What you need to know
- The launch of Samsung's Galaxy S20 FE successor might be delayed by a few months.
- Samsung is said to have suspended production of the Galaxy S21 FE due to a component shortage.
- The Galaxy S21 FE was previously expected to debut alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 in August.
Samsung's Galaxy S21 FE, which was rumored to be unveiled at the next Galaxy Unpacked event in August, may not arrive until the end of the year.
Some reports out of South Korea are now suggesting that Samsung has suspended production of the Galaxy S20 FE successor due to a battery shortage. A few other reports blame the move on a chip shortage.
According to a since-deleted report from ETNews, Samsung has decided to cancel the Galaxy S21 FE altogether due to a shortage of Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chips. Samsung leaker Ice Universe, however, claims the company has only temporarily halted production of the S21 FE due to a battery shortage.
As reported by SamMobile, Galaxy S21 FE's primary battery supplier, LG Energy Solutions, is currently dealing with a few production issues. The secondary supplier, Samsung SDI, is yet to start producing batteries for the upcoming value flagship.
In a statement sent to Bloomberg, Samsung said:
While we cannot discuss details of the unreleased product, nothing has been determined regarding the alleged production suspension.
The global chip shortage is also the reason why Samsung decided not to launch a new Galaxy Note series phone this year. Several other smartphone makers have also been affected by the global chip shortage, including Google. Just last week, the U.S. Senate passed a $250 billion bill to bolster the country's semiconductor industry and counter China.
The Galaxy S21 FE is expected to arrive with a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and the same 120Hz refresh rate as the best Android phones. It is also tipped to feature a Snapdragon 888 chipset, triple 12MP cameras, Wi-Fi 6 support, and a 4,500mAh battery.
Android Central reached out to Samsung but did not get a comment in time for publication.
Samsung Galaxy S21
The vanilla Galaxy S21 offers a similar flagship experience as its more expensive siblings in a more compact size and at a lower price. You get an ultra-smooth 120Hz screen, Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon 888 processor, 5G connectivity, and a capable camera.
