Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G will probably launch very soon

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Image credit: Srivatsa Ramesh)

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wasn’t unveiled alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, and other products on August 11, but it looks like the phone could still be landing very soon indeed.

That’s because it’s now been certified by Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group), as spotted by PriceBaba. This is something that usually happens within around a month of launch, and there’s no question as to which phone has been certified, because along with model numbers (for three different versions of the handset), each is labeled as the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

Beyond an imminent launch the listing doesn’t really reveal anything though. It essentially confirms that the phone supports both Bluetooth and 5G, but we’d have been very surprised if it didn’t. Though it’s worth noting that there’s no mention of a 4G version here, which could mean the Galaxy S21 FE will only launch in a 5G flavor, unlike its predecessor.

So when exactly might we get an official look at this new phone? Well, one previous rumor suggested an October launch, and that would more or less make sense with seeing a Bluetooth SIG certification now. Though if anything, we’d think the S21 FE 5G might land even sooner, perhaps in September.

Whenever it does land, we have a good idea of what to expect from it thanks to leaks and rumors. They point to a 6.4-inch 1080 x 2340 Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a high-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, and a 4,500mAh battery.

The camera is said to be a triple-lens one, with a 12MP main, 12MP ultra-wide and 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and the design is thought to be similar to the Samsung Galaxy S21’s, albeit with the same color on the camera block as the rest of the back.


A Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra from the back in someone's hand

No new Note means the S21 FE should have room to breathe (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Analysis: the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE could fill a Note-shaped gap

With no new Samsung Galaxy Note this year, Samsung fans are currently lacking a conventional flagship for the second half of 2021. There’s the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, but as foldables they’re a bit niche, and the Fold 3 is also very expensive.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, though, is a more conventional proposition, with a likely far more palatable price.

It’s unlikely to support the S Pen stylus, so it’s not a true replacement for a Galaxy Note, but with its high-end specs it could still tempt flagship buyers who were holding out to see what Samsung unveiled in the second half of the year.

Those who liked the look of the Samsung Galaxy S21 range but wanted something a bit more affordable could also be swayed, as the Galaxy S21 FE is likely to be the cheapest model in the range, though the exact price remains unclear for now.

And without a new Note, the Galaxy S21 FE will have less competition than the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE did, all of which means it might sell rather well.

Via GSMArena

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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