Samsung unveiled its newest edition of Galaxy flagships at an online streaming event titled Galaxy Unpacked 2021. (While the event was held during the four-day CES 2021, Unpacked was a standalone event.) The South Korean giant launched three new handsets — Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Galaxy S21 Plus at the event. The company also launched Galaxy Buds Pro, an all-new S-Pen, and Samsung SmartTag. Samsung usually conducts its Galaxy Unpacked event in February. But this early launch by Samsung marks the first major smartphone launch of 2021.
Here is everything Samsung announced at Galaxy Unpacked 2021:
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones have been the leaders in Android devices for years, and the company hopes to keep the streak going with the new phones. As mentioned above, Samsung launched three variants in the S21 lineup. This includes a regular Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and the S21 Ultra. While both the S21 and the S21 Plus received a fair share of improvements compared to the last year’s flagships, the Galaxy S21 Ultra received the biggest upgrades in terms of features.
Samsung reverse-coursed the trend of smartphone pricing surging up and announced these handsets at very aggressive price points. The Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus start at $799 and $999, respectively. The S21 Ultra, which the company bills as the best Samsung handset ever, made is priced at $1,199. All three handsets are up for preorders and will start hitting the stores on January 29.
Samsung had done some major design changes to the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus to ship the devices at those handsome price points. Both handsets use a polycarbonate panel instead of aluminum as was seen on previous flagships. Moreover, Samsung has ditched the curved display panel and has packed the S21 and S21 Plus with a flat panel display with lower resolution than last year’s models.
Speaking about the specifications of the device, all three handsets support 5G networks right out of the box and come with 120Hz refresh rate. While both the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus sport flat FHD+ display panels with a screen size of 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch, respectively, the premium S21 Ultra sports a 6.8-inch Edge Quad HD+ display. As far as imaging is concerned, both the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus feature a triple camera setup on the back consisting of a 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP wide-angle, and 64MP telephoto cameras. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, however, has a better quad-camera setup with a 12MP ultrawide, 108MP wide-angle, and dual 10MP telephoto lens. One noteworthy feature of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is that it supports S-Pen, making it the first device in the “S” series of Galaxy handsets to support it. It is also worth noting that the Galaxy S21 series of smartphones will not be bundled with a charger and earphones. One potential disappointment for many longtime Galaxy phone owners: Unlike past Galaxy phones, none of the Galaxy S21s will have a microSD slot. More information about these handsets can be found here.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Samsung launched its latest EarPods in the form of Galaxy Buds Pro at the Unpacked 2021 alongside the Galaxy S21 handsets. The Galaxy Buds Pro flaunts a completely revamped design and features active noise canceling. Samsung added motion-tracking sensors, Dolby audio for 360 degrees surround sound, and tiny woofers for better bass in the Buds Pro.
The Galaxy Buds Pro are available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, and Phantom Silver colors and are currently available to buy at $200.
Samsung SmartTag
SmartTag is a small, portable, Bluetooth-powered gadget that can be used to tag any item, pet, or person to locate them. (It’s Samsung’s alternative to the popular Tile trackers.) The Samsung SmartTag uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and can be attached to objects via key rings or tags. Users can pair this small device with any Samsung smartphone via Samsung’s SmartThings app. Using this, users will be able to track the last recorded location of the SmartTag on a map. It also features a proximity sensor that alerts the users when they come close to the SmartTag.
The tags are priced at $29.99, and shipping will begin on January 29. The SmartTag is available in four different colors and will be available to buy as a single unit or multi-packs that provide a discounted price per tag. Surprisingly, Samsung confirmed that the SmartTag will only work with Samsung devices. The company also confirmed that they will be launching a UWB (Ultra WideBand) variant called the Tag+ later this year for $39.99.
Targeted for personal and business use
Considering the reduced price-points, 5G network support, and other productivity features these devices have to offer, the Galaxy S21 lineup of devices can be ideal for both personal and professional use. Apart from these announcements made at Unpacked 2021, Samsung was also busy showcasing their other products at CES 2021. The company announced several AI-powered products such as Samsung Bot Care and Samsung Bot Handy. It also showcased its lineup of new and improved televisions and other products focused on Digital Wellbeing.
Images: Samsung
