What you need to know
- A new rumor suggests Samsung plans to position the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE as the follow-up to the Galaxy Note 20.
- It isn't clear if the Galaxy S21 FE will come with Galaxy Note features such as S Pen support.
- Samsung is rumored to unveil the Galaxy S21 FE at an Unpacked event in July or August, alongside its next-gen foldables.
Back in March, Samsung warned that it might not be able to launch a new Galaxy Note this year due to the global semiconductor shortage. While we haven't heard any rumors hinting at a new Galaxy Note for 2021, reliable leaker Evan Blass has now tweeted that the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE will be a 'follow-up' to last year's Galaxy Note 20.
Blass says the Galaxy S21 series' "disappointing first-half sales" make the company's second-half flagship even more critical. Despite offering several major upgrades and being more affordable than last year's Galaxy S20 series phones, Samsung's best Android phones of 2021 have failed to achieve the same success as the Galaxy S10 series.
Since the tweet doesn't contain any other information, it is unclear if this means the Galaxy S21 FE will have S Pen support. After confirming plans of bringing the S Pen to more Galaxy devices, Samsung has launched just one phone with S Pen support so far: the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Rumors suggest its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3 will have S Pen support too, but it won't include a slot to store the stylus.
According to Blass, the Galaxy S21 FE will be unveiled at Samsung's next big Unpacked event, which could be held on August 19.
Samsung Galaxy S21
The vanilla Galaxy S21 may not have the same premium build as its more expensive siblings, but it offers a similar flagship experience. Thanks to its smaller display, the Galaxy S21 is also more comfortable to use single-handed.
