The Samsung Galaxy S21 is slated to arrive early next year, and there are plenty of leaks, rumours and tidbits surrounding what could be Samsung's best-ever smartphone.
It seems like only yesterday that the five-star Samsung Galaxy S20 hit stores, but time – and Samsung – wait for no one. The company launches a new Galaxy S series flagship phone every year like clockwork and nothing – not even a global pandemic, it seems – will blow the Galaxy S21 off course.
If the latest rumours are true, the Galaxy S21 family – the S21, 21 Plus and 21 Ultra – will be Samsung's fastest and thinnest phones yet. Users will be treated to a next-gen processor, a new camera and some ingenious features. There's even talk of Samsung repositioning the price of the S21 to tempt Samsung owners to upgrade.
As the excitement builds, let's take a look at the predicted Galaxy S21 features, release date, price and specs...
Samsung Galaxy S21: release date
Samsung's Galaxy 'S' phones typically launch around March time, so there's not long to wait. The past release dates for Samsung's Galaxy S handsets are as follows:
Samsung Galaxy S20: Friday 6th March 2020 Samsung Galaxy S10: Friday 8th March 2019 Samsung Galaxy S9: Friday 16th March 2018 Samsung Galaxy S8: Friday 21st April 2017
So, two guesses which day of the week the S21 will hit stores! Given that Samsung seems to be releasing its 'S' phones slightly earlier each year, there's a lot of speculation that the S21 will go on sale on Friday 5th March 2021.
Samsung is likely to announced the phone well before then, mind. The Samsung Galaxy S20 series was launched at the Samsung Unpacked event on 11th February 2020, before going on sale on 6th March.
According to a tweet by prolific leaker Jon Prosser (below), the Samsung Galaxy S21 could break cover as soon as 14th January 2021, with pre-orders opening the same day.
Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra 👀Announcement: January 14, 2021Pre-order: January 14, 2021Launch: January 29, 2021Black, White, Grey, Silver, Violet and PinkNovember 3, 2020
Samsung Galaxy S21: price
Like other tech titans, Samsung is dealing with the economic fallout of Covid-19. So while the firm has typically raised prices of its flagship 'S' phones each year, it's rumoured to be considering a price drop for the S21.
According to a tipster in South Korea (via @SamMobile), Samsung wants to sell the S21 between $850 and $899, probably translating to £800 or £850 (AU$1399). For comparison, the standard S20 launched at $999 (£899/AU$1499).
The rumoured S21 Plus model might come in between $1050 and $1099 – over $100 less than the current S20 Plus – while an S21 Ultra would set you back $1250 to $1299, rather than the $1399 (£1199/AU$1999) of the S20 Ultra.
Given that Apple recently launched its iPhone 12 mini at $699 (£699/AU$1199), Samsung will be keen to ensure that the Galaxy S21 is competitive.
Other reports have suggested that the S21 could cost more than the S20 because it's expected to be powered by a pricey new Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 chip.
Samsung Galaxy S21: display
In November, an extensive leak (via AndroidPolice) claimed to lay bare the Samsung S21 series. According to the report, there will be three models/screen sizes:
Samsung Galaxy S21: 6.2-inch FHD+ screen
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus: 6.7-inch FHD+ screen
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: 6.8-inch WQHD+ screen
All three devices are tipped to get 120Hz panels, but only the S21 Ultra is said to boast Samsung's 'adaptive refresh' LTPO panel, as found on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The tech would allow the S21 Ultra to deliver up to a 1600-nit peak brightness, 200 nits more than the S20 Ultra.
Samsung is supposedly planning to boost the contrast ratio by 33 per cent compared to the S20, too. Even if it doesn't, though, you can expect the S21 to feature one of the best displays of any smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy S21: design
Samsung is rumoured to have been working on the "perfect phone design" for over a year. It hasn't released any official information or images itself, but there are some reliable leaks that appear to show the S21 in all its glory.
The latest leaked renders, tweeted by tipster Ice Universe, show a device with insanely-thin (read: almost non-existent) bezels. If true, the face of the S21 would be an almost 100 per cent display.
There's also this YouTube video, created by digital artist Snoreyn, which shows off how the S21 would look if it adopted Samsung's patented 'blade' design. There's not a camera punch hole or a notch in sight.
However, most analysts believe Samsung won't switch to the futuristic 'blade' design for some time yet, meaning S21 will likely resemble a more refined version of the S20. Slimmer bezels, a matte glass back and a central punch hole are tipped to be the order of the day. The rear is likely to feature a protruding camera bump, similar to that of the iPhone 12.
