Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Olympic Edition looks beautiful in real life
Jon Fingas / Android Authority
TL; DR
- A review provided early photos of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Olympic Edition.
- The special smartphone cuts a fine figure between the blue back and gold-colored metal trim.
- Buying this outside of Japan can be a challenge.
Samsung finally shipped a phone for the Tokyo Olympics after the pandemic shattered last year’s plans, and this model might have been worth it. SamMobile reported that Garumax tested the Galaxy S21 Olympic Edition – complete with photos showing what the rare Android device looks like in real life.
Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S21 Olympic Edition is a beautiful phone. Combining the Phantom Blue back (not purple as we originally suspected) with a gold-toned metal trim helps it stand out when compared to bolder colors like Phantom Violet. On the back there are also the Olympic rings that make this model stand out, although we could do without the NTT DoCoMo carrier branding.
See also: The best Snapdragon 888 phones you can buy
At the front, it’s all about software. The S21 Olympic Edition has its own boot animation, background images, color schemes and round symbols (no rounded squares by default). The usual image of the always-on display even shows the mascot of the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Samsung will also install the official Olympics app when you start the handset for the first time.
The hardware is essentially the same as a regular Galaxy S21 once you get past the cosmetics of the Olympic Edition. The 6.2-inch 1080p screen, Snapdragon 888 chip, camera layout, and other features are the same as those of an off-the-shelf S21. Unfortunately there is no plus or ultra version.
Availability can be the biggest downside to this phone. The Galaxy S21 Olympic Edition is currently only available in Japan and then only as a DoCoMo carrier version. Even if you can import it and use it with your network of choice, you’ll have to dig into DoCoMo apps and otherwise accept a less pure experience. One surprising international release aside, you will likely have to stare lovingly from a distance.
