Tech
Samsung Galaxy S21 will be announced on January 14
The first Unpacked 2021 event will take the wraps off three S21 5G phones, pro wireless earbuds, and more.
The Galaxy S21 has an official unveil date. Today, Samsung announced its “Galaxy Unpacked: Welcome to the Everyday Epic” (cringe) will take place as a virtual event on January 14, kicking off at 10 a.m. ET.
The virtual event will be streamed on Samsung’s website as well as on YouTube.
What to expect from S21 — Once again, Samsung is expected to announce a trio of new flagship Android phones. The Galaxy S21 has leaked in full over the last few months. Consequently, we’re expecting to see an S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.
Per the many leaked press images on the internet, the S21 series will sport a new design language; the camera bump more intentionally occupies the entire top corner of the backside. It seems Samsung is also embracing flat screens over curved edges, fewer camera gimmicks in favor of firmer basics, and is bringing the Galaxy Note’s S Pen to the S21 Ultra.
Inside, the phones will no doubt be powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 chip and come with plenty of RAM and storage. Staples including fast wireless (and reverse) charging and wireless charging will remain. One thing that’ll be missing: a power adapter in the box, just like Apple's iPhone 12 range.
Galaxy Buds Pro — Serial leaker Evan Blass leaked new Samsung earbuds a few weeks ago. The alleged Galaxy Buds Pro will reportedly blend the Galaxy Buds+ and bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live into a pair of wireless earbuds with improved active noise-cancellation and sound quality; they're said to feature a "spatial audio" experience that rivals Apple's AirPods Pro / Max. Battery life could also increase.
Look out Tile — Despite leaking for over a year, Apple still hasn’t announced its long-rumored AirTags item trackers. At Unpacked, Samsung is rumored to beat Apple to market with its own “Galaxy SmartTag.” 91mobiles spotted images of the Samsung item tracker making its way through China’s National Communications Commissions certification site (the equivalent to the FCC).
The Bluetooth tracker is said to be compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings smart home platform and is expected to cost $15-20.