Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Now Official: Carries New Camera Design, Processor, and More

Samsung today has officially taken the drape off its first flagship release of 2021 which comes in the form of the Galaxy S21 series. For many smartphone and tech enthusiasts out there, plenty of things that have been revealed tonight do not come as a surprise though, given that these details have been leaked out for the past few months.

Many of them are quite on point as well. Among the most obvious is the brand-new rear camera design on all three Galaxy S21 devices which Samsung referred to as the Contour Cut Camera. Instead of having the camera module being positioned as an island on the top left part of their back area, it is now being integrated into the left edge part of the body on all three phones.

Taking a cue from last year’s Galaxy Note20 series, Samsung has utilised polycarbonate on the back area of the Galaxy S21. On another hand, the Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus instead.

Samsung has also equipped Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display panel into all of the Galaxy S21 models. Of course, each of them comes with different screen sizes as the Galaxy S21 carries a 6.21-inch screen as opposed to Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra that feature 6.7 and 6.8-inch screens, respectively.

Both Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ share the same native resolution for their screens at Full HD+ while the Galaxy S21 Ultra can be cranked up to QHD+. All three models feature adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz as well but the range for the standard and Plus models begin at 48Hz while the Ultra’s range is much wider since it starts at 10Hz.

Not to forget, the screen on Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ has flat edges while on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the edges are slightly curved. Alongside ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, Samsung has also implemented a new feature called Eye Comfort Shield on all Galaxy S21 series devices which dynamically adjust the blue light on their screen according to user’s usage behaviours.

As for the processor behind these devices which is certainly one of the most popular questions among Malaysian consumers when it comes to Galaxy phones, we can confirm to you that all Malaysian units are equipped with the equally new Exynos 2100 processor.

During the processor’s unveiling earlier this week, Samsung stated that the Exynos 2100 offers 10% more overall performance than its predecessor. Specifically, the chip is apparently able to provide more than 30% improvements in multi-core performance alongside a 40% increase in graphics and two times more NPU performance.

Since the Exynos 2100 is also equipped with an integrated 5G modem, this also means that Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra for Malaysia supports 5G as standard. That being said, we do have to wait for a while for the actual rollout of 5G network in our country before these devices can provide the blazing fast 5G connectivity to their owners.

Aside from that, Samsung has also included Ultra Wideband support for the Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra. Furthermore, there is also the Wi-Fi 6E capability on Ultra variant.

In terms of RAM and internal storage, the global specs sheet stated that the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ has 8GB RAM as standard with storage options of 128GB and 256GB. Naturally, Galaxy S21 Ultra is being offered with beefier options including 12GB and 16GB RAM as well as up to 512GB storage.

When it comes to battery, Samsung has decided to retain the same 4000mAh capacity for Galaxy S21 as well as 5000mAh for Galaxy S21 Ultra just like their predecessors. Somehow, only the Galaxy S21+ receives a larger battery at 4800mAh.

Meanwhile, we can also confirm to you now that the Galaxy S21 Ultra does indeed support S Pen. Utilising Wacom technology, one can either use the S Pen from Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab or purchase it separately although you can also obtain it with the S Pen-specific Smart Clear View Cover and silicon case.

The New Compact Packaging For Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Leaks Out

It has been rumoured for quite some time that Samsung will not be providing a charger alongside Galaxy phones starting from 2021 onwards which mirrored the move that Apple had made when it launched the iPhone 12 series a few months ago. It seems that the rumour might be real after all, according to the marketing materials that were leaked by WinFuture.

As you can see from these images which were courtesy of the well-known leaker Roland Quandt, the packaging for Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S21+ are clearly much more compact than before. Even though the box for Galaxy S21 is not present in the set, we imagine that it would be similar as well.

Aside from the charger, Roland also pointed out that the usual USB-C earphones will not be included alongside Samsung Galaxy S21 devices as well. As noted by the leaked images, the new phones will only come with a USB-C cable, SIM ejection pin, and quick start guide.

If this leak proved to be true, Samsung will be joining Apple and Xiaomi as yet another major phone manufacturer that has shrunk down their phone packaging by taking away the charger. Expect this policy to be widely adopted by other manufacturers as well throughout 2021.

Leaked Case Mould Reveals Upcoming Samsung Galaxy A72 Design

Samsung is currently gearing up to launch its brand new 2021 flagship, the Galaxy S21 series, later this month. However, it isn’t the only phone from the company to be released in the first quarter of the year, as its Galaxy A series is also expected to arrive within that time. Thanks to several recent leaks, we now have a good look at one particular model from the mid-range series: the Galaxy A72.

