Update: September 9, 2020 (1:15 a.m. ET): The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has now been discovered in an FCC list. We’ve updated the original article below with any new details.
Original article: July 23, 2020 (8:37 ET): Samsung’s flagship sales are falling. As the demand for more expensive devices declines due to rising prices and the ongoing pandemic, more and more manufacturers will offer mid-range alternatives. Samsung could be the latest.
According to several reports, the company is currently working on a iteration of its Galaxy S10 Lite, which is based on the Galaxy S20 range. The official name is still up for debate, but whether it’s called the Galaxy S20 Lite or the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, here’s everything we think we know about the upcoming affordable phone.
Name and date of publication
The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is reportedly under development with model numbers SM-G780 (global version) and SM-G781 (US version) SamMobile June 11 report. The Galaxy S10 Lite was released with the model number SM-G770 so all signs point to a continuation of this particular device.
Samsung later confirmed the existence of the Galaxy S20 FE series in yet another random revelation. The device was discovered in a listing on Samsung Bulgaria’s YouTube Premium landing page that confirmed its name. The listing also confirmed that Samsung is preparing 4G and 5G variants of the Galaxy S20 FE.
Meanwhile, the name “Galaxy S20 Lite” is also a competitor and was discovered by Twitter tipsters on the US website of Samsung Venkatesh Babu. G.. It is possible that Samsung has a different name for the phone in different markets. However, it is also possible that these two phones are completely unique phones that have nothing to do with each other.
connected: Samsung Galaxy S Series – A History of the Biggest Name in Android
The Fan Edition title was first used by Samsung on a newly released device based on the Galaxy Note 7 ETNews The report also suggested that the phone might come with S-Pen support and take on the title “Galaxy S20 Pen Edition”. However, it is likely that it was a mistranslation.
The Galaxy S20 FE release date seems to be approaching. On September 8th, the variant SM-G780F was sighted by the FCC. The listing is considered a global variant of the range and raises questions about the phone’s upcoming launch.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition: Design
We expected the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition to receive design cues from its S20 sisters, and if a leaked render is to be believed, it certainly does. Tipster Evan Blass The render shows a well-known Infinity-O-hole display surrounded by thin bezels. Below is the leaked rendering of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition.
Further renderings will be spilled over PriceBaba and OnLeaks on August 17th, which shows the possible design of the device on the back. While this has not been confirmed, the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition has the option of using the matte plastic plate used on the Galaxy Note 20. It is also recommended to use three cameras on the back.
A SamMobile The June 25 report gave us an idea of the colors that we could also expect, namely blue, purple and white. Dutch tech publication on July 23rd GalaxyClub cited three additional possible shades, including green, orange and red.
Renders released in Evan Blass’ Patreon on August 18 (see above) have resulted in an even wider range of color options for the Galaxy S20 FE. At least six can be seen in the leak, including light greens, oranges, and purples (or shades of pink). There’s also a bright red, similar to the color scheme used on the red Galaxy Note 20, which combines a dark blue and white option.
According to WinFutureThe phone is available in white, blue, orange, lavender, green and red. The availability of the color variants may vary depending on the model (more on this below). The publication adds that the phone is 8.4mm thick and weighs 190g.
Technical data and features
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition could contain three different models. SM-G780 is reportedly being released worldwide with and without 5G. In the meantime, SM-G781 will only be available with 5G. All models are expected to come with Samsung’s new One UI 2.5 skin over Android 10.
The aforementioned leak from WinFuture lists all the specs for the Galaxy S20 FE and also confirms that it will have both 4G and 5G models.
According to the publication, the 5G model of the phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 865, while the 4G variant will come with Samsung’s own Exynos 990 SoC. This was also previously overturned by leaked benchmark listings uncovered by GSMArena.
In contrast to the existing Galaxy S20 phones, which are only equipped with the Snapdragon chipset in the US and some other parts of the world, the Snapdragon 865 version of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is also set to be launched in Europe. The region usually only gets Samsung flagships with Exynos technology. So this would be a welcome change.
In terms of display, the Galaxy S20 FE is said to have a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a built-in fingerprint sensor. This makes the display of the new phone slightly larger than the basic 6.2-inch S20, but smaller than the 6.7-inch Galaxy S10 Lite. It also offers a faster refresh rate than the vanilla Galaxy Note 20, which only gets a 60Hz screen. Samsung apparently used the much older Corning Gorilla Glass 3 above the display to cut costs.
For imaging a report dated July 20 by The Elec as well as WinFuture Leak detail of the phone’s possible camera setup. Three rear cameras are provided, but there is no evidence of a 64MP sensor or a 108MP sensor. Instead, users may have to settle for a 12-megapixel primary snapper with a f / 1.8 aperture, a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera at 123 degrees, and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x zoom. The 12MP main sensor has autofocus with two-phase detection and optical image stabilization. A 32-megapixel selfie camera is provided in the hole.
Leaker Ice Universe in one Tweet suggested the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition use a Sony IMX555 sensor, which is also used on the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, and Galaxy Note 20. The Leaker’s track record is not without its problems, however WinFuture also confirmed this information in its complete specification leak.
Elsewhere, the Galaxy S20 FE is expected to receive Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. The phone is also said to be IP68 certified for water and dust protection.
ETNews and SamMobile Previously it was reported that there could also be 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. This was also listed in the specification dump of leaked WinFuture. If the Galaxy S10 Lite is any indication, we can probably expect a 512GB storage option with at least 8GB of RAM as well.
GalaxyClub Previously it was reported that the S20 Fan Edition could have a battery rated at 4,500 mAh. That’s 500mAh bigger than the base S20. WinFuture reports that too, adding that the phone is getting a 15W charger, wireless charging, and reverse charging.
The Galaxy S20 FE was spotted on September 4th (via.) By China’s 3C MyFixGuide). The listing is consistent with the leaked battery information above.
See also: The best phones with 8GB of RAM
The Galaxy S20 FE received Bluetooth certification on September 2nd, confirming its Bluetooth 5.0 support and also highlighting some of the special variants that we can expect.
According to this listing, Verizon will apparently get an ultra-broadband mmWave 5G variant, which is characterized by the UW label S20 FE and the VZW description. Certain AT&T and T-Mobile variants also arrive according to this product list. If you put more than one SIM card into a holster at the same time, a dual SIM variant may also be in the works, which will be measured at this point. WinFuture It is also reported that the phone supports a nano SIM card and an eSIM.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition: Pricing and Availability
When can you grab one of these fan editions? ETNews June suggested an October launch date for the device.
A previously mentioned report by The Elec confirmed a debut in October but also added a suggested price: $ 750. This would make the S20 Fan Edition cheaper than the $ 999 Galaxy S20 when it debuted, but a significant increase over the $ 650 price of the Galaxy S10 Lite when it launched and the ~ $ 450 Galaxy A71.
Another leak over DealnTech (over SamMobile) sheds light on the alleged Canadian price information for the Galaxy S20 FE. Buyers will have to spend around CA $ 1,148 (~ $ 887) per leak for the 128GB / 5G model. This price is around CA $ 150 below the introductory price of the S20 5G in Canada.
Next: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Buying Guide: Everything You Need To Know