly buyers of the 512GB model could match the 1TB edition for a fraction of the price by using the expandable storage.
Last year, Samsung removed the microSD card slot from the Galaxy S21, and assuming the trend continues in 2022, a larger capacity phone is a sensible way of compensating.
We’ll find out all the key details soon. Samsung is set to unveil its three Galaxy S22 handsets at an Unpacked event on February 9. As always, we’ll have all the key details and analysis here on the day, so check back in if you’re not planning on tuning in live.
