TL; DR
- The approval papers for the Exynos Samsung Galaxy S21 FE FCC have been submitted.
- This is at least the second time the phone has passed the FCC.
- Previous unconfirmed rumors have said that this phone may no longer be released.
The file shows that the phone is version number SM-G990E. This is supposedly the model of the smartphone with Samsung’s in-house Exynos processor inside. The limited amount of information in the FCC filing is not 100% conclusive that it is actually the Galaxy S21 FE, but all evidence points to that particular phone.
See also: What we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
The status of the Galaxy S21 FE has been in the air for some time. We saw a lot of leaks for the smartphone over the summer, including previously submitted papers to the Bluetooth SIG and a mention on the Google Play Console. Even the operating instructions for the phone have found their way onto the Internet.
However, rumors of a possible delay in starting the phone surfaced about a month ago. The blame has been firmly placed on the current global chip shortage in the technology industry, which is affecting many industries. A scheduled launch in September has reportedly been postponed to mid-October. Last week, an unconfirmed report claimed the S21 FE was back in full production. However, earlier this week, another story claimed that the phone’s introductory event would not be held in mid-October, according to an unnamed Samsung spokesperson. In addition, the story claimed that Samsung “checked the smartphone launch itself”.
The FCC filing of the Galaxy S21 FE does nothing to solve the mysterious path this phone appears to have taken. Are we actually going to release this phone? Will the chip shortage sink the phone? At this point, your guess is as good as ours.