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History Of Samsung Galaxy S Phones

Posted on February 27, 2018 by

The 2021 Galaxy S21 Range Announced

Samsung’s Galaxy S21 5G series phones were launched on 14th Jan 2021, and they were to be Samsung’s flagship phones for 2021. The range of phones incorporates a trio of powerful phones, with great displays, 5G connectivity and in the most S212 Ultra 5G model, S Pen support.

This three handset Galaxy S21 range follows last 2020’s lineup: with the standard S21 phone, a larger S21 Plus, and the range topping S21 Ultra 5G.

The Galaxy S20 Range Announced for 2020

With Samsung announcing their flagship Galaxy S20 range for 2020 we have updated this article to include 2020’s models.

The 2019 Galaxy S range was three handsets initialy: the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10+ and the Galaxy S10e. Later the Galaxy S10 5G was also added to the 2019 Galaxy S lineup.

With Samsung there was a rumour that Samsung’s next Galaxy S series smartphone will be the last Galaxy S phone. Here is a look at the history of Samsung’s Galaxy S smartphones.

Samsung Galaxy S

Release date: 4th June 2010

The Samsung Galaxy S was the start of the S series and over the years had over two dozen variations of it made for the international market. The reception was positive as the S was an announcement of intent by Samsung. The S was second in TIME’s Top 10 Gadgets of 2010 list.

The OS was Android 2.1 with a single-core 1GHz processor and 0.5GB of RAM. The screen was 800×480 Super AMOLED display. The read camera was 5-megapixels, and the front camera was 0.3-megapixels.

Positive: Amazing audio and sound, the Super AMOLED display.

Negative: Poor GPS function that took too long to find your location.

Samsung Galaxy S II

Release date: 2^nd May 2011

At the time, the Samsung Galaxy SII was the thinnest smartphone on the market measuring in at 8.49mm. The S2 was a step up from the S, and Samsung received 3 million pre-orders for the smartphone.

The S2’s processor was a dual-core 1.2Ghz with 0.75GB of RAM. The screen was 800×480 Super AMOLED. The rear camera was 8-megapixels and the front camera 2-megapixels.

Positive: Slim and light, one of the most powerful smartphones of the time.

Negative: Made from plastic, no dedicated camera key.

Samsung Galaxy S III

Release date: 29^th May 2012

The Samsung Galaxy SIII had the title of “iPhone killer” from its release. While the device did not kill the iPhone, it did stamp Samsung as a phone manufacturer who could consistently deliver quality high-end smartphones.

The processor was a quad-core 1.4GHz with 1GB of RAM. The screen was 1280×720 Super AMOLED. The rear camera was 8-megapixels and a 1.9-megapixel front camera.

Positive: The display was ahead of its time, S-Voice application, Smart Stay.

Negative: The polycarbonate shell felt cheap, irregularities due to the hyper-glazing process.

Samsung Galaxy S4

Release date: 27^th April 2013

The Samsung Galaxy S4 came with a range of features that other smartphones just did not have. Smart Program, Smart Rotation, Smart Scroll, Story Album, a barometer, one-hand mode, Air View, Air Gesture and more come with the S4.

The processor was a 1.9GHz quad-core with 2GB of RAM. The screen was a 5-inch Full HD 1080p Super AMOLED display. The rear camera was 13 megapixels, and the front camera was 2 megapixels.

Positive: Biggest screen, feature packed.

Negative: Too much bloatware, system software took up much of the storage capacity.

Samsung Galaxy S5

Release date: 11 April 2014

The S5 was the next step in the evolution of the S series; a definite follow up to the successful S4. The screen was slightly bigger with most of the hardware improved up in the newer model.

The processor was a quad-core with 2.5GHz with 2GB of RAM. The screen was 5.1-inches with a Super AMOLED 1080p display. The rear camera was 16-megapixels, and the front camera was 2 megapixels.

Positive: New security and health features, fingerprint scanner.

Negative: The camera was not as good as other smartphones available, packed with bloatware.

Samsung Galaxy S6

Release date: 10 April 2015

The Samsung Galaxy S6 came in three different varieties, the S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+. The S6 series was able to charge wirelessly, and the body was a unibody metal frame. The Edge came with a screen that went to the edge and curved down and the Edge+ was the largest of the S6 series and had the curved edge as well.

The process was a Samsung made octa-core with 3GB of RAM. The display on the S6 was 2560×1440 Quad HD Super AMOLED. The rear camera was 16- megapixels and the front camera was 5-megapixel.

