Mike Peterson
New renders and details of Samsung's rumored "Galaxy S21" flagship smartphone lineup have leaked, and they indicate the device could launch much earlier than usual in 2021.
Unlike Apple's fall iPhone launches, Samsung typically unveils new Galaxy devices in the first half of the year. The past two Galaxy S-series devices, for example, hit store shelves in March.
This year, according to prolific leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer of OnLeaks, the Galaxy flagships are set to debut in January 2021. Hemmerstoffer also published CAD renders of both the "Galaxy S21" and the "Galaxy S21 Ultra" on his Voice page, and also added some details about both of the Android devices.
The Galaxy S21. Credit: Steve Hemmerstoffer, OnLeaksThe standard "Galaxy S21," for example, sports a 6.2-inch OLED display with a hole-punch camera, a more uniform bezel design, and a new camera bump style. OnLeaks says the device will measure 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra. Credit: Steve Hemmerstoffer, OnLeaksSamsung's higher-tier "Galaxy S21 Ultra" will be larger and will feature four camera sensors in a much larger camera bump on the rear. Unlike the "Galaxy S21" flat display, Hemmerstoffer says that the Ultra model will feature a slightly curved screen. It'll measure 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm, but won't have a separate compartment for an S pen stylus.
Those features are largely in-line with expectations, and the earlier release date is the more interesting detail. A Korean-language MTN report from Thursday suggests that the Galaxy lineup in 2021 is entering production much earlier than expected. Hemmerstoffer corroborates that, and indicates that the new Galaxy devices will launch in the first month of 2021.
Apple unveiled its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro lineup in October, with the largest iPhone 12 Pro Max device due to launch in mid-November. That means that new iPhone models and Galaxy models will launch closer together than ever before.
It isn't clear why Samsung is pushing up the launch date for its new handsets, though it may be partly due to the later-than-usual launch of the iPhone 12 lineup. The South Korean phone maker could be attempting to steal some of Apple's typical market share in the post-holiday shopping season.
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12 Comments
Why would anyone buy a new Samsung flagship when it’s first released since 3 months after launch they are already on the heavy discount table.
I cared just enough to write this comment.
A desperation leak from Samsung.
”Customers ignored our new lineup... quick, leak next year’s phones to find out now if anyone likes them before we go into production!”
A potentially intelligent move by Samsung.
The S series phones are typically released around MWC in Barcelona.
We still don't know if that will even go ahead and its biggest rival has an estimated 10 million new 5nm chips ready to go. That stock could be gone by January leaving Samsung to reap the rewards (potentially) but it would also need something to better the 2020 Huawei P series flagships from around the cancelled MWC this year.
It would pose a direct challenge to both Apple and Huawei. Apple probably wont have another flagship unti the end of next year and We don't know what Huawei's short term plans are.
It would make very good sense to release a product in January. There is also a more conservative case against a January release but that is just another option that would have to be weighed up.