It appears that Samsung is done with the “FE” lineup of budget flagships. According to a report from SamMobile that cites multiple sources, Samsung has shelved plans for a watered-down version of the Galaxy S22 that would have hit store shelves as the Galaxy S22 FE in the coming months.
More importantly, Samsung promised that it would launch Fan Editions for Galaxy S flagships in the years to come. Making good on its promise, the company launched a second iteration with the Galaxy S21 FE just a few weeks before the Galaxy S22 line’s debut. Again, a few corners were cut, but the Galaxy S21 FE proved to be a fairly compelling package without any serious compromises.
The route here is to process the report with a fair bit of skepticism, but it also makes some sense. Samsung has been porting over flagship features to its Galaxy A-series phones in the A7 and A5 series with full steam in the past couple of years. The most recent outings — the Galaxy A73 and Galaxy A53 — actually left a good impression thanks to capable specs and competitive pricing.
An appealing formula Samsung’s formula of putting a flagship chip, powerful camera, and clean software — all neatly packed up in premium design without nuking buyer’s wallets — was quite appealing. Apple has been doing the same with its SE line of iPhones, albeit at a much lower price and with more glaring compromises.