Adam Molina / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung has reportedly canceled the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE.
- The chipset shortage and strong performance of its newly released phones are allegedly part of the decision.
- It’s now unclear if the Galaxy S21 FE will debut at all.
Samsung launched the Galaxy S20 FE in September 2020, giving consumers a cheaper gateway into the company’s flagship series. However, the phone may not see a follow-up this year after all. Samsung has now reportedly canceled the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE.
Per a DDaily report quoting a Samsung representative, the company has canned a mid-October event to play host to the Galaxy S21 FE debut. More importantly, Samsung is also reportedly “reviewing the smartphone launch itself,” suggesting that there’s a chance the smartphone might not debut at all.
The report adds that the global chipset shortage, seeing a further reduction in available flagship silicon, is the primary reason for the delay. The Galaxy S21 FE was reportedly set to use the Snapdragon 888, a chipset it would share with the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and its other Galaxy S21 siblings. As a result, Samsung is hedging its bets on its new foldable phones instead of the affordable flagship.
No Note, no new FE?
This wouldn’t be the first time Samsung sacrificed the launch of a device for another. It decided not to launch a Galaxy Note phone this year to push consumers towards the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy S21 Ultra. Launching a Galaxy S21 FE this year could further dilute its lineup and rob more premium phones of chipsets. It may also detract from the Galaxy S22 series, which may once again debut early next year.
It’s important to note that Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed the Galaxy S21 FE’s cancelation yet. This new report comes just days after another pointed to Samsung resuming mass production of the device. Samsung may still decide to launch the Galaxy S21 FE, restricting it to select markets. We’ll have to wait and see how the company plays this one out.