In no particular order, one of the aforementioned leaks showcases an alleged case mould of the upcoming phone, revealing the design of its sides and rear. Much like its predecessor, the Galaxy A72 is seen to be a large handset along with a prominent camera island on its back that supposedly features a quad camera setup. The mould also reveals that the device comes with a speaker grille, USB-C port and a 3.5mm jack located on the bottom, as well as the usual volume rocker and lock button on its right side.

This design also seemingly confirms the design renders that was provided by Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka OnLeaks) two weeks prior. Much like the mould, the leakster’s 3D renders of the Galaxy A72 also depict the same features and it was mentioned that it may come with a 6.7-inch flat display as well as an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Other than that, Dutch tech blog GalaxyClub claims that the new Samsung mid-ranger will sport a 64MP main camera, joined by a 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 5MP depth sensor. The Galaxy A72 is also rumoured to be priced between ~EUR450 (~RM2,225) for the 4G version, and ~EUR550(~RM2,720) for the 5G variant. Lastly, sources believe that the smartphone is expected to launch sometime in March.

Samsung One UI 3.0 Update Available For Galaxy Note 10 Series In Malaysia

Samsung has begun rolling out its Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update to a variety of its flagships starting with the Galaxy S20 series, as previously reported. Following the Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy Note20 smartphones that recently received the upgrade last week, the latest device in that list now includes the Galaxy Note 10 series.

Thanks to a tip by Twitter user Seow Tze Chian aka @seowtc, it is confirmed that Samsung’s Android 11 upgrade for the aforementioned smartphones is now available in Malaysia. According to sources that have reported the new One UI 3.0’s release in countries such as South Korea and Indonesia, the patch file itself is expected to be approximately 2GB in size – so a WiFi connection is advised if you wish to download it for your Note 10 device.

Like on the other Samsung flagships before this, the new update brings forth numerous improvements in terms of visuals, function, and security to the 2019 handset. These include new chat bubbles for the Samsung Messages app, a conversations section in the notification shade, tweaks to the onboard keyboard interface, and one-time permissions for applications.

As for other Samsung smartphone models to receive One UI 3.0 in Malaysia, the next likely candidate is expected to be the Galaxy S10 series. According to a report by Android Police, the update had rolled out to the Galaxy S10 Lite in India on 1 January 2021, which indicates that a local release may also be arriving soon in the coming days or weeks.

Samsung Galaxy A12 and A02s Now Available In Malaysia; Price Starts From RM 579

While the limelight might be on the upcoming Galaxy S21 series at the moment but it seemed that Samsung Malaysia may have welcomed the new year with new phones. They come in the form of Galaxy A12 and Galaxy A02s which were originally announced back in November 2020 as the first two members of the Galaxy A (2021) series.

According to the listing on Samsung Mobile’s official Lazada Store, the Malaysian unit for Galaxy A12 comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage. The new phone also features 6.5-inch HD+ display, MediaTek P35 MTM6765 processor, 48MP rear quad-camera setup, 8MP selfie camera, and 5000mAh battery as well as support for 15W fast charger.

As for Galaxy A02s, it has not yet been listed on the store but plenty of retailers including DirectD has begun to offer it to customers anyway. The lower mid-range phone is also equipped with a 6.5-inch HD+ display but features Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor instead alongside 4GB of RAM, 64GB internal storage, 13MP rear tri-camera module, 5MP selfie camera, and 5000mAh battery.

Pricewise, the Galaxy A12 can be obtained at RM 799 while the Galaxy A02s is listed at slightly lower for RM 529. If you are interested to get your hands on these new Galaxy A devices, do reach out with your favourite mobile phone retailers for actual in-store availability.

This Is The S Pen for Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: To Be Available As Optional Accessory

Just hours after Samsung revealed the date for its first Unpacked event of 2021, yet another major leak of Galaxy S21 Series has made its way online. Once again, the leak which revolves around the S Pen for Galaxy S21 Ultra is courtesy of the prominent leaker Roland Quandt from the German tech site, WinFuture.

For starters, Roland pointed out that the S Pen for Galaxy S21 Ultra will be released as an optional accessory instead of a standard component for the new flagship phone. In Europe, the stylus which apparently uses Wacom technology will be priced at around EUR 40 (~RM 197).

At a glance, the S Pen for Galaxy S21 Ultra looked closer to the one made for Galaxy Tab S7 instead of Galaxy Note20. The button on the stylus can apparently be used for presentation, video playback, and camera trigger while Roland also stated that the S Pen contained accelerometer that allows it to detect gestures.

