Samsung wasted no time this year. After the Mobile World Congress had been pushed back about six months, the hardware maker tied its car to the end of the CES hurricane – although unlike its press conference earlier this week, the company is very much on its own for the latest Unpacked.
And why not? Despite more general issues with the cellphone industry (certainly not aided by the COVID-19 pandemic), the Galaxy line is still a draw. People may not be as eager to buy a flagship as they were a few years ago, but when they do, it is often a Samsung device.
I tend to save the prices for the end of this type of post, but it really deserves a mention. Samsung today launches three major iterations of the S21 line: S21, S21 + and S21 Ultra. These cost US $ 799, US $ 999 and US $ 1,119 in the US. That’s less than $ 999, $ 1,199, and $ 1,399 last year. While we’re still very much in the flagship price range here, a drop of $ 200 is not insignificant.
Credit: Samsung
Rather, it suggests a very deliberate correction – one that goes beyond the mere introduction of a budget flagship or flagship lite to calm this market segment down. Smartphone sales were lagging well before the pandemic, and routine flagship prices above $ 1,000 were a sizable part of that. Obviously, the pandemic has only exacerbated the situation for a myriad of reasons, and 5G, which was expected to increase sales, didn’t move the needle nearly as hard as expected.
Of course, 5G was a headlining feature for Samsung back in 2019. The company has been associated with the Galaxy line for a while, and frankly, the feature is only expected now. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Samsung is returning to using imaging as a key differentiator.
This is what Mobile Head TM Raw says about the new handsets:
We live in a mobile world, and with so many of us working remotely and spending more time at home, we wanted to offer a smartphone experience that could meet the rigorous multimedia demands of our ever-changing routines. We also recognize the importance of choice, especially now, and that’s why the Galaxy S21 series gives you the freedom to choose the best device for your style and needs.
I absolutely understand why companies continue to go “in these challenging times” with these announcements, although I will say the notion of device upgrades in response to COVID-19 is really overrated here beyond the essentials of the aforementioned price drop. And I suspect that the dream of having a smartphone as the primary productivity device has likely been dampened lately as fewer people are leaving the home these days.
Credit: Samsung
Nevertheless, the S21 Ultra in particular has a very important trick up its sleeve. Samsung is further blurring the line between the Galaxy S and the Note by making the Ultra S Pen compatible. The experience will vary to some extent, but users can use the pen to write and draw on the handset. It’s sold separately and there’s no device case for the pen, although Samsung will offer a case to keep it in. It will be interesting to see if the company makes an effort to differentiate the new note, but it also seems possible that the lines may simply converge. After all, the S Pen has long been the key differentiator.
The devices also have ultra-broadband capabilities that offer a range of features, including the ability to unlock car doors and AR notifications to find lost items. No doubt more details on this soon.
Visually, the biggest change here is the camera housing, which is being optimized. I’m holding back the verdict until I see it in person, but the new “Contour Cut” case looks a bit more brutal or perhaps more industrial than the previous generation. The device also clears the expandable memory. A strong argument could be made that current on-board storage has made microSD obsolete for many or most, but it has always been a nice little differentiator.
The company also removed the headphone charging adapter from the box, a move the world saw when the company put out ads preventing Apple from dropping accessories over alleged environmental concerns. It’s the headphone jack again because the story rhymes.
In terms of hardware, the situation with three cameras is similar. On the S21 and 21+ you get a 12-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel wide and 64-megapixel telephoto lens with 30x room zoom. The Ultra offers an ultra width of 12 megapixels, a width of 108 megapixels and a dual telephoto lens system with 3 and 10 times optical zoom. This is the first time Samsung has offered a dual telephoto setup. Thanks to the Bright Night sensor, the Ultra also offers improved recordings in poor lighting conditions.
Credit: Samsung
Software imaging updates include the ability to extract still images from 8K recordings, improved image stabilization and new modes such as “Vlogger View”, which allows the front and rear cameras to record simultaneously. I see limited use for the final piece in my own life, but I’m sure people will find creative use for it.
The screens measure 6.1, 6.7, and 6.8 inches (the last one is a decrease from the S20 Ultra’s 6.9 inches). All have a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which adapts depending on usage. The phones also get the new Eye Comfort Shield, which reduces blue light throughout the day.
Here in the US, all three phones are equipped with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. The S21 and S21 + models start with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, while the Ultra starts with 12 GB and 256 GB. The batteries are pretty healthy, reaching 4000, 4800 and 5000 mAh. They are all available for pre-order now and will be shipping on January 29th.
