Opinion
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE is the most worthy phone of 2022
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G was the first Samsung smartphone launched this year. I have been using this device for quite a while now as my daily driver. And, now all I want to say about it is that Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is the most worthy phone of 2022.
Being a tech writer, I have used a lot of smartphones. It’s not that I didn’t like any other phone apart from the Galaxy S21 FE. But some smartphones, which have good features, are more expensive, and less pricey phones do not have such good functions. And if some phones have good features at a low cost, then their design is not that satisfactory.
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Be it design, performance, camera, display, or software, the affordable flagship Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is much better than many other high-end phones of this year and that is why I call it the most worthy phone of 2022. Here’s what I loved most about this smartphone –
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Processor:
The Galaxy S21 FE equips the Octa-Core Samsung Exynos 2100 5nm EUV processor paired with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB internal storage. This processor handles almost any task thrown at it with ease.
At the time of my usage – which includes social media apps, continuous browsing, and watching videos on YouTube, the Galaxy S21 FE performed very well. I have also played casual games in it and that too ran smoothly.
Camera:
Samsung offers three rear cameras for the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone and all are quite commendable. This camera setup consists of a 12MP primary camera (with f/1.8 aperture), an 8MP telephoto camera (with f/2.4 aperture, 3X optical zoom, 30x Super-Resolution Zoom), and a 12MP 123-degree ultra-wide camera (with f/2.2 aperture).
All three cameras perform very well in the daylight but the night shots’ details are not so satisfactory. However, the low-light images have been improved compared to the Galaxy S20 FE. Lastly, the 32MP front camera also captures good selfies.
Software:
The biggest thing which makes Galaxy S21 FE the best smartphone of this year is its pre-loaded Android operating system. Samsung launched the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone with Android 12-based One UI 4.0 software system.
Most notably, it is eligible for Samsung’s new software update policy. It means it will get four generations of Android upgrades and five years of security patches. It has recently grabbed its first major software update which is Android 13-based One UI 5.0.
- Don’t forget to read – One UI 5 update made my Galaxy S21 FE AWESOME, thanks Samsung!
Design:
Samsung brings a Galaxy S21-like design for the Galaxy S21 FE that has a contour-cut camera module. However, there are some minor changes – the shell around the cameras is plastic, the display is flat, and has a thin metal frame.
The back is made of plastic but it doesn’t feel cheap anywhere, whereas, it has a soft matte finish which made me fall in love with the design. Also, the device comes in four beautiful colors – White, Lavender, Graphite, and Olive. And, Graphite and Lavender are my favorites.
Samsung is setting an example in the Android industry by bringing longer OS upgrades to a maximum number of Galaxy devices. While A-series 4 Android upgrades amazed us all last year, Samsung’s silent decision to expand it to the Galaxy M series is just unbelievable, at least for China.
As the world is serious about pushing sustainable efforts, smartphone vendors are also finding ways to support them. Nowadays, premium phones lack a free charger in the box, consumers also want to have a phone that lasts longer without any kind of lags or security concerns for the time being.
Samsung first extended the Galaxy Android support in the second half of 2020. The company confirmed three major OS upgrades for all premium Galaxy devices launched in 2019 and later. Prior to this, the company was committed to offering two major upgrades to all phones and tabs.
At Samsung, there are no limits to innovation, as it’s committed to bringing the best and most stable user experience. Not everyone wants to spend much on a smartphone, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t get longer software support as the Galaxy A is here as a decent option.
At the Galaxy S22 launch event, the South Korean tech giant announced its revised Android support policy. The latest Galaxy software guarantee ensures up to four years of Android plus One UI updates for flagships starting Galaxy S21 and select Galaxy A phones (A53, A73, A54, and A34).
Seeing Samsung’s clever yet iconic move, Android rivals such as OPPO and OnePlus copied the software promise and announced to bring Samsung-like Android updates to their flagships launched in 2023. They copied but there’s a difference, which is not hidden from anyone – CREDIBILITY.
Software version strategy and support can be copied from Samsung’s ecosystem, but China can never do what Galaxy devices can offer. As a striking move, the Galaxy M series begins offering up to 4 generations of Android updates, not all, but the Galaxy M54 becomes the first product.
This way, the world’s biggest smartphone vendor proved that there are no limits to pro-grade features, and can be brought to mid-rangers too. Compared to the Google Pixel flagship (source), Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy M54 phone has longer OS updates support, which isn’t copyable.
