Samsung officially confirms Galaxy S21 event for January 14th

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Samsung officially confirms Galaxy S21 event for January 14th

Ring in 2021 with Samsung’s latest smartphones

 

 

Samsung will officially be announcing its latest lineup of Galaxy flagship phones — rumored to be the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra — on January 14th, the company confirmed through invitations to a new Galaxy Unpacked event. The tagline: “Welcome to the Everyday Epic.” The event will kick off at 7AM PT / 10AM ET.

 

The company is widely expected to announce three new smartphones at the event, successors to last year’s Galaxy S20 lineup: a pair of matching S21 and S21 Plus phones (that are expected to be largely similar, except for size), and a more premium S21 Ultra model that will offer even better specs and cameras, similar to its 2020 counterpart, in addition to a curved display and support for Samsung’s S-Pen stylus.

 

There’s not a lot to glean from the event teaser video you can watch at the top of this post, which appears to simply be the Galaxy S21’s camera module floating inside a translucent cube. But practically every detail of these new phones already seems to have leaked, including sharper animated GIFs of what those modules should look like:

 

Image: Android Police

 

Below, find links to just a few of the earlier Galaxy S21 rumors and leaks we’ve written about:

 

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Samsung also appears to have a new Tile competitor on the way for tracking lost items, and a set of Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earbuds. We wouldn’t be surprised if one or both appeared alongside the new phone lineup.

 

 

Source: Samsung officially confirms Galaxy S21 event for January 14th

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Everything we know about Samsung's Galaxy S21 so far

2021's first flagships are coming soon. Here's what you need to know.

 

2020 is thankfully in the rearview mirror, which means — among other things — a year of new hardware to look forward to. While we'd normally have to wait a little longer for news of high-profile smartphone launches, 2021 is already shaping up to be different. For whatever reason, Samsung is planning to unveil its latest flagship devices very soon, so to prepare, we've collected everything we know about them right here. 

 

This story was first published on January 1st, and last updated on the same day.

When will Samsung show these things off?

Samsung hasn't announced when its next Unpacked event will take place, but we're fairly sure we know anyway. Thanks to our friends at Android Authority (and a particularly helpful Samsung India employee), we're all but sure the company will show off its latest smartphones on January 14th, with a global release to follow weeks later. Among other things, that means Unpacked coincides with the last official day of CES 2021. Suffice to say, it's going to be a busy day around here.

 

In case you aren't naturally attuned to Samsung's product launches, this timing (like just about everything else going on) is highly unusual. Traditionally, the company announces its first flagship phones in late February or March, around the time of Mobile World Congress. Be it because of accelerated production schedules, the fact that MWC has been pushed to June, or other factors we're not aware of, Samsung is planning to get its next flagship out the door far earlier than usual. It’s probably hoping that extra lead time equates to more sales before the rest of 2021's similarly specced devices are released, but we'll have to see how that goes.

 

Image credit: OnLeaks

What do we know about the Galaxy S21?

Well, to start, we know it's called the Galaxy S21. For a while, many of us expected Samsung to jump to S30, but that's definitely not what's happening this year.

 

As usual, the Galaxy S21 is Samsung's smallest flagship phone, and it got a slight makeover this year. The changes are most notable when you view the device from the rear: the all-black camera humps that debuted in last year's S20 series have been replaced by more elegant housings that blend into the S21's metal frame. (The phone nerd community quickly dubbed this the Phantom of the Opera design, and who are we to argue?) As a result, some of the S21's new color options look a lot cooler than others; the black and pink models have metal frames that match their bodies, while the white and purple models have eye-catching silver and bronze trim, respectively.

 

 

Meanwhile, the cameras themselves seem quite close to the ones we got in last year's non-Ultra Galaxy S20s. WinFuture's Roland Quandt notes the main 12-megapixel rear sensor offers an f/1.8 aperture and a 79-degree field of view, just like last time, and the phone's 12-megapixel ultra-wide and 10-megapixel front camera seem similarly unchanged. The one difference Quandt points out has to do with the S21's 64-megapixel telephoto camera: Samsung's chosen sensor seems to be a little smaller than last year, but the light-capturing pixels are reportedly the same size. 