In the same report, Roland has also leaked out a folding and silicone covers for the Galaxy S21 Ultra that include an integrated housing for the S Pen. The folding cover also comes with the LED View feature that allows users to take a glance at Galaxy S21 Ultra’s notification without the need to fully open the phone.

As opposed to the S Pen, the pricing information for these specialized covers was not revealed by Roland in his report. More information should be revealed during the Samsung Unpacked event on 14 January, so stay tuned.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 Event Slated For 14 January

Samsung has officially revealed that it will be hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event on 14 January 2021. The event is expected to be the brand’s official unveiling of its latest flagship series, the Galaxy S21.

While it may look like a smartphone at first glance, those who’ve been keeping up with the recent leaks of the Samsung Galaxy S21 will immediately recognise what it actually is. For those unsure, the blurred object is actually a new camera array that is part of the upcoming smartphone series’ rear design.

Besides the announcement, Samsung is encouraging customers to register their interest for the event via its official website (link provided below) to receive the latest updates. The company also noted that those who register from today to 14 January are also entitled to redeem a Galaxy Fit2 smartband worth RM179 when they pre-order the new flagship series.

US FCC Confirms Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Comes With S-Pen Support

We have previously seen reports saying the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will come with support for the S-Pen stylus. And it looks like support for the signature Note accessory line will indeed be coming with the Ultra-sized device. The device dropped by the US FCC, and its filing does indeed confirm support for the stylus.

Beyond simply supporting the S-Pen, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will also come with a new feature for the stylus. This comes in the form of the Hover functionality. This lets users hold the stylus above the screen to access various features. These range from basic stuff like displaying a pointer to previewing content.

That being said, it remains to be seen if the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will indeed come with the S-Pen itself. This is especially with previous reports stating that, despite having support for it, the phone doesn’t have a slot to store it like the Note devices do. That feature is expected to come in the form of another accessory like a case. Which will likely mean the stylus will be sold separately, or as a bundle of sorts.

Other things that the FCC revealed about the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra include wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, WiFi 6E and NFC.

Leaks Suggests Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro To Come With 3D Spatial Audio

From previous leaks, we know that the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro will look more like its previous iterations before the Buds Live. And among its feature list will be active noise cancelling (ANC). Now, another leak has surfaced, revealing more of the rest of the TWS buds’ features.

Screenshots of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro plugin app have appeared online. At least, the pre-release version. But in it, it reveals that the new buds will also feature 3D spatial audio for videos. If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because we first heard of it on the Apple AirPods Pro. This feature will make use of gyro sensors within the buds, and will only work on devices running Android 11 and One UI 3.0 or newer.

The pre-release app also confirms that the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro will come with ANC. According to the app’s screenshots, the feature will also have high and low settings. It will also hvae an Ambient Voice mode with volume settings. The app also confirms that each bud has a 61mAh battery inside, and the charging case has a 472mAh battery.

This leak pretty much reveals everything else there is to know about the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. The buds are also set to be released next year, though whether it will be released alongside the Galaxy S21 or not.

Official Renders of Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus Leak Out

Even though the company has yet to hype up the next iteration of the Galaxy S Series which is expected to be launched next month, plenty of leaks regarding Galaxy S21 Series have been released into the wild. Now you can add these renders from the well-known serial leakster, Roland Quandt into the list.

Released into the wild barely a week after the leak of the series’ promo videos, the image set that Roland has published on WinFuture today covers the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+. From the get-go, you may notice that both devices looked quite identical to each other.

But of course, they are actually very different from each other. According to previous leaks, the standard model will apparently feature a 6.2-inch display while the Plus variant will carry a larger 6.7-inch display although both screens will still be equipped with Full HD+ 120Hz panel.

Roland has also noted that the standard Galaxy S21 will carry a plastic back as opposed to Galaxy S21+ as well as Galaxy S21 Ultra that features a glass back. This is something that Samsung has done before with Galaxy Note 20 Series which has become a hot topic of discussion among consumers during its launch earlier this year.

All in all, the leaked renders are quite consistent to what we have seen on the leaked videos as well as many other leaks before them which came from as early as October. In many ways, whatever effort that Samsung has tried to stop leaks about Galaxy S21 Series from coming out, it is clearly not working at all.

Hence, expect the leak to keep on flowing until the official unveiling takes place in a few weeks’ time.

Official Samsung Galaxy S21 Video Teasers Leak Ahead Of Launch

 

Samsung has been very quiet about its upcoming Galaxy S21 flagship models, which are rumoured to launch in January 2021. In fact, the company has yet to actually confirm the series’ name, let alone its design and specifications. Despite the abundance of leaks already spilling details regarding the phones, it appears that the Korean giant is sticking to its schedule and is readying up to finally show the world an official glimpse of its next generation flagships. These will be done through three teaser videos for each model, which – ironically enough – have been leaked to the public earlier than planned.

