Samsung's next-gen Galaxy S22 just had its first big leak - Android

Samsung hasn't launched a new flagship phone with a 3D ToF sensor since last year.

What you need to know

• Samsung's Galaxy S22 series phones will not feature 3D ToF sensors.
• The company apparently believes 3D ToF sensors do not offer any "clear advantages."
• The last Samsung flagship phone with a 3D ToF sensor was the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

According to South Korean publication ETNews, Samsung has decided not to equip its Galaxy S22 series phones with a 3D ToF sensor, as consumer response to its phones without 3D ToF sensors has been "not so bad."

The Galaxy S10 5G was Samsung's first flagship phone to include a 3D ToF sensor. Samsung used the tech on the Galaxy S20 Ultra as well, but ditched it for the Galaxy Note 20. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is one of the best Android phones on the market right now, doesn't include a 3D ToF sensor either.

Per the report, Samsung started considering using the tech once again after Apple added it to its iPhone 12 lineup last year. Ultimately, however, the South Korean tech giant decided against implementing the tech for the Galaxy S22 due to a "lack of clear advantages."

The move is expected to have a significant impact on Samsung's System LSI business, which unveiled its first ToF sensor in November last year to challenge Sony's dominance. Now that Samsung has lost interest in the tech, Samsung's System LSI division is expected to supply its ToF sensors to Chinese Android OEMs instead. 3D ToF sensors utilize infrared light to gather depth information for portrait images and also enable improved AR experiences.

While the Galaxy S22 may not have a 3D ToF sensor, rumors suggest it could arrive with a significant camera upgrade. Samsung is said to be working with Japanese camera brand Olympus for its next-gen flagship phones.