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Samsung expects most Galaxy S21 buyers to choose the cheapest model

By Joshua Swingle

Published: Jan 07, 2021, 10:50 AM

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Samsung expects most Galaxy S21 buyers to choose the cheapest model

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S21 series in a weeks’ time. Three models are in the pipeline at the moment, and a new report suggests the cheapest device could be the most popular of them all.

The Galaxy S21 will account for 60% of production

In light of the Galaxy S20 series’ poor reception and the current state of the global economy, Samsung is planning to put more emphasis on the base Galaxy S21 model in the coming months.

So much so that it has allocated 60% of production capacity to the vanilla flagship, according to a report by ETNews. The remaining 40% of production will be split between the Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S21 in Phantom Violet and Phantom Pink

In South Korea, the Galaxy S21 could be the cheapest flagship Samsung has launched since the Galaxy S9 in 2018.

It’ll retail at 990,000 won per the report, much less than the 1.248 million Galaxy S20. That pricing converts to roughly $910 in the United States. Other factors need to be accounted for, but this certainly adds weight to rumors of an $849-899 launch price for the base model.

Samsung's Galaxy S21+ should cost 1.199 million won ($1,105) and the Galaxy S21 Ultra could land at 1.595 million won ($1,470) in South Korea. That makes them around 100,000 won ($90) cheaper than their predecessors.

Samsung wants to increase its share of flagship sales

Once on shelves at the end of this month, Samsung hopes the Galaxy S21 series will boost its flagship smartphone sales and maximize revenue. This should be helped by the lack of competition from Huawei.

The vanilla Galaxy S21 will be tasked with competing against the iPhone 12 too. Apple’s latest iPhone has been a massive success thanks to an updated design and 5G network support, and its momentum is unlikely to slow in the current quarter.

Samsung Galaxy S21 (left) vs Galaxy S21+ (middle) vs Galaxy S21 Ultra (right)

Of course, Samsung wants to achieve all of this without impacting its profits, hence the introduction of some cost-cutting measures. The most obvious one comes in the display department, where it’ll be dropping QHD+ resolution for Full-HD+.

The South Korean brand has chosen to maximize its previous R&D efforts in the camera department too. Both the Galaxy S21 and S21+ are equipped with the same main and ultra-wide shooters used on last year's Galaxy S20. The 64-megapixel telephoto has received a welcome upgrade, though, that should translate into clearer photos. Noticeable improvements through software are to be expected as well.

You can already reserve the Samsung Galaxy S21

Only time will tell how customers react to Samsung’s next flagship lineup. But considering the drastically lower prices that are expected for the non-Ultra devices, things are looking very positive at the moment.

The entire Samsung Galaxy S21 series will be announced next week on Thursday, January 14. Pre-orders are slated to begin immediately after ahead of shipments on Friday, January 29. If you’re interested in Samsung’s next flagship, registrations for the Galaxy S21 series have already opened in the US. Doing so will net you a $50 store credit.

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra

- get the S21 series with up to $700 trade-in, accessory credits, half-price financing, and exclusive colors.

Buy at Samsung

Those who proceed to pre-order the flagship should receive a variety of gifts. The latest rumors point towards a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live with the S21 & S21+ and Galaxy Buds Pro with the S21 Ultra.

Samsung may throw in the Galaxy SmartTags too. These Ultra-Wideband item tracking tags will be unveiled alongside the smartphones next week and look set to rival Tile products and even Apple's upcoming AirTags accessories.