This is accredited to leakster Max Weinbach via Android Police who have somehow acquired the aforementioned promo reels prior to the intended retail launch. All three videos seemingly confirm the previously leaked designs of the standard, Plus and Ultra variants of the Samsung Galaxy S21, while at the same time introducing the series-exclusive Phantom Violet colour scheme. It is also worth pointing out that the Ultra variant is revealed to be the only model from the series to feature a curved screen, unlike the previous generations that utilised it as one of their major selling points.

Besides the videos, Weinbach also revealed the camera specifications for all three phones which back up the claims from an earlier leak that we shared a few days prior. Much like the details spilled by Sakitech and Ice Universe, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is said to feature a quad-camera setup consisting of a 108MP main sensor, 10MP 10X telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide and a secondary telephoto with a 10MP sensor with 3X zooming capability. Alongside the four cameras is a flash module, and a laser autofocus system instead of a TOF sensor that previously featured on the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Meanwhile, both the standard and Plus versions of the Galaxy S21 feature the same triple camera setup, which consist of a 12MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP telephoto camera. Located on the right of the camera layout is a small flash module and unlike the Ultra variant, there is no laser autofocus or similar technology featured on either model.

Again, much like earlier leaks, Weinbach also suggests that Samsung will debut these devices on 14 January 2021. From the looks of things, we probably will be getting even more leaks of the Galaxy S21 series as the alleged launch date inches closer. And much like its other flagships before this, unless the Korean brand has been keeping a well kept secret regarding the phones, there’s not much else left in store to surprise us if these leaks turn out to be accurate.

Samsung Galaxy S21 May Not Have Chargers In The Box

 

Back when the Apple iPhone 12 was just announced, Samsung, seemingly by reflex, took some jabs. The Samsung Caribbean Facebook page shared a post about its phones coming with chargers. This is despite prior reports of the company also not including chargers in the box of its newer phones.

And now, it looks like there’s some new evidence to back up those claims. Brazilian tech site Tecnoblog reports that the Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra have appeared in the country’s National Telecommunications Agency ANATEL. And while their filing doesn’t reveal much about the phones, they do indicate that they will not come with a charger. Ditto the headphones for a double whammy.

Predictably, the aforementioned Facebook post by Samsung Caribbean has since been removed. No surprise there, nor was there any with the revelation that the Galaxy S21 devices won’t have their own chargers. Though admittedly it is quite amusing to see the company eat its own words in just three short months.

And for the final plot twist, Samsung may not be allowed to get away with it either. At least not in Brazil where this report originated from. According to 9to5Mac, the country’s National Consumer Secretary is considering forcing Apple to sell its iPhones with the charger included. If that does happen, it will likely also apply to the Korean tech giant as well.

Alleged Photo Of Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Leak

If earlier rumours are accurate, Samsung may be debuting the latest entry to its S series flagship smartphones in January. To further back up the possibility of its early 2021 launch, a live photo of what appears to be two Samsung Galaxy S21 models have recently appeared online.

The image was shared by YouTuber Sakitech, although he did not reveal if it was his own or sourced from a different party. As mentioned earlier, the photo allegedly depicts the Ultra and Plus variants of the Galaxy S21 placed side by side. Both of these feature the new top left corner camera placement which was suggested over a leak by Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka OnLeaks) back in October.

According to the YouTuber, the Galaxy S21 is equipped with a quad camera setup consisting of a 108MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP periscope camera with 10X zoom, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. Leakster Ice Universe claims that the revealed sensors are correct and added that the camera array also includes a LaserAF module, LED flash and a microphone.

Meanwhile, the Plus variant is said to feature a 12MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP telephoto – although its zooming capabilities were not mentioned. Sakitech added that the regular S21 may feature the same camera specifications as the Galaxy S21 Plus model.

Hardware specs such as the chipset, RAM and storage configurations or battery size were not mentioned in the video. XDA’s Max Weinbach suggested that the new smartphone series may feature either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset or Samsung’s own Exynos 2100. Another leak revealed that the Galaxy S21 may also include support for the S-Pen accessory, which were usually exclusive to the brand’s Note flagships.

As with other sources prior to this, Sakitech mentions that the Samsung Galaxy S21 series is expected to debut on or around 14 January 2021. At this rate, only time will tell whether or not the leaks of the unannounced flagship smartphones are accurate.