 

The front of the S21 is as sparse as ever, but there are a few interesting things to note about the 6.2-inch, 120Hz Infinity-O display. For one, it uses an LTPS backplane which — long story short — allows for either lower power consumption or higher resolutions. Curiously, a detailed leak provided by AndroidPolice claims the Galaxy S21's display only runs at Full HD+, which would make this year's display quite a bit less pixel-dense compared to the ones we saw last year. If these reports hold up, then it's clear Samsung wanted to squeeze as much life as it could out of the S21's reported 4,000mAh battery. 

 

Multiple reports also suggest Samsung is finally giving up on its use of curved-edge displays, and we're frankly happy to see them go. If you've ever accidentally launched an app or clicked a link with the side of your hand while stretching your thumb to reach for something, this is good news for you.

 

The Galaxy S21 will come in four colors, and the best is clearly pink. Evan Blass/@evleaks

 

In the past, we've occasionally seen Samsung use Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets in all versions of a particular smartphone, like the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Don't expect that here, though. While an FCC leak confirms the US version of the S21 will use Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 888 chipset, some variants sold outside the US will instead pack Samsung's Exynos 2100. 

 

In other years, that would come as troubling news to some of the company's biggest fans, since Exynos-powered devices are frequently outgunned by their Qualcomm variants, but some early benchmarks suggest Samsung might have actually turned the tables this time. Granted, these kinds of tests don't speak to the totality of the smartphone experience, but the results are promising at least. And beyond the different chips powering the S21, you can expect to see similar configurations just about everywhere. We're expecting Samsung's small flagship to come with 12GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

 

Oh, and one more thing: Samsung may give people the option of using Google's Discover feed on their homescreens instead of the company's lookalike. Not everyone will find this change all that interesting, but it's great news for Google purists who prefer the search giant's intelligent reminders and customized content picks. 

 

S21+ ?

i never leak images,
but a friend sent me these, so hey.. pic.twitter.com/npjamUSlTh

— Mauri QHD (@MauriQHD) December 29, 2020

 

What about the Galaxy S21 Plus?

Apart from the obvious size difference, the S21 and S21 Plus look identical. WinFuture

 

Just like last year, the S21 Plus is shaping up to be (what else?) a bigger version of the standard S21. The only differences we're expecting to see are fairly obvious ones, like a larger 6.7-inch screen also running at Full HD+ and a more capacious battery. Otherwise, expect the same RAM and internal storage allotments, the same cameras, the same new design — the list goes on. That said, the S21 Plus might not come in that charming pink-on-pink color scheme which has us a little bummed.

 

Conventional logic would suggest that, based on specs, the S21 Plus has the potential to be the most popular. After all, it nicely splits the difference between Samsung’s most affordable and most premium new models. Then again, Samsung felt the same going into 2020, but more people gravitated toward the highest-end model instead. 

 

Image credit: Evan Blass/@evleaks

And the Galaxy S21 Ultra?

Samsung went all-out with its first Ultra smartphone last year, and that idea doesn't seem to be going anywhere. The Galaxy S21 Ultra shares a chipset and design with the other two models, but there’s plenty here to set it apart from its siblings. 

 

For one, this year’s Ultra is once again the largest device in the pack — its reported 5,000mAh battery and 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display should ensure this thing is a handful. And while we’re talking about the screen, WinFuture’s dutiful leaks all but confirm the Ultra is the sole version of the S21 with a 120Hz Quad HD display (one covered in Gorilla Glass Victus, no less). 

 

WinFuture

 

And then there are the cameras, of which there are many. The standard S21 and the S21 Plus come with four. As for the Ultra, it bumps the camera count to five, including a 40-megapixel front camera, a 12-megapixel, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and — once again — a 108-megapixel main camera. Despite looking a lot like last year’s flagship photo sensor on paper, expect it to work at least a little better; in addition to using a wider lens, WinFuture also reports this camera should produce better photos. (Exactly how that works is as yet unclear.)

 

What’s really odd this time, though, is that Samsung appears to have gone with two separate 10-megapixel telephoto cameras: one with a 3x optical zoom range, and another with a 10x range. (Thankfully, both also feature optical image stabilization.) We haven’t seen any Space Zoom branding so far, but it’s probably a safe bet that Samsung is bringing back some of its super-long-range shooting features. The big question, just like last time, is whether they’re actually worth using. 

