Samsung Galaxy S21 series officially launched with Snapdragon 888, S Pen, One UI 3.1, and less price
Samsung Galaxy S21 series officially launched with Snapdragon 888, S Pen, One UI 3.1, and less price
Samsung is taking a major step in the right direction in 2021, and the new Galaxy S21 will cost $200 less. The original model of the Galaxy S21 series is the Galaxy S21, starting price is $799, down from last year’s $999.
Despite the price reduction, it still provides a very complete product package. It is equipped with Snapdragon 888 processor, three rear cameras, and 5G, this time the smallest phone also includes mmWave.
The Galaxy S21+ has almost the same design, except for the larger display, which starts at $999. However, there is a big difference between these two phones. The S21+ has Samsung’s regular glass back cover, while the normal Galaxy S21 has matte plastic similar to the Galaxy S20 FE.
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Both phones are downgraded to 1080p displays – the S21 is 6.2 inches and the S21 + 6.7 inches, but with Samsung’s adaptive 120Hz display, the refresh rate can be adjusted to better suit the content and save battery. Both phones come with 8GB of RAM and lack microSD expansion. You will also see an IP68 waterproof performance, Qi wireless charging, Android 11 / One UI 3.1, and a larger battery.
In the camera department, Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+ come with a 12MP sensor for the main wide-angle camera and auxiliary ultra-wide-angle camera, with a 120-degree field of view. However, the telephoto camera uses 64MP to create a 3x hybrid zoom. Samsung also offers 30x space zoom on both devices and has a 10MP selfie shooter in a punch-hole display.
On the other hand, Samsung also has the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is the top flagship of this year. It has the same key specifications, the Snapdragon 888, no microSD slot, adaptive 120Hz, and ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The S21 Ultra has 12GB of RAM, as well as a top model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage space.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra features a 6.8-inch QHD + curved display, which uses the new Eye Comfort Shield like the S21 and S21+. This new technology is designed to reduce harmful blue light at any time (not only at night) without damaging your eyes.
Samsung’s display on the Galaxy S21 Ultra can also reach a peak brightness of 1,500 nits. The center punch-hole display features a 40MP selfie camera upgrade.
Talking about cameras, the main camera of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is a 108MP sensor with the same laser autofocus system that we found on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. There is a 12MP camera for ultra-wide-angle shooting and two 10MP sensors for zooming. The first is a 3x optical zoom lens, and the second is a 10x zoom.
In combination, Samsung can use them to achieve 100x “space zoom”, which should be able to see the higher quality this time than last year’s S20 Ultra mid-level display. Samsung reported that users can shoot at 4k/60fps on the Galaxy S21 Ultra for every lens (even a selfie camera). In professional mode, photos also have a new 12-bit RAW option.
Samsung also gave S Pen support to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the first support of the Galaxy S series. However, unlike the Galaxy Note series, the Ultra does not have a dedicated slot to store the S Pen in the phone. Samsung will sell the stylus pen with cases that can store the stylus.
The regular Galaxy S21 will come in Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink, and Phantom White, while the Galaxy S 21+ will come in Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, and Phantom Silver. The Galaxy S21 Ultra will use Phantom Silver and Phantom Black.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series will be launched in the US on 29 January, pre-orders will start on 14 January. The basic model is priced at $799, while the S21+ is priced at $999, and the S21 Ultra is priced at $1,199.
Pre-order offers include Samsung.com’s $100, $150, or $200 credit and free Galaxy Smart tag. Trade discounts can also save up to $700.
Samsung today announced the decision to cancel 3 trillion Won ($2.11 billion) worth of its own shares to boost shareholder value. The company plans to cancel 50,144,628 common shares and 6,912,036 preferred shares.
This action follows the Board’s November 2024 resolution to repurchase these shares. The par value per share is 100 Won, and the total value of the shares to be retired is around 3,048.7 billion Won, with the retirement scheduled for February 20th.
Additionally, Samsung will acquire 3 trillion Won worth of its own shares to ramp up shareholder value. The breakdown is approximately 2,696.4 billion Won (48,149,247 shares) for common stock and 303.6 billion Won (6,636,988 shares) for preferred stock.
Out of the newly acquired shares, Samsung plans to allocate about 500 billion Won for stock-based compensation, including employee bonuses. The remaining approximately 2.5 trillion Won will be used to enhance shareholder value.
It’s been revealed that the company will conduct open market purchases on the stock market from February 19 to May 16. Samsung will decide on employee stock-based compensation in the board of directors meeting in the future.
Samsung is reportedly considering to relocate smartphone production from China to India and other countries. The company is aiming to move out of China, probably triggered by potential tariffs by the Donald Trump administration.
The South Korean tech giant is pushing forward a plan to move the production base of budget phones from China to “outside of China”. With this move, Samsung aims to respond to the intensified Trump tariffs on China.
The company is said to be checking the production capacity and technological situation of possible companies for the JDM transfer. It’s worth mentioning that Samsung is particularly considering JDM production in India.
Why India?
