5G, fast screens, and more

In 2020 everything changed. With COVID-19, much of the world’s population had to be quarantined to prevent the virus from spreading. As a result, we have come to rely on video calls and social networks far more than ever. Our phones helped us stay connected, entertained, and distracted from the relative horrors of the world around us. Thankfully, mobile tech has accelerated innovation throughout the year despite the hellfire of 2020. The phone manufacturers didn’t drop the ball. In fact, many have crossed borders like never before.

With the end of the year (finally!) It is high time to look ahead. Here’s what you can expect from smartphones in 2021.

See also: 7 smartphone trends that should really stop in 2021

Affordable leaflets

Foldable phones are still an emerging product category. We made three major efforts in 2020 including the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Flip 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold 2, and the Motorola Razr 5G. Each of these phones had strengths and weaknesses, although we really liked the Z Fold 2. However, if there’s a common thread in the foldable phones category, the pricing is outrageous. The Z Flip and Razr 5G start at $ 1,400, and the Z Fold 2 is a brutal $ 1,980. The 2020 pamphlets were clearly not mass consumer goods.

On the way into 2021, we expect leaflets to become more affordable. That doesn’t mean they’ll be cheap. You can expect phones like the Z Fold 2 to keep their $ 2,000 prices. Instead, we’ll see new efforts falling into the upper mid-range with prices in the $ 800 to $ 1,000 range.

Connected: The best foldable phones you can get

“While most of the competition are building their first foldable, foldable, or rolling cell phones, Samsung is preparing its third generation foldable devices and promising to bring prices down,” said Avi Greengart, president, lead analyst at Techsponential. “Cheaper options help clarify how much consumers want their phones to change shape. Microsoft is also worth watching as it learns from its first-generation Surface Duo, and LG seems particularly keen to experiment. “

5G all along the line

Samsung was the first major phone maker to add 5G to its full range of high-end devices and much of its mid-range. The entire Galaxy S20 series had 5G on board – and the corresponding high price. Samsung later brought 5G to its cheaper devices, including the Galaxy A71 and Galaxy S20 FE. Apple, Google, Nokia and others followed as well as other manufacturers. At the end of 2020, the 5G rollout really began to begin.

For 2021 it is clear that more phones than ever will have 5G. We can thank Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 700 series chipsets for bringing the new connectivity standard to the mid-range. We should therefore expect the majority of mid-range phones to have 5G on board by next year. What is not yet clear is how far down the product map 5G will trickle. Google already has really affordable 5G phones like the Pixel 4a 5G. Will we see 5G in phones below $ 399? It is possible.

Continue reading: Here’s what’s next for 5G in 2021

5G is also going to be much faster. While mmWave 5G impresses with its raw performance, its limited availability means most people will be browsing the slower mid-band 5G.

“Phones that integrate Qualcomm’s X60 modem offer significantly faster Sub-6 5G speeds because they allow more flexibility in combining frequency bands,” said Greengart. “In the US, the impact will largely be limited to T-Mobile’s network through 2021, when the winners of the government’s mid-range auction can build on it. In the second half of 2021, when the pandemic subsides, real-world use cases for mmWave 5G may also emerge in crowded areas and stadiums. “

Fast (er) ads

If there was one trend that we saw and liked in 2020, it was the proliferation of faster displays. Leading phone manufacturers have increased the refresh rate of their screens from 60 Hz to 90 Hz, 120 Hz and even 144 Hz. Faster frame rates provide a smoother experience, especially when scrolling or gaming. These can be found on phones like the ROG Phone 3 and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

We firmly believe that high refresh rate screens will become the norm in 2021. For example, leaks suggest that inexpensive Redmi phones are achieving 120Hz screens. MediaTek’s Dimensity 700 series chips support 90 Hz. This brings faster screens to cheaper handsets.

(Hopefully Apple will feel the trend and use faster screens as well.)

Cameras under the display

ZTE introduced the first phone with a camera under the display in 2020, the Axon 20 5G. This brand new technology relies on transparent layers to allow a camera to capture images through a screen. The idea is to hide the camera in such a way that it loses the design of the notch or hole and creates a more seamless viewing experience. This is how the camera works under the display.

It’s a solid bet that more phones are out with hidden cameras.

Xiaomi was among the first phone manufacturers to say they will adopt sub-display camera technology. However, you can be sure that Xiaomi and ZTE are not alone. While we don’t have any further commitments from other phone manufacturers and the below-display camera technology isn’t perfect, it’s a solid bet that more phones are out with hidden cameras.

8K recording multiplies

If there’s one trend that is likely to be obvious to you right now, then we expect the features that are mostly found in high-end phones in 2020 to hit lower priced phones in 2021. This applies to 8K video recording.

At the beginning of 2020, an 8K video recording with devices such as the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S20 series was brought into the spotlight for the first time. The feature was later rolled out to the LG V60 ThinQ and a number of other flagships during the year. The good news is that a wider range of chips now support 8K video recording, which means the feature will spread across a wider range of prices. More specifically, now that 8K TVs are (almost) affordable, there will be a place to actually watch that 8K footage.

Augmented Reality takes a grip on reality

It’s easy to shoot down augmented reality. Right now, Apple and Google seem to be the only companies that really care about the technology. Apple continues to update its ARKit developer tools and release AR-enabled hardware. We don’t talk about that.

“Qualcomm has invested heavily in AR and VR capabilities, and its chips can be found in almost every standalone VR system on the market,” said Greengart. “Thanks to Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2, VR seems ready to take hold, but above all as a gaming platform.” If you paid any attention to your TV at all, you’ve probably seen Oculus grabbing consumer attention with dramatic commercials.

In 2021, we’ll see headsets plugging into Snapdragon-based phones.

“However, AR has a much broader potential,” suggests Greengart. “In 2021, headsets plugged into Snapdragon-based phones will leave labs and hit shelves. Apple has been working on its own AR glasses. If history is a guide, then next year Apple will suspend the first round of solving and later define the market on its own terms. “

What smartphone trends do you think we will see in 2021? Let us know in the comments.