Positive: New curved edges (On the Edge and Edge+), better design, upgraded fingerprint scanner.

Negative: Unable to remove the battery and no external storage, difficult to repair.

Samsung Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge

Release date: 12^th March 2016

The Samsung Galaxy S7 came in two iterations, the S7 and S7 Edge. After the S7, there would be no more S series phones with the physical home button or MicroUSB charging. An upgrade on water resistance was a welcome addition.

The processor was either an Exynos octa-core with 4×2.3GHz and 4×1.6GHz or the Snapdragon quad-core with 2×2.1GHz and 2×1.6GHz with 4GB of RAM. The display was a 2560×1440 Quad HD Super AMOLED. The rear camera was 12-megapixels, and the front camera was 5-megapixels.

Positive: Less bloatware.

Negative: Big difference between processor types, poor repairability, too much like the previous model.

Samsung Galaxy S8 & S8+

Galaxy S8

Release date: 21^st April 2017

The Samsung Galaxy S8 came in two versions, the S8 and S8+. Samsung was moving into having a quality virtual assistant, Bixby, adding iris and facial scanners and the Samsung DEX to allow the smartphone to become a desktop-like computer.

The processor was either the Exynos octa-core with 4×2.3GHz and 4×1.7GHz or Snapdragon octa-core 4×2.35GHz and 4×1.6GHz with 4GB or 6GB of RAM. The display was 2960×1440 144p Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. The rear camera was 12-megapixels, and the front camera was 8-megapixels.

Positive: Beautiful design, better software, fewer issues than other smartphones.

Negative: Unusual aspect ratio, slippery glass on the back, poor fingerprint scanner positioning.

Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9+

Release date: 16^th March 2018

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ look to be the final Galaxy S model phones released. The design is like the S8, but the camera was drastically improved for both models. The fingerprint reader is now in a better position that on the previous model and it is the most powerful android phone on the market.

The processor is either the Exynos octa-core 4×2.8GHz and 4×1.7GHz or the Snapdragon octa-core 4×2.7GHz and 4×1.7GHz with 4GB RAM in the S9 and 6GB RAM in the S9+. The display is 2960×1440 1440p Super AMOLEDS capacitive touchscreen with infinity display. The rear camera is 12MP and able to shoot video in 4K on the S9 and the S9+ has a dual 12MP camera with dual OIS and 4K capabilities, and the front camera is 8MP.

Positive: One of the best cameras on a smartphone with a score of 99 from DxOMark, good fingerprint scanner position, high performance and speed.

Negative: Seems like a slight upgrade on the previous S8 and S+ models, limited AR Emoji functionality.

Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10E

Release date: March 8, 2019

The Samsung Galaxy S10 line of phones is the first major phone to release in 2019 and its another successful iteration on the popular Galaxy S line of phones.

All three phones use Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 for faster downloads and uploads. Scene Optimizer in the camera intelligently recognizes up to 30 scenes and optimizes colors for brilliant shots, and dual aperture features F1.5, F2.4 in the rear lens. It is supposed to adapt just like your eyes for great shots, day or night. Finally, with the camera, Flaw Detection intelligently detects flaws, so it’s nearly impossible to take a bad shot. Samsung also touts that all three phones have a 42% reduction in blue light that does not affect the color of the screen. Blue light can mess with our bodies and make it hard for us to fall asleep at night after spending all day looking at our phones.

Compared against each other, the S10E is the “bargain” purchase here at $749.99 for 128 GB and $849.99 for 256 GB. The Fingerprint Scanner has been moved to the power button on the side of the phone, and the battery has what Samsung calls “All-Day Intelligent Battery” at 3100 mAh. RAM is available in either 6 or GB, and the screen is 5.8” Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED.

Compared to the S10E, the S10 and S10+ are largely the same phones, but in different sizes. Both phones feature Ultrasonic Fingerprint ID which is located on the screen (as opposed to the side for S10E). According to the Samsung official website, to make the Fingerprint ID work,

“Just tap your screen to unlock. Ultrasonic Fingerprint ID embedded in the display keeps you secure using sound waves to detect the ridges of your fingertip in 3D.”

Both screens also feature Samsung’s new HDR10+ certified Dynamic AMOLED display. For an explanation on what that exactly means, I suggest reading this cnet article at the following link: https://www.cnet.com/news/what-is-hdr10/

For the S10, prices start at $899.99 for 128 GB or $1149.99 for 512 GB. The battery has 3400 mAh All-Day Intelligent Battery, and the phone uses 8 GB of RAM. The screen display is 6.1” Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED.