Samsung is considering options as the global business environment is transforming. As there are potential tariff risks not only for products from China but also from Vietnam in the future, it is putting India on the list of strong candidates.
That said, the company is sounding out the possibility of supply chain realignment to respond to the second-term Trump tariff policy. A considerable portion of the current production given to Vietnam will also be distributed to India.
Well, Samsung has not yet taken a final call on shifting its JDM production out of China. The plans are at an early stage and we may see major shifts in the smartphone supply chain as Trump has kicked off his second term of US Presidency.
Joint Development Manufacturers
JDM (Joint Development Manufacturers) is different from ODM (Original Design Manufacturing). The former involves the orderer and manufacturer jointly developing a product and the manufacturer takes on the production.
Compared to ODM, JDM is a cost-effective manufacturing strategy. JDM has the advantage of being able to increase cost competitiveness by reducing fixed cost burdens as production is entrusted to a partner company.
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G
Galaxy smartphone users will soon be able to unlock their Volvo Cars and Polestar using the Samsung Wallet‘s Digital Key feature. Today, the company announced that the Digital Key support for select Volvo Cars and Polestar is coming to Samsung Wallet.
Samsung Wallet Digital Key will ensure a seamless unlocking experience with select Volvo Cars and Polestar. The company revealed that users with compatible Galaxy devices can effortlessly unlock, lock, and even start their vehicles.
Volvo Cars Digital Key will rollout to Samsung Wallet this month in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia. Polestar vehicle owners will also get eligible starting this month in regions including Europe, North America, and Asia.
Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of the Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics said:
“Our partnership with automakers such as Volvo Cars and Polestar marks another exciting step forward in making everyday activities like driving hassle-free for more Galaxy users worldwide.”
Image – Samsung
Samsung Wallet’s Digital Key offers three ways to control the car:
- Ultra-wideband (UWB) for hands-free access
- Near Field Communication (NFC) for tap-to-unlock and start
- Bluetooth low energy (BLE) control via Samsung Wallet
Back in 2022, Samsung merged Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass to introduce the Samsung Wallet. Secured by Samsung Knox, Samsung Wallet offers services like digital payments, digital ID, tickets, boarding passes, and digital car keys.
Galaxy devices come pre-installed with the Samsung Wallet app. The company is rapidly expanding the app’s availability to markets globally. The app’s features differ on devices based on the hardware requirements such as NFC and UWB.
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Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Superfast Charging 2.0 not so super, users report bugs: Samsung plans new One UI 7 update
Samsung has acknowledged bugs in Galaxy S25 Plus and Ultra’s Superfast Charging. It appears to be a widespread problem as the social platforms and Samsung’s Community forums have exploded with similar complaints.
Recently, Samsung Italia acknowledged bugs in Superfast Charging on the Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra. The vanilla model remains excluded as it doesn’t support 45W superfast charging functionality and is capped at 25W.
The official release has started on February 7 and consumers are gradually receiving their new Galaxy devices. Several owners reported on X, Reddit, and Samsung Community that the new S25 +/Ultra doesn’t properly support 45W charging.
The reason is suspected to be a lack of support for the 5A cable. Samsung’s Italia subsidiary asked a user, while pledging a fix with future One UI 7 update, whether they are using a 5A cable instead of the 3A cable that arrived in the box.
Galaxy S25 Plus and Ultra feature a new charging profile. The company has made hardware-level tweaks to end the necessity of a 5A cable for Superfast charging. The in-box cable of 3A is also capable of charging the phone at 45W.
Samsung fans having a 5A cable and 45W brick may have been charging their S25+ or Ultra with the same products. The shift in the charging profile was probably overseen by the software team resulting in bugs in the Superfast Charging.
It’s worth noting that the lock screen shows Superfast Charging 2.0 but the real experience isn’t the same. The flagship models allegedly take hours to recharge the battery with the same adapter and cable used to charge existing Galaxy devices.
Image – SammyFans
Nvidia is reportedly in talks with Samsung and SK Hynix for a SOCAMM AI chip. The company is accelerating its collaboration with Korean chip makers amid the AI boom.
According to BusinessKorea, Nvidia is pushing Samsung and SK Hynix for commercialization of SOCAMM (System on Chip Advanced Memory Module) AI memory technology.
A report from another trusted outlet suggests that Nvidia, Samsung, and SK Hynix are exchanging SOCAMM prototypes for testing, with mass production expected to start by the end of 2025.
SOCAMM uses low-power LPDDR5X for better efficiency and performance. It can dramatically boost data transfer speeds, which would be crucial for AI computing with extra I/O pins.
SOCAMM’s detachable module design is the biggest strength that lets users easily replace the memory. NVIDIA’s push for its memory standard marks a major shift from the JEDEC framework.
Earlier this year, the US chip giant introduced GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip and Project DIGITS. SOCAMM could be the next-gen HBM with superior performance and power efficiency.
An industry source noted:
“Memory standards have traditionally been determined by a consensus among multiple PC, memory, and server companies at JEDEC, but NVIDIA is pursuing its own memory standard, reflecting confidence in its innovation and influence.”
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