Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might finally make an appearance on September 8

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. (Image credit: Samsung)

It's been a long wait for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, but it seems that the wait might soon be over: one of the more reliable tipsters in the rumor business says that the smartphone is going to get its official unveiling on Wednesday, September 8.

The tipster in question is @MauriQHD (via Android Central) – but there is a note of caution and a suggestion to "wait and see" included in the tweet, so we'd advise against betting your entire savings account on this date just yet.

Still, the Galaxy S21 FE is somewhat overdue at this point, so we were expecting the phone to see the light of day sooner rather than later. Originally, it was rumored to be showing up at the Samsung Unpacked event on August 11, but that didn't happen.

What to expect

When the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE finally does make its debut, we know quite a lot about what to expect thanks to the rumors and leaks that have been floating around. It sounds like we're in line for a phone with a 6.4-inch, 1080 x 2340 Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate.

We've seen pictures too, showing off a handset that looks a lot like the standard Galaxy S21, but which is apparently a little bit larger. Green, white, blue, violet and gray are rumored to be the colors that the handset will be available in.

As for the camera, we've heard that a triple-lens, 12MP+12MP+8MP rear camera could come attached to the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, while the charging might go as high as 45W – outdoing even the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Opinion: the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE needs to be affordable

Samsung Galaxy S21

The Samsung Galaxy S21. (Image credit: TechRadar)

All the signs are now pointing towards an imminent launch for the Galaxy S21 FE, but with the days ticking down to the arrival of the Galaxy S22 – and with nearly eight months gone since the unveiling of the Galaxy S21 – is there still a place for this Fan Edition phone?

As always, pricing is going to be crucial: the 5G version of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE went on sale for $699 / £699 / AU$1,149, and we think that its successor is going to have to be around the same price point in order for it to stand out in a very competitive market.

And it is very competitive – there are a whole host of phones available at the upper-mid-range-to-flagship price point right now (the S20 FE prices we just quoted almost exactly match the starting prices for the iPhone 12 mini, for example).

If September 8 is indeed the correct date, it does at least mean the Galaxy S21 FE can get out ahead of the Google Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13 – and maybe attract some early buzz and sales, Samsung will be hoping.

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David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.