The biggest difference with the S10+ (aside from its size and the little boost of power) is the camera near the top of the screen. While all three phones have the infinity screen that stretches to every corner of the phone, the S10E and S10 have single cameras. The S10+ has two cameras in the top right of the screen, so there is a little larger section of the screen dedicated to it. Once again, the battery is “all-day intelligent” and is up to 4100 mAh. Starting price for it is $999.99 for 128 GB, $1249.99 for 512 GB, and 1599.99 for a TB of memory. The S10+ has either 8 or 12 GB of RAM, and the screen is 6.4” Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED.

Positive: Amazing screen, battery life. Headphone jack still available on the bottom.

Negative: No real advances in the camera, some complaints about the Fingerprint ID not working well on the S10 and S10+.

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Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

Release date: May 28^th, 2019

The latest update to the Galaxy S10 line of phones, the Galaxy S10 5G, adds 5G capabilities. 5G is very much in its infancy in Australia, so only a few test suburbs in larger cities will have access to the service that allows downloading of movies and songs in seconds. For those who live away from those areas, they can take advantage of national 4GX network capabilities until a wider rollout for 5G services happens.

The 5G capability is not the only improvement made to the 5G S10. This model of phone has the largest screen of the S10 line at 6.7 inches and features the same AMOLED screen as the other S10 phones. The screen also reduces blue light to relieve stress on your eyes.

The fingerprint scanner has received an update. According to the Samsung official website, the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner “uses ultrasonic waves and machine learning to read the unique ridges of your finger and it even works under dry, cold conditions.”

The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G has a 4,500mAh battery. According to Samsung, the battery should last a good 24 hours on a single charge. The combination of the 5G capabilities, 3D and AR technologies, and more will really push the battery to the limits. Like the other Galaxy S10 series phones, it has wireless charging and power share so it can provide charging to other wireless charging phones.

Finally, the camera capabilities have been upgraded as well. It now has four rear cameras. According to Techradar, “The first three cameras are identical to the triple-sensor setups on the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus, with a main 12MP variable-aperture camera, a 16MP 123-degree ultrawide snapper, and a 12MP telephoto lens.” The fourth is a 3D depth camera capable of measuring the distance between objects in the photo or video. It works together with the AR Intelligence to allow you to impose images of items being sold online to see how they would look in your home.

The front side of the phone also received the 3D depth camera beside a 10MP selfie camera. It has been positioned in the top right corner of the screen much like the other S10 series phones.

The phone is available exclusively through Telstra on contract. For the 256 GB storage, Telstra charges you $150 a month to buy the phone over 24 months. The minimum cost here comes to $3,600. If you feel like it, you can double your storage to 512 GB for $160 a month. Over the two years to pay it off, you will have spent $3,840 for the phone alone.

Positive: First phone with 5G capabilities, 3D depth cameras on both sides

Negative: 5G only available in some areas of Australia, very expensive

Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra

Release date: March 6^th, 2020

The Galaxy S20 line of phones is Samsung’s first step into the new decade with phones that were designed around their cameras. One nice change from the S10 line of phones is that all three models will have 5G capabilities depending on if you need it or not when you buy the phone.

All three phones are quite expensive in Australia, with the S20 starting at $1,349 for 4G and 128 GB storage, the S20+ is $1,499 for the same storage and connectivity, and the S20 Ultra is $1,999 with the only model available being 5G and 128 GB storage. If you decide to later purchase external storage, the phones support 1 TB MicroSD cards.

Starting off with the base model Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+, both feature 64MP cameras with up to 3x Hybrid Optic Zoom and 30x Space Zoom.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra has 108MP camera with 10x Hybrid Optic Zoom and up to 100x Space Zoom. The sensors in all three cameras have been nearly doubled in size to provide for better pictures in dark areas.

The camera has been upgraded on the video side as well. Resolution has increased from 4K to 8K and with 8K video snap, every frame in a video you record is designed to be a high resolution still so you can take high quality images from your videos as well.

The new super steady AI allows your camera to minimize blur and unstableness and be super smooth even in situations where you phone will be moving while capturing action shots. Another AI innovation brings a feature called single take, which is essentially a super powered burst mode. With this, your camera will capture multiple formats for your video within ten seconds.

The Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra have Samsung confident in the cameras in their new phones. Much of the rest of the phones seem to be similar to the S10 line of phones.