 

Rounding out the package is a laser autofocus sensor, a component that appeared for the first time in last year’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for good reason. Remember: last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra launched with some potentially deal-breaking camera issues, including some of the worst low-light autofocus we’d seen in a long time. That didn’t stop it from becoming the company’s early best-seller, but with devices like Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro Max pushing the envelope in camera performance, Samsung can’t afford to fall short again this time. (That’s especially true when you consider that many people are shying away from expensive new phones right now.) 

 

Chris Velazco/Engadget

What about the S Pen?

Samsung’s S Pen started off as a simple stylus for the Galaxy Note series, but it’s come a long way. With the addition of a tiny capacitor and Bluetooth radio a few years ago, the S Pen is now as good for wirelessly controlling a Galaxy Note as it is for jotting down your grocery list. And at long last, you’ll be able to use the S Pen with a phone that isn’t a Galaxy Note.

 

Persistent rumors — and now an FCC filing — strongly suggest that the Galaxy S21 Ultra has the needed hardware to play nice with the company’s smart stylus. That doesn’t mean you’ll get one in the box, though. S Pens will reportedly be sold separately, alongside cases that have a spot to stow the stylus since you can’t squeeze it inside the phone Note-style. If there are any further differences in S Pen usability between the S21 Ultra and a Galaxy Note, we haven’t heard of any, but update this story as we learn more. 

How can I make sure I get one?

Given the popularity of Samsung’s flagship phones and the company’s tremendous production chops, we really don’t expect you’ll have any trouble getting your hands on one come launch. That said, if you don’t want to leave anything to chance, you can basically save yourself a spot in the pre-order line right now by registering on Samsung’s website.

 

 

Source: Everything we know about Samsung's Galaxy S21 so far

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What to expect from Samsung’s Galaxy S21 event

Three new phones, new earbuds, and an item tracker

 

The rumored Galaxy S21 Ultra lineup.  Image: WinFuture

 

Samsung’s next Unpacked event will kick off on January 14th at 10AM ET, and thanks to copious leaks, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the big day.

 

Samsung is widely expected to announce its next lineup of flagship phones, which will likely be called the S21, S21 Plus, and the S21 Ultra. The S21 Ultra is rumored to have top-of-the-line specs, cameras, and, in a first for an S-model Galaxy phone, support for Samsung’s S Pen stylus. The S21 and S21 Plus are expected to have similar specs but differentiate in size.

 

A new set of true wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Pro, and a Tile-like item tracker, the Galaxy SmartTag, also seem like a lock. Rumors about both products have hit the web recently, and they each showed up in a leaked preorder ad for the S21 Ultra. And of course, Samsung may surprise us with things that we don’t know about yet.

 

Here’s the rundown of what we think we know so far.

SAMSUNG’S GALAXY S21 ULTRA WILL SUPPORT THE S PEN STYLUS

The Galaxy S21 Ultra.

 Image: WinFuture

 

Let’s talk about the Ultra flagship first. The big new feature for the S21 Ultra is support for the S Pen stylus, as confirmed by Federal Communications Commission filings. However, the stylus is rumored to be an optional accessory, and the phone isn’t rumored to have a dedicated slot to store it, unlike the company’s Note series of phones. WinFuture posted images of an optional case that allows you to store the S Pen, though, so that might be a useful accessory to pick up to help you not lose the stylus. WinFuture also reports that the S Pen will cost just under €40, which translates to just under $49.

 

As for cameras, the Ultra will apparently have four back cameras, including 3X and 10X telephoto cameras, according to WinFuture. Both of those telephoto cameras are also expected to have optical image stabilization and a 10-megapixel resolution. The phone may also have Samsung’s 100X “Space Zoom” feature that first debuted in the Galaxy S20, reports Android Police.

 

The other two back cameras are rumored to be a 108-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and the selfie camera may be 40 megapixels. The phone could also have laser-assisted autofocus, something that was included with last year’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

 

You can get a closer look at the rumored camera setup for the Ultra in this leaked marketing image from leaker Evan Blass:

 

The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s rumored cameras.  Image: Evan Blass

 

The Ultra is also expected to have a 6.8-inch WQHD+ (3200 x 1440) resolution display, according to WinFuture. It’s also expected to support a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and leaker Ice Universe says the S21 Ultra may be able to run at that full WQHD+ resolution with the 120Hz refresh rate, something that the S20 Ultra couldn’t do.

 

The S21 Ultra is also rumored to support 5G networks, be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, have a 5,000mAh battery, and come with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage.

