Samsung Galaxy S21: Release Date & Feature Rumours
30 October 2020
Will Samsung’s new handset be able to contend with the mighty iPhone 12? Read on to find out more...
When will the Samsung Galaxy S21 be released?
Judging by other recent Samsung releases, we reckon we’ll get a Galaxy S21 announcement in late February, and an official launch on the 5th of March 2021.
However, due to the global pandemic, Samsung could be behind schedule by around a month (similar to Apple who recently delayed the launch of the new iPhone), so we might not see it hit the shelves until the 2nd of April.
How many versions will there be?
There’ll most likely be three versions of the Galaxy S21. Here are our predictions regarding the names, starting prices, and handset sizes:
- Samsung Galaxy S21 (from £849), 6.1 inches
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus (from £949), 6.8 inches
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (from £1,149), 7.0 inches
While some think the new Galaxy will be called the S21, we believe Samsung is more likely to follow Huawei’s lead and continue jumping by increments of 10 with the S series.
We also think the standard version of the S21 could be slightly smaller than the S20, following the growing trend of top mobile brands offering compact versions as entry-level premium devices. We’d welcome this, as not everyone’s keen on massive mobiles.
Starting prices could drop a little compared to last year too, partly down to the limited physical changes to the devices and the fact that the 5G technology Samsung introduced to the S range last year is likely to be used again in the new handsets. Fingers crossed, anyway!
What new features will they have?
Unlike Apple, who completely changed the style and structure of their latest handsets, we think Samsung is likely to focus on improved performance in 2021.
In terms of aesthetics, it’ll probably look a lot like the S20. However, judging by some credible leaks, the raised area on the back could be flattened to give all versions of the handset a sleeker profile. We found it a little bit annoying the last versions couldn’t be laid flush against a surface when used without a case, so we’d definitely welcome that change.
Of course, it’ll have a fancy new chipset, but if the rumours about the introduction of a mind-meltingly powerful Exynos 1000 processor are true, it could be three times faster than the S20. That would be a *startling* increase. Watch this space.
The rear-facing cameras are likely to have an extra sensor and an advanced ultra-wide lens added too, and it’ll also have improved 8K video recording capabilities - with optimised compression allowing you to store far more ultra-high-def footage on the devices. Great for budding cinematographers!
In terms of the front-facing camera, Samsung hasn’t been able to develop the tech to hide it behind the display yet, but the size of the punch-hole on the S21 will likely be significantly reduced compared to previous versions. While it was hardly intrusive on the S20; the smaller the better, right?
The two most expensive versions of the S21 (the Plus and Ultra) could come with a stylus, and since the rumoured increased size of these handsets pushes them even further into ‘phablet’ territory, that’d make a lot of sense.
While there’s word that Samsung could follow Apple’s lead and stop providing earphones and chargers for free with their handsets, we think it’s more likely that that’ll happen further down the line with either the S40 or S50.
Will it be worth an upgrade?
Based on our current predictions, the big leap in performance could make it a worthwhile investment for anyone looking for a new premium android phone. However, we’d say, if you got your hands on the S20 this year, you might not notice as much of a jump as you would coming from other devices.
One thing’s for sure, it’ll be one of the most powerful phones on the market, and we can’t wait to see what new features will be confirmed in the coming weeks and months.
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