And there's big debate over whether the screen will be flat or curved. Reliable leaker Ice Universe says he "firmly believes" the S21 will have a flat screen. He also claims that the rough dimensions of the Galaxy S21 will be 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm (9.0mm with the camera bump included). That would make the S21 a touch wider than the S20.
Finally, there's talk of the S21 Ultra offering S Pen support, which has been an exclusive feature of the company's large-screen Galaxy Note phone series. Apparently the S21 Ultra won't come with a stylus in the box, though; instead, Samsung is planning to sell cases that will store the S Pen on the body of the phone. Could the S21 spell curtains for the Galaxy Note series? We'll find out early next year.
Samsung Galaxy S21: cameras
Camera-wise, the Galaxy S21 Plus and Ultra models are tipped to stick with the same camera set-up as the S20, with a 12MP main sensor complemented by 12MP ultra-wide and 64MP telephoto lenses.
It seems you'll have to splash out on the Galaxy S21 Ultra if want Samsung's latest and greatest camera tech. The range-topping device is tipped to get a second-generation version of the 108MP sensor found in the S21 Ultra and Note 21 Ultra, plus a 3x optical telephoto sensor and a 10x optical telephoto sensor. That's quite the haul.
Samsung is also said to be keeping the faith with its 100x Space Zoom, which garnered a mixed response from S20 Ultra users. Apparently, the new 10x optical zoom – combined with laser autofocus – should solve any focus niggles.
The entire S21 range will no doubt support both 4K video capture at 60fps, as well as 8K at 30fps. The camera will automatically switch between 30fps and 60fps depending on light levels – just like the camera on the superb Google Pixel 5.
Samsung's may have some other camera tricks up its sleeve, too. There's talk of a dual recording mode that will allow you to record out of the front and rear cameras simultaneously. Clever... but perhaps slightly confusing. We look forward to the prospect of hearing more on this.
There's also (yet more) talk of an 'under-display' selfie camera, which would remove the need for a punch hole. These appear to be very same rumours that swirled around before the launch of the iPhone 12. They seem pretty far-fetched; as several analysts have pointed out, Samsung has prototyped an 'under-screen' camera, but it remains a tricky engineering challenge. What's more, Samsung is tipped to debut the feature in the forthcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Samsung Galaxy S21: features and specs
The Galaxy S21 could well get Qualcomm new Snapdragon 875 processor, a next-gen chip that should deliver a serious jump in performance.
Qualcomm's wondrous little chunk of silicon supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 and 5G. The S21 Ultra is even rumoured to be receiving Wi-Fi 6E support, which Samsung claims is twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6 (via AndroidPolice).
The S21 Plus and Ultra models could also benefit from Ultra Wideband Support (UWB), which could be used to support virtual car keys, a feature that uses NFC tech to automatically unlock vehicles when car owners are in near proximity. (As it stands, users are required to open an app or physically touch their phone against their car door handle to unlock it).
Battery life is in line for a modest boost. According to the AndroidPolice leak, the Galaxy S21 will boast a 4000mAh battery, the S21 Plus will harness a 4800mAh battery, and the S21 Ultra will unsurprisingly have the biggest of them all – a 5000mAh juicebox.
There are also rumours that the S21 could be the first Galaxy devices to take advantage of lightning quick 65W charging speeds, as seen on the newly-launched OnePlus 8T smartphone. To enjoy 65W charging you need a special charger, so It may be that only the S21 Ultra will come with the nippy new charger in the box.
Samsung Galaxy S20 vs Samsung Galaxy S21
Overall, the Galaxy S21 is shaping up to be decent improvement on the Galaxy S20.
If the leaks so far are on the money, it's set for a faster processor, the ability to record 8K at a higher frame rate (30fps vs 24fps), S Pen support, smarter camera software, a new optical zoom, thinner bezels, faster fast-charging and a brighter display.
Even better, it's rumoured that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S21 at a cheaper price than its predecessor. If that's the case, the S21 would be a welcome addition to 2021's pantheon of tech.
We'll be sure to let you know more as new leaks, news and reliable rumours emerge.
MORE:
Everything you need to know about the new iPhone 12 (2020)
Our guide to the best Android smartphones
Next-gen console war: PS5 vs Xbox Series X
The Link LonkDecember 07, 2020 at 04:31PM
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