Samsung Galaxy S21 FE release date: First design leak hints at a 6.4-inch display, ‘glastic’ back, and metal frame

With the Galaxy S21 series now in the market and the Galaxy Note unlikely to get a refresh this year, the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE) is most likely the next most awaited smartphone from Samsung. Months ahead of its potential launch, a reliable leaker shared the first official-looking render of the device, revealing a few details about its design.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition design

The FE smartphone line debuted last year and immediately became one of Samsung’s sought-after devices considering its price difference from the flagship Galaxy handsets. It is then not surprising that Galaxy S21 FE is reportedly part of the pipeline for the tech giant this year.

Long-time reliable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, known as OnLeaks, shared the first reported Galaxy S21 FE renders through Voice. While the upcoming smartphone does not have all the design features of its more expensive counterpart, they still bear some similarities.

For one, the rumored Galaxy S21 FE would only give the illusion that its rear camera bump is an extension of its metal frame. The leaked design suggests the upcoming phone’s rear would look quite similar to flagship Galaxy S21 phones. Upon closer inspection of the images, however, the more affordable handset would sport a typical form factor where the camera bump is a part of the rear cover reportedly made out of “glastic” material. But the leaker also notes that the next FE phone would also have a metal frame.

The Galaxy S21 FE body dimensions are also reportedly larger than the Galaxy S21 base model, 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm versus 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm, respectively. This explains the expected slightly bigger flat display on the upcoming phone that could measure around 6.4 inches.

Like the first FE phone, the Galaxy S21 FE is also anticipated to launch with three cameras on the back and a single selfie camera. The leak does not discuss anything about the technical specifications. But it is worth noting that the Galaxy S20 FE also launched with a flagship processor, so it is possible for its successor to be powered by Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, depending on the market.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition release date

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy FE line in September 2020, but there is a chance for the Galaxy S21 FE to get an earlier release date. Another leaker, Evan Blass, revealed a “mini-roadmap” of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked events for 2021, which included an “FE Unpacked” event slated on Aug. 19.

The date is likely tentative at the time of the leak. But considering Galaxy S21’s earlier release window this year, the Galaxy S21 FE could also get the same treatment.

Featured photo by Anh Nhat on Unsplash