THE GALAXY S21 AND S21 PLUS WILL OFFER SIMILAR SPECS AT DIFFERENT SIZES

The rumored Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus.  Image: WinFuture

 

Samsung also plans to announce the Samsung S21 and S21 Plus, which won’t have quite as powerful specs as the Ultra.

 

The most obvious difference between the S21 and S21 Plus is a smaller camera module. The two phones are expected to have a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 64-megapixel telephoto lens, reports WinFuture. And both phones will reportedly have a 10-megapixel selfie camera.

 

Here’s a better look at the cameras on the S21, thanks to another leaked marketing render from Blass:

 

The Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus’ rumored camera setups.  Image: Evan Blass

 

As for screens, the standard S21 is expected to have a 6.2-inch display with an FHD+ (2400 x 1080) resolution, while the S21 Plus is rumored to have a 6.7-inch screen with an FHD+ (2400 x 1080) resolution. Both are expected to support a 120Hz refresh rate screen as well, though it apparently won’t be an adaptive refresh rate, according to Android Police.

 

Like the Ultra, both the S21 and S21 Plus are expected to support 5G networks and be IP68-certified. They’re also expected to be offered with either 128GB or 256GB of storage. And depending on which model you buy, they’ll have different battery sizes: the smaller S21 is rumored to have a 4,000mAh battery, while the S21 Plus is expected to have a 4,800mAh battery.

 

Each phone is also rumored to have a different back cover material. The S21 could have a plastic back, while the S21 Plus may have a glass back, according to WinFuture.

THE S21 LINEUP MAY NOT INCLUDE A POWER CHARGER IN THE BOX

Samsung’s newest phones may take a cue from Apple by not including a charger in the box, according to WinFuture’s reports about the S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra. And the company recently deleted ads mocking Apple for not including a charger with the iPhone 12 lineup, lending credence to rumors that Samsung will be making a similar move.

 

While the decision could be a good one for the environment, keep in mind that if you’re thinking about picking up an S21, you may also need to consider purchasing a separate charging brick to go along with it.

THE NEW PHONES MAY RUN SAMSUNG’S ONE UI 3.1

Samsung’s S21 lineup may run One UI 3.1, and a video from YouTuber Jimmy is Promo reveals some of the features that could be coming in the new update.

 

 

The video, which apparently demonstrates One UI 3.1 running on the S21 Ultra, shows off a way to record from the front and rear cameras simultaneously, some of the S Pen features that work on the S21 Ultra, backgrounds for the call screen, the ability to select video resolution from the video recording screen, and more.

SAMSUNG’S NEW GALAXY BUDS PRO TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS COULD COMPETE WITH THE AIRPODS PRO

Samsung’s rumored Galaxy Buds Pro.  Image: Evan Blass

 

In addition to its S21 slate of phones, Samsung is also heavily rumored to announce a new set of true wireless earbuds called the Galaxy Buds Pro. Not only have they been revealed as a preorder freebie for the S21 Ultra in a leaked marketing render shared by Blass, but YouTuber Digital Slang has already posted a hands-on video and comparisons with the AirPods Pro and Samsung’s bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live.

 

 

The new earbuds are rumored to have active noise cancelation, an eight-hour battery life (up to 28 hours with the charging case), and an IPX7 water / sweat rating. You can see how the Galaxy Buds Pro compare to some of Samsung’s other true wireless earbuds in this leaked spec sheet from WalkingCat. The Galaxy Buds Pro may cost $199, making them a more affordable alternative to $249 Apple’s AirPods Pro.

SAMSUNG MAY LAUNCH ITS TILE-LIKE ITEM TRACKER CALLED THE GALAXY SMARTTAG

Image: 91mobiles

 

Samsung’s rumored new Tile-like Galaxy SmartTag will apparently use Bluetooth to connect with devices and share its location. The tag itself looks to be a small square with rounded corners and a loop at the top to make it easier to attach to things, as shown in photos posted on the website of Taiwan’s telecom regulator and shared by 91mobiles. The design in the photos also matches an image of the SmartTag in the leaked ad of preorder bonuses for the S21 Ultra.

 

It seems likely that the SmartTags will work with Samsung’s new SmartThings Find app, which lets you track the locations of your Galaxy devices, similar to Apple’s Find My app.

 

 

Source: What to expect from Samsung’s Galaxy S21 event