Samsung is expected to launch a new line-up of its premium Galaxy S series smartphones in January, the first major release by the South Korean firm next year, according to the latest industry leaks.
Traditionally, Samsung is known for releasing the S series phones in February but the company is planning an early launch in 2021 to stay ahead of its rivals and secure more market share, industry analysts said.
Here is what users can expect in the new roll out:
Three new phones
The world's largest manufacturer of smartphones will release three new phones in its premium S21 series (some rumours suggest it will be called S30) – the S21, the S21 Plus and the S21 Ultra, New York-based digital media company Voice said.
The standard model, the S21, will have a 15.7-centimetre flat display with a hole-punch selfie camera rooted in the top centre of the screen. Meanwhile, the S21 Plus and the S21 Ultra are expected to have curved displays ranging between 17cm and 17.5cm.
The leaks did not provide any details about the devices' internal specifications and other features.
Samsung did not respond immediately to The National's request for comment.
Stylus coming to S series
The phones within the S21 series could support the stylus S Pen, which was a popular feature in Samsung's Note series phones.
However, the leaks suggest there will be no dedicated slot or space in the phones to keep the stylus. It could be purchased separately or shipped in special boxes to customers who intend to buy it.
Multiple cameras
The S21 will come with three cameras on the back while the other two models will have four rear cameras. They will be tacked vertically on an extra bump, extending from the phone's frame, just like the new Note20 series.
Early production
Samsung will start producing the S21 series phones by mid-December, according to a South Korean publication The Elec. This is almost a month earlier than its predecessor S20 series that went into production in January this year.
The S21 phones are expected to be available to consumers in February while the S20 series was available early March this year.
Strategic changes
Samsung has seen a series of strategic changes and product launches following the appointment of Roh Tae-moon – one of its youngest presidents – to head its smartphone business in January this year.
Under his leadership, the company held three separate launch events in August and September and also rolled out its cheapest 5G smartphone at $455 this month. The S20 FE got a separate launch event that is uncommon for a mid-range smartphone.
Mounting competition
Samsung is currently battling Apple and Huawei to retain its market dominance within the global smartphone market.
It will be rolling out the S21 phones just months after Apple’s launch of the iPhone 12 series that will reach consumers in phases (in October and November depending on the models).
According to the figures compiled by the International Data Corporation, Samsung’s smartphone sales declined by 28.9 per cent annually to 54.2 million units in the second quarter of this year, due to a reduction in discretionary spending amid the pandemic.
However, the company is expected to recover from this slump due to its new launches in the past two months. Samsung is expected to ship 80.6 million smartphones in the third quarter, a 49 per cent increase from the second quarter, according to South Korea-based Daishin Securities.
