Samsung may slip a flagship camera feature in future Galaxy A series phones

Samsung’s mid-range smartphones could gain a welcome camera performance boost in 2022. According to a report from Korea, the company will apparently roll out optical image stabilization (OIS) to its entire Galaxy A series next year.

Per The Elec (h/t Sleepy Kuma), the 2022 follow-ups to the Galaxy A42, Galaxy A32, and Galaxy A22 5G are in line for the upgrade alongside 48MP and 64MP sensors. This would bring their cameras in line with the more premium Galaxy A52, range-topping Galaxy A72, and rivals from other firms like the OnePlus Nord 2.

OIS is a feature we regularly see on pricier smartphones and provides some physical protection for the sensor against bumps and wobbles when capturing images. It’s also important for low-light photography, where small movements and long exposures can result in muddy, streaky shots. With OIS, the Galaxy A series should pack a much-improved imaging pedigree.

More reading: What is image stabilization? OIS, EIS, and HIS explained.

For budget phones, OIS could have its drawbacks, though. It’ll likely add some meat to the phones’ pricing. Arguably, this shouldn’t put off potential buyers or upgraders granted the series’ imaging quality is noticeably improved.

So when could Samsung launch its first 2022 Galaxy A model with OIS? The company usually debuts Galaxy A devices between its flagship launches, but we have a precedent. The company launched the Galaxy A32 in February 2021 and its predecessor a year prior, so it’s possible we could see its OIS-toting successor in a few months. The A22, however, made its debut a few months later. As the Galaxy A42 made its debut near the end of 2020, its successor probably has the best chance of being the first to market.