Google smartphones starting the Pixel 6 series supports up to five years of monthly security updates. Meanwhile, Samsung is offering the same security patches promise to plenty of Galaxy Z, Galaxy S, Galaxy A, and Galaxy M series smartphones.
Apart from longer support, Samsung is also reducing the firmware deployment delay. With Android 13, the company amazed all Galaxy users and further promised to provide updates even faster with the next Android and One UI versions.
Samsung Theme Park is a great application, which is available on select Galaxy devices through the Good Lock suite. As Android 14 development continues, hopes are high for the next One UI version and we advise Samsung to integrate Theme Park customization tools into One UI 6.0.
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Theme Park is an app, that belongs to the Good Lock customization suite. The application makes it possible to create a custom theme that consists of wallpaper, keyboard, quick panel, icon, and volume panel. Combining Theme Park tools, Samsung can swiftly make One UI 6.0 the ultimate customizable software.
Theme Park tools should be a part of One UI 6:
Since Good Lock is not available for all Galaxy models and all regions/markets, Theme Park can only be used on a limited scale. At the same time, some users are either unaware of the Good Lock tool or don’t want to enter into the hurdle of creating a custom theme.
Using the Theme tool of the Theme Park app, you can set the wallpaper and get the color combination for the theme. It is somehow similar to the Color Palette but allows you to manually select a main color and a style, which affects the overall color and mood of the theme.
The Keyboard customization tool of Theme Park is also useful. It brings fruitful features such as personalization of Key style, and tap color as well as allows you to use an image on all keys. If you spend some free with the Keyboard tool, you can create give an epic look and feel to it.
Quick panel can’t be customized in the One UI software, except for changing colors derived from the Material You palette. Using the Theme Park app, users can give different color shades to the elements of the Quick panel such as primary toggles, brightness slider, and text as well as blur level of background.
Icon customization is the greatest feature of the Theme Park application. There is a huge directory of shapes that can be altered with One UI’s default icon shapes. Moreover, the tool also lets users pick their preferred color for the icons and background tray.
One UI 5.1 removed Material You theming from the Volume panel to deliver a better user experience. However, it doesn’t mean the Volume panel can’t be customized as the Theme Park app is here to help us. However, we can just assign different colors to the interface elements.
One UI 6
Samsung may begin the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 Beta testing by August 2023. The Galaxy S23 series is ready to become the first Galaxy to run the new One UI 6 software, however, the company is expected to release the official version later this year. We want Samsung to integrate Theme Park tools into the next One UI version.
Samsung One UI 5.0 introduced enhanced animation and new visuals on Galaxy devices. The company further refined both aspects with the Android 13-based One UI 5.1 and now there are high hopes for Android 14-based One UI 6.0.
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Since the beginning, Samsung’s One UI software greatly evolved and is defined as the best Android skin. Apple, which is the company’s biggest rival in key markets still has a lead in animation and visuals, hence, Samsung has a great opportunity with One UI 6.0.
Samsung One UI 6.0 Animation & Visuals
System animation and visuals are the key factors of user interface and user experience. Powerful hardware aside, if the phone doesn’t have smoother animation and lag-free transition features, it can never be counted as a competitor in the market.
The One UI 6.0 software will be based on the new Android 14 operating system. Pixel phones with stock Android also offer great system animation and elegant visual effects. Samsung should take benefit of the power of Android OS and make it just amazing with further refinements.
With the One UI 5.1, the South Korean tech giant has greatly refined the animation and visuals on Galaxy devices. One UI 5.1 is an Android 13-based software but has radical improvements over the initial One UI 5 version. With a generation gap, consumers are hoping for big from Samsung and it should do it too.
Despite being an unstable software system, OnePlus’ OxygenOS also feels smooth like butter. The company plays cleverly by making the most interactive things best to reduce attention from other limitations. The visuals of OxygenOS are nice and the animations are a close rival to One UI.
Samsung will not participate in Google’s Android 14 Public Beta program, while the One UI 6 Beta is likely to begin this August. In 2022, the company may take about two months in the adoption and distribution of the next software to Galaxy devices.
A slightly delayed software update would be considered the best gift instead of an early rollout packed with bugs and problems. Samsung should take its time to work on animation and visuals, and redefine the definition of user experience on Galaxy devices.