Samsung will present its first Unpacked event of 2021 on January 14th.
Samsung
The new year will bring some earlier than normal Samsung delicacies. The South Korean electronics giant has sent out invitations for its first Unpacked of 2021, which takes place on January 14 at 07:00 PT – about a month earlier than last year and on the last day of CES. It mentions ‘Welcome to the Everyday Epic’ as the theme for the event, where the latest version of its Galaxy S smartphone is expected to make its debut.
“Over the past year, mobile technology has become the center of everyday life as people work remotely and spend more time at home,” Samsung said. “The accelerated transition to a mobile first world brings with it the need for devices that can transform everyday life into an extraordinary experience.”
Samsung will likely have three different models of the flagship phone: the 6.2-inch S21, the 6.7-inch S21 Plus and the 6.8-inch S21 Ultra. The devices are expected to look largely the same, but have larger camera modules, which enhances their photo and video capabilities.
The company could also discontinue its Galaxy Note series this year and replace it with S Pen support on its Galaxy S21 Ultra. Early versions do not show a visible location for a stylus, which may mean that it should be kept separate from the phone when not in use. On Samsung’s popular but niche setup, the stylus slides into the device to store it.
Samsung will also hold a press conference at CES on January 11th. It is expected to focus on its TV and home-based businesses, as has been done in recent years. Unpacked will be the last day of CES.
A January 14 date for Unpacked arrives earlier than usual for Samsung. In the past, the company usually unveiled its latest flagship phone in February, slightly before or during the Mobile World Congress fair, and then released it in March or even April.
Ground reclaimed
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy Z Flip on February 11 last year in one of the last personal events in the technology industry before the new coronavirus pandemic forced the borders to close and governments to issue home orders. The Galaxy S20 devices, which all come with 5G, pre-ordered on February 21 and hit stores on March 6.
A day after the unpacking, organizers canceled the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, scheduled for later in February. At the time, COVID-19 infected more than 42,000 people and claimed more than 1,000 lives. The number has risen to about 85 million infections and about 1.8 million deaths as the world struggles with a crippling new wave of the virus.
Samsung, like most technology companies, struggled to sell its expensive smartphones during the pandemic. Although it was one of the first companies to release a 5G phone, it surpassed Huawei as the world’s largest phone maker at a time when it would normally get a boost from Galaxy S sales. The Chinese mobile phone maker became the world’s largest smartphone retailer in the second quarter, the first time in nine years that Samsung or Apple did not hold the title. Analysts had expected Apple to become the second largest 5G phone seller in the world by 2020 – with less than three months of sales. This put Samsung, once the leader with the new connectivity, in third place.
By losing its position at the top of the smartphone market, Samsung made changes, including keeping Unpacked about a month earlier than usual. Samsung has also shifted its plans to address the changing consumer preferences during the pandemic. In September, the Galaxy S20 FE launched, a cheaper model for its smartphone range. The phone started at $ 700 – or $ 300 less than the usual S20 cost – and the pandemic called for cheaper devices.
Samsung gained ground again in the third quarter to become the best smartphone seller again, as Huawei struggled to survive amid US sanctions. In late October, Samsung reported its highest quarterly revenue ever, thanks to a “significant increase in consumer demand” for smartphones, computers and other products.
Focus for 2021
Tae-moon Roh, Samsung’s president and head of mobile communications, published a blog post in mid-December detailing the company’s plans for 2021. Along with the fact that the company would share more in January, Roh said that in 2021 expands its foldable range and makes the devices “more accessible” – probable code to lower prices – as well as to put more emphasis on the camera and video capabilities in its devices. The company will also bring features from its Galaxy Note devices to other phones in its portfolio, which is likely to include S Pen support on its upcoming Galaxy S21 phones.
“We have never believed in a one-time mobile experience, nor will we ever do so,” Roh wrote. He added that Samsung is “working on revolutionary advances in 5G,” artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things “that can redefine the parameters of what mobile devices are and give consumers the freedom to tailor their mobile experiences to their lives – not the other way around. ‘
Along with new connectivity and AI features, Samsung plans in 2021 to “make it easier to quickly locate the things that matter most, from your keys to your wallet – even your family pet.” The company is expected to introduce physical Tile-smart trackers, possibly called Galaxy Smart Tags, to help people locate their belongings with BlueTooth. There have long been rumors that Apple is working on its own AirTags, but it has not yet announced anything in the arena.
Call back on CNET for full coverage of Samsung’s event on January 14th.