The mobile world continues to evolve rapidly, and Chinese giant Xiaomi is not going to give up its position, with plans to release an impressive line of devices in 2022. Consumers are looking forward not only to updating the flagship Xiaomi 12 series, but also to the emergence of new models in more affordable segments under the brands of Redmi and POCO. This year, the company is betting on the integration of the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, improved cooling systems and revolutionary improvements in mobile photography.
Analysis of leaks and official teasers suggests that the range of devices will cover all price niches, from budget workhorses to premium camera phones with ceramic casings, each user will be able to find the right solution. Special attention is paid to screens: technology AMOLED High refresh rates are becoming standard even for the middle class.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what smartphones are expected to be in the near future, compare their specifications and determine which model will be the bestseller of the year.
Xiaomi 12 flagship series: new performance standards
The highlight of the year will be the launch of the Xiaomi 12 series, which will replace the eleventh generation, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a 4nm process chipset that will deliver a tremendous performance boost in games and artificial intelligence tasks compared to its predecessors.
The lineup is expected to consist of three main models: the base, Pro and Ultra.The base version will likely get a compact body, which will be rare for modern Android flagships. The screens of all devices will support LTPO technology, which allows you to dynamically change the refresh rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz to save battery power.
The engineers have focused on cooling, and in a high-powered processor, overheating is a major problem, so the design will use a multi-layer system of graphite and liquid heat sink, and the camera will also receive significant improvements, including the new Samsung GN5 sensor or Sony IMX800 with optical stabilization.
⚠️ Warning: Early batches of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processors may have increased power consumption, so don’t expect record autonomy from compact versions of smartphones in the first months of sales.
Mid-segment: Redmi Note 12 and K50
The most massive market segment in 2022 will be captured by the smartphones of the Redmi Note 12 and Redmi series K50 (The latest will be released in China, but often affects global releases. POCO). These devices traditionally offer features close to the flagship, but at a much more affordable price. 2K series-model K50.
In the base models of the Note 12, the manufacturer will likely retain the time-tested Snapdragon 600 series processors or switch to the new MediaTek Dimensity chips. The main trump card will remain the charging speed: even in the middle segment, power supplies with a capacity of 67 watts and above become the standard, allowing you to charge the device completely in less than 40 minutes.
The design of the devices will also change, the camera unit will become more protruding, and the back panel can be made of eco-skin or matte plastic that mimics glass, which will reduce the weight of the gadget and improve the tactile sensation when used without a case.
- 📱 Expected resolution of the main camera in the Redmi Note 12 Pro will be 108 MP with improved optics.
- ⚡ Support for fast charging up to 120 watts in the top versions of the series K50.
- 📺 Use of the AMOLED-120 Hz matrices in all models of the line.
- 🔊 Stereo speakers with support for Dolby Atmos will become the standard for the entire model range.
For users choosing a device in this segment, it is important to pay attention to the type of memory. In 2022, the de facto standard is becoming UFS 3.1 memory, which provides high speed read and write data, which is critical for fast interface and heavy applications.
☑️ What to look for when choosing a mid-segment
Budget Solutions: Redmi 12 and Series A
In the affordable smartphone category, Xiaomi plans to release an updated line of Redmi 12 (or Redmi 11 in some regions) and a series of Redmi A. These devices are aimed at users who need a reliable phone for everyday tasks: calls, instant messengers and watching videos.
The focus here is on the balance of price and quality, and even in the budget segment in 2022, you will find a new product. IPS-High-brightness screens and protective glass, such as Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The processors are likely to belong to the MediaTek Helio line or the initial Snapdragon 4-series.
An important feature of the 2022 budget will be the presence of a fingerprint scanner built into the power button and face unlock, although the speed of these systems is inferior to flagship counterparts, for a basic level of security, they are enough.
⚠️ Note: Budget models often use a slower 5.1 type of eMMC memory instead of a smaller one. UFS. This can affect the speed of application installation and overall responsiveness of the system when multitasking.
The design of the devices will be as utilitarian as possible, but with elements of the style of older models, and often in this category you can find gradient colors that visually make the phone more expensive than it really is.
Black Shark and POCO F4 gaming smartphones
The Black Shark sub-brand (linked to Xiaomi) and the POCO F series (particularly the F4 GT model) will have a powerful hardware in 2022, with the main goal of providing stable FPS in heavy-duty games like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile.
A key feature of these smartphones will be the triggers on the body, which are physical or ultrasonic buttons located on the side of the phone that allow you to use the phone as a full-fledged gamepad, which gives you a competitive advantage in first-person shooters.
The cooling system in the game models will be the most advanced, with active fans (in some versions) and huge copper plates expected to be used, and screens will have ultra-high sensor survey rates, up to 720 Hz, which provides instant feedback to touch.
Do I need a separate cooler for a gaming smartphone?
The battery in gaming smartphones will also have increased capacity, often from 4,500mAh to 5,000mAh, with support for ultra-fast charging to minimize device downtime.
Comparison of characteristics of expected models
To better understand the variety of models that will be released in 2022, we have prepared a summary table that will help you quickly compare the key parameters of different lines and understand which smartphone is right for you.
| Characteristics | Xiaomi 12 Pro | Redmi Note 12 Pro | POCO F4 GT | Redmi 12 (Budget) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | MediaTek Dimensity 1200 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | MediaTek Helio G85 |
| Screen. | AMOLED, 120Hz, 2K | AMOLED, 120 Hz, FHD+ | AMOLED, 120 Hz, FHD+ | IPS, 90 Hz, FHD+ |
| Main camera. | 50 MP (Sony IMX766) | 108 MP | 64 MP | 50 MP |
| Charging. | 120 W. | 67 W. | 120 W. | 33 Watts |
| Case material | Glass/Pottery | Glass/Plastic | Glass/Plastic | Plastic. |
And you can see from the table that even in the mid-range, manufacturers are not saving on screen refresh rates, making 120Hz the standard, but the difference in case materials and processors remains significant between device classes.
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When comparing cameras, look not only at the number of megapixels, but also at the size of the sensor and the presence of optical stabilization (OIS), which is more important than just high resolution of the matrix.
Software and support for MIUI 13/14
All new Xiaomi phones coming in 2022 will run the MIUI 13 shell based on Android 12, and by the end of the year is expected to upgrade to Android 13 and MIUI 14.This software brings new personalization features, improved privacy protection and optimized memory.
One of the key features of the new firmware version will be a more flexible widget system and the ability to deep customize the interface, users will be able to create their own themes without resorting to third-party launchers, and improved work with application windows for devices with large screens.
Xiaomi promises to provide security patches for 3-4 years for flagship models and 2-3 years for mid-range devices, which makes buying a new smartphone more profitable in the long run.
⚠️ Note: Global firmware versions may receive updates later than Chinese ones. If you are critically important to the latest version of Android on the day of release, consider this factor or consider flashing it (which may void the warranty).
To check for updates, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and click on the system logo. If the update is available, the system will prompt you to download and install it.
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Long-term software support and regular security updates are one of the main arguments in favor of buying Xiaomi mid- and high-end smartphones in 2022.