Samsung tipped to unveil the Galaxy S11 and its next foldable on the very same day
Traditionally, Samsung has introduced the Galaxy S series phones during an Unpacked event that is usually held around the time that the Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show in Barcelona takes place. For example, earlier this year Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S10 line on February 20 with the MWC keynote held on February 25th. Next year, MWC kicks off on February 24th and according to tipster Ice Universe (@UniverseIce), the Galaxy S11 line will meet the public on February 18th in San Francisco.
In addition to the Galaxy S11, the tipster adds that Samsung will also introduce its second foldable phone on that date. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, this model uses the same clamshell design as the Motorola razr and folds around the horizontal axis. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, which has the objective of transforming from a smartphone into a tablet, Samsung's second foldable has the same purpose as the razr; that is, to be hidden away in a pocket until the user needs the phone for one reason or another. The razr opens up to reveal a 6.2-inch display with a 21:9 aspect ratio and there is also a small external screen that shows notifications, helps shoot selfies and more.
The display on the Galaxy S11 series phones could sport a 120Hz refresh rate
Samsung though, is looking to move away from its first foldable in more ways than just the form factor. A recent rumor out of Korea calls for Samsung's clamshell phone to be priced at the equivalent of $840 USD. That compares to the $1,980 tag worn by the Galaxy Fold and the $1,500 price of the Motorola razr.
Samsung's foldable clamshell phone could be unveiled on February 18th
As for Samsung's first flagship series of 2020, the Galaxy S11e could feature a 6.2-inch screen, while the Galaxy S11 might sport a 6.5-inch display. The Galaxy S11+ will reportedly keep the 6.8-inch screen size found on the Galaxy Note 10+ and we could see a 120Hz refresh rate on all three models. This should deliver smoother animations for game players and buttery smooth scrolling. All of the Galaxy S11 units should be powered by the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform in the states; the chip is manufactured by Samsung this year using its 7nm EUV process. The 7nm indicates the number of transistors that fit inside the integrated circuit and matches the process used by TSMC for the Snapdragon 855 this year. The EUV stands for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography, a technology that uses ultraviolet beams to more precisely mark up silicon used for chips. This allows more transistors to fit inside increasing performance and reducing energy consumption. In most regions of the world, the S11 series will come with the Exynos 990 chipset under the hood.
The Galaxy S11 series and the foldable clamshell could be introduced on February 18th next year in San Francisco
The Galaxy S11+ could both feature five cameras on the back including a 108MP primary camera (providing 27MP images with pixel binning), an ultra-wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, a periscope telephoto camera with 5x hybrid zoom and a Time of Flight sensor. The latter measures the time it takes an infrared beam to bounce off the subject and return to the phone. This data can be used to improve the handset's AR capabilities and enhance the bokeh blur found on portraits. The ToF sensor can also create 3D maps that could be used for a secure facial recognition system. Last week, we passed along a report that says to expect 8K video recording on the Galaxy S11 line. It most likely will record in that resolution at 30fps and will rely on the 108MP sensor. The huge sensor could also work with the two telephoto cameras to provide users with up to 50x hybrid zoom and 100x digital zoom.
Battery life should be improved next year as the Galaxy S11 is rumored to feature a 4500mAh capacity battery at the minimum while the Galaxy S11+ could be equipped with a whopping 5000mAh battery. And if Ice Universe is right, Samsung should make its new flagship official on February 18th along with its next foldable phone.
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