The lineup of the first three devices was unveiled at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event on 14 January 2021. The “Fan Edition” follow-up was unveiled at Samsung’s CES 2022 event on 3 January 2022. The Fan Edition maintains the majority of the specifications and design of the S21, with slight discrepancies to meet its lower price value. [8] The phone was originally planned to be released in October 2021 but was delayed due to the 2020–present global chip shortage.
The lineup comprises four devices, with the Galaxy S21 initially being the least expensive with a smaller screen size and a (plastic) polycarbonate back, which then is undercut later on by the Galaxy S21 FE with the same material minus the camera bump being also polycarbonate than metal. The Galaxy S21 Ultra has an even larger screen size, battery, and a host of other improvements over the other models, including a more advanced camera setup highlighted by its 108 MP main sensor with laser auto-focus and a higher resolution 1440p display. [10] The S21 Ultra is also the first phone in the Galaxy S series to support the S Pen, albeit sold separately and with limited functionality. The Galaxy S21 series has a design similar to its predecessor, with an Infinity-O display containing a circular cutout in the top center for the front selfie camera.
[12] The rear camera array has been integrated into the phone body except for the S21 FE which is made out of reinforced poly-carbonate integrated instead on the back cover and has a metallic surround; the S21 Ultra has a carbon fiber camera surround for exclusive colors. [13] The U.S., Canadian, Chinese, and international (European) models of the S21 FE use the Snapdragon 888, while Korean, Indian, Brazilian and Australian markets use Exynos 2100. The phones also have the ability to charge other Qi-compatible devices from the S21’s own battery power, which is branded as “Wireless PowerShare,” at up to 4.5W. The S21 and S21+ have similar camera setups to their predecessors but benefit from improved software and image processing.
The S21 FE also has a similar camera setup to its predecessor but benefits from improved software and image processing. Users discovered that the Scene Optimizer included with Samsung Galaxy S21 and later phones use artificial intelligence to identify the Moon and add details that the camera is not capable of capturing, based on a library of existing moon photos. [20][21] However, this was debunked by Samsung, claiming that they have an AI enhancement algorithm that adds detail to your moon photos. [27] They all use Samsung Knox for enhanced device factory reset protection (FRP) security, and a separate version exist for enterprise use.
[29][30] Samsung added a “repair mode” to its Galaxy S21 on 28 July 2022, hiding users’ data when they entrust an ailing device to a technician. The One UI 5 update based on Android 13 began rolling out to S21 devices on 7 November 2022. The Verge’s review, by Dieter Bohn, praised the S21 Ultra’s punchy display, fast performance, long-lasting battery life and the general improvements to the camera system, likening the latter to that of the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s; however, Bohn did note that the phone’s glass back is slightly more susceptible to minor scratches. [34] Matt Sweder at Techradar gave a positive review noting its “mesmerizing design” calling it “Samsung’s best-looking phone ever” and how “phenomenally powerful” the camera is, but also went on to criticize the price and lack of microSD card slot, and questioning the stylus support, which is a separate purchase, with nowhere to put the S Pen on the phone itself.
Criticism has been aimed at the lack of a charger and memory card-expandable storage, the latter of which existed on the preceding Galaxy S20. Following Apple, Samsung decided not to include a wall charger or earphones when selling the Galaxy S21 series of smartphones, the reasoning being that “Samsung believes the removal of earphones and charger plugs from our in-box device packaging can help address the growing e-waste problem and unnecessary duplication of these items”. However, reaching the highest charging rate possibly requires a new charger with separate packaging and shipping with standalone environmental footprint.
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung Galaxy S21 is a series[5] of Android-based smartphones designed, developed, marketed, and made by Samsung Electronics as part of its Galaxy S series. The rear cameras have been made part of the phone body; the S21 Ultra has carbon fiber for special colors. Models Galaxy S21 Galaxy S21+ Galaxy S21 Ultra[11] Galaxy S21 FE RAM Storage RAM Storage RAM Storage RAM Storage Variant 1 8GB 128GB 8GB 128GB 12GB 128GB 6GB 128GB Variant 2 8GB 256GB 8GB 256GB 12GB 256GB 8GB 128GB Variant 3 – – – – 16GB 512GB 8GB 256GB All four models lack a microSD card slot, which was present on the S20 series.
Techradar wrote about the S21: “The Galaxy S21 isn’t the star of Samsung’s S series in 2021, like we’ve been used to for most of the past decade, but it’s a solid smartphone choice with an impressive camera, powerful internals and great battery life.
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