Samsung Electronics has unveiled its new Galaxy S21 smartphone which it boasts will allow people to do things more easily as it enhances the company’s presence in the premium phone market.
The tech giant held an unpacked event Friday, online due to the virus pandemic. Samsung said the 5G network-enabled Galaxy S21 series comes with three different models ― the Galaxy S21, S21+ and the S21 Ultra ― and Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earphones, which can reduce background noise by up to 99 percent.
With the latest mobile processor chips, upgraded camera features and bold new designs, Samsung said the Galaxy S21 series is designed to offer a better user experience.
“We are living in a mobile-first world, and with so many of us working remotely and spending more time at home, we wanted to deliver a smartphone experience that meets the rigorous multimedia demands of our continuously changing routines,” said Roh Tae-moon, president and head of mobile communications business at Samsung.
Adding: “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.”
Design-wise, the new S series uses new camera housing technology that seamlessly blends into the device’s metal frame.
The S21 is designed for users who want a light design with a compact 6.2-inch display, while the S21+ sports an expanded 6.7-inch display with a larger battery.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the largest one in the S21 series with a 6.8-inch display and has advanced professional-grade 108 megapixel cameras.
All three models support a refresh rate of 120 hertz while the S21 Ultra offers a 120 hertz refresh rate with a quad HD+ display mode to ensure users enjoy the best image quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a 4,000mAh cell, while the S21 Plus features a larger 4,800mAh cell. Both devices support Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and USB PD 3.0 up to 25W.
Unsurprisingly, Samsung is not including a power brick in the box. You’ll have to use an existing power brick if you have one. Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase one separately.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra pulls out all the stops to be the most powerful of the line.
The device still has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, but it’s aided by more RAM and storage options. The baseline model comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but you can also upgrade that to 256GB of storage. If you want to go all out, Samsung is also offering a Galaxy S21 Ultra with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
Unfortunately, none of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series devices offer expandable storage, but Samsung thinks the available storage options should be fine for most people.
The S21 Ultra has a large 6.8-inch curved WQHD+ display with a resolution of 3,200 x 1,440. It also supports adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, but the screen on the Ultra can go as low as 10Hz for maximal battery savings. And speaking of battery, the S21 Ultra is powered by a 5,000mAh cell, which is the same capacity used in last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra.
For Samsung, the success of the S21 series is especially important at a time when the company has lost its presence in the global smartphone market.
According to market researcher Strategy Analytics, Samsung’s global market share in the smartphone business in 2020 was estimated at 19.5 percent, which is the first time since 2011 that the smartphone giant’s share dropped below 20 percent.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 will set you back Sh100,999, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ Sh154,999 while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will cost Sh169,999.
