Samsung phones with parts made from fishing nets

By: Aryaman Bhatia, Science and Tech editor, The Pawprint 

Samsung has unveiled a new line of Galaxy smartphones with enhanced cameras and the possibility of a stylus.

The company promoted the use of recyclable materials including reused fishing nets and old water bottles.

Its “Galaxy for the Planet” initiative is a five-year goal to remove plastics in packaging and avoid manufacturing waste from ending up in landfills.

The ecological idea was applauded by experts.

The nylon fishing nets are converted into polyamide resin pellets, which are then utilized to make brackets that keep the volume and power keys in place. Components are also made from discarded water bottles and CD cases.

According to Forrester analyst Thomas Husson, the company’s green strategy still has “much to do.”

“Most people nowadays have no idea how harmful it is to the environment to replace their smartphone hardware on a frequent basis. When they realize this, sustainability will become a fundamental differentiator among luxury smartphone companies.”

Ben Wood, chief analyst at research company CCS Insight, said it was promising to see Samsung speak about its efforts to enhance product sustainability, but that the most important thing phone makers can do for the environment is to build long-lasting smartphones.

“Using recycled materials is only one component of the puzzle,” he explained.

According to CCS Insights’ study, it is becoming more difficult to persuade consumers to update their phones, with the top reason for getting a new device being that a current phone is broken.

The S22 and S22+ include a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera with 3x optical zoom. The back camera of the S22 Ultra has 108 megapixels with 10x optical zoom.

The extra-high-resolution sensor was created by Samsung, but it was originally shown by Chinese business Xiaomi in 2019, when it introduced the functionality in its Mi CC9 Pro Premium cellphone.

Samsung included a pen – the S-Pen – with the S22 Ultra, which was previously only available for its Note devices and its foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold 3.

“The Galaxy S22 Ultra will satisfy the legions of Note device aficionados who have proven to be a devoted audience for Samsung, but it may leave regular Galaxy S buyers scratching their heads, asking why they need a pen,” Mr Wood added.

Samsung also announced a new tablet range during the event. Its Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ tablets offer high-resolution displays, optional 5G connectivity, and S-Pens.

On March 11, the cellphones will be available for purchase in stores.