Rumored 'Galaxy S21 FE'... Possible Release in January Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Due to the prolonged semiconductor shortage and the success of foldable phones, the release of Samsung Electronics' quasi-premium smartphone, the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE), which had been delayed and even rumored to be canceled, is now expected to debut in January next year.

On the 14th (local time), IT specialist media PhoneArena and others cited IT tipster Jon Prosser, specifying that the release of the S21 FE will be postponed to January 11 next year.

PhoneArena reported that the S21 FE is scheduled to be unveiled on January 11 next year, and it is virtually unlikely to be revealed at next week's 'Galaxy Unpacked Part 2' event. Major foreign media also predicted that the next flagship phone, the Galaxy S22, will hold its unpacked event before February 28 next year, when the World Mobile Congress (MWC) takes place, and that the S21 FE will be quietly released beforehand through press releases and other means.

This contradicts the October release rumors raised recently when Samsung Electronics sent out invitations for Unpacked Part 2. Previously, some IT tipsters suggested the possibility of an October 29 release, citing confirmed supply situations of accessories for the S21 FE in some regions.

The S21 FE is a quasi-premium product that maintains the core features of Samsung Electronics' flagship Galaxy S series while lowering the price. Although its release was initially expected in August this year, production schedules have been disrupted due to the global semiconductor component shortage, causing difficulties in its launch.

Additionally, the third-generation foldable phones, Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3, released in August, have exceeded expectations by surpassing 1 million units sold in South Korea within 39 days of release. This success has also made it challenging to readjust the S21 FE's launch plans. Market research firm Counterpoint Research stated, "Global sales of the Galaxy Z series exceeded 2 million units as of the end of September," and predicted that sales of Samsung Electronics' follow-up foldable phone models are expected to gradually increase. The application processor (AP) used in the S21 FE is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888, which is also used in the Z Fold3 and Z Flip3.

Due to the semiconductor supply shortage and the success of foldable phones sharing the same AP, the release of the S21 FE has been continuously delayed, leading to industry rumors about its cancellation. Furthermore, with Samsung Electronics' next flagship model, the Galaxy S22 series, also set to launch early next year, the ambiguous release timing has fueled such speculation.

The S21 FE is expected to feature a 6.5-inch display supporting a 120Hz refresh rate and be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 processor. The screen resolution is 1080x2009 with 480 DPI. The camera setup is anticipated to include a 12-megapixel front selfie camera, and on the rear, a 32-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera.

Meanwhile, at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Part 2 event scheduled for the 20th, the Z Flip3 integrated with BESPOKE is expected to be the main focus. The released invitation also features various colorful squares combined into a box shape, reminiscent of the BESPOKE design. Samsung Electronics is reportedly focusing on expanding the experience for consumers to directly choose 'customized' exterior colors for their smartphones.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.