Positives: Very good cameras, 5G capability in all models

Negatives: Very expensive, not much advancement outside of the cameras

Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra

Released: 29^th January 2021

The Samsung S21 range comes as an update to the Samsung S20 series. While the S21 range doesn’t offer something brand new, it certainly redefines your S20’s experience!

Moreover, Samsung included 5G connectivity and the fastest SoC in all the latest phones. You may not see a 4G phone from this series anymore.

Samsung S21 range cut their prices off. They focused on the overall performance and integrity. Top-notch technology without the proper coordination is a bummer.

Bottlenecking is not a thing in the S21 series anymore. But you need to sacrifice features to lower the expenses, right? The trick is that you won’t even notice those little changes!

Chipset

Though the S21 range phones have unique specifications, the chipset is the same for all. Samsung’s Exynos 2100 is integrated into all the phones.

The 5 nm chipset is there to give you the best experience. It’s on the same level as the Snapdragon 888 chipset. This is one of the fastest SoC in the world. That makes it the quickest chipset Samsung ever featured on their phones.

Network Connectivity

Samsung never compromises its performance. It has also deducted the 4G connectivity from all the S21 phones. The S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra contain the same 5G connectivity technology.

“Hyperfast 5G,” as Samsung claims, gives you a superior experience in this world of connectivity.

Video Resolution

Video is now supported at 8K at 24 fps. All phones in the S20 range did not support 8K videos. But now it does. This is a game-changer in the market. A budget-friendly phone with an 8K resolution is unthinkable.

These phones can also shoot videos at 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps resolutions. Even the selfie camera is 4K resolution supported!

Memory & Performance

The S21 range is indisputable in the case of performance. You can have all the specs on all the phones. The money-saving spec cuts will not bother you at all.

As for the Storage and ROM, the least you can get is 128 GB and 8 GB, respectively.

Samsung has removed the extra MicroSD slot from all their new phones. So, you can’t add SD cards anymore. But, hey! You can pay a little more money to get additional RAM and ROM.

Spend $100 more, and you can double your storage. S21 and S21 plus can go up to 256 GB ROM. For S21 ultra, 512 GB ROM and 16 GB RAM is the maximum capacity. Convenience at its finest!

Wi-Fi & USB Connectivity

As for other specs, audio quality gets slightly higher with 32-bit/3384kHz. WIFI 6 will give you a better experience.

For the same money, you will get “USB Type-C 3” in other brands. Yet, Samsung offers you “USB Type-C 3.2”. It’s great for smooth Charging and better Data transfer.

Battery & Charging

With greater battery capacity comes greater responsibility. You can reverse charge to other phones for 4.5 watts. Again, all the phones in the S21 range come with Fast Charging. This works both for wired and Wireless Charging.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

The Samsung S21 5G model is based on the previous S20 specs – a 6.2-inch display, a decent camera, and a 4000 mAh battery. But you get more processing power this time.

The characteristics you’ve learned for so long are just the tip of the iceberg. You may question now – so, what’s new? Well, the chipset and the 5G connectivity.

Not all good phones come with a good camera. But Samsung does. S21 has a 30x zoom capacity with a great wide camera. They have three cameras – wide, telephoto, and ultrawide cameras.

In the current market, all the big brands are increasing their prices. But Samsung has lowered its price from the S21 range to the S20 range.

The slightest difference in cost is AU$100 between the two ranges. That’s surprising because you are getting more specs with less money!

Samsung always offers you the best display. From the very beginning, they are using a Super AMOLED display. The S21 range provides a Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

In case of resolution, you can have 1440 pixels displayed in the S20. But the S21 offers you a 1080p display with 120Hz. We will get to the reason soon.

The S21 will cost you AU$1,249 for 128GB configurations. For an extra AU$100, you will get the 256 GB configuration. They are available in 8 GB RAM.

You can choose Phantom White, Gray, Violet, and Pink colors.

Positives:

Great Camera
Fastest Chipset
Cheaper Price
5G

Negatives:

No Expandable Storage and Audio Jack,
Fast Charging is only 25W

Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G carries the same characteristics but with a 6.7-inch display and kind of same camera specs.

Yet, the battery got bigger. The 4,800mAh battery is 300mAh extra than its predecessors. It has the same camera configuration as the S21 – wide, telephoto, and ultrawide.

Over the years, Samsung has improved its camera quality. It has no problem focusing on objects. Instead, the portrait mood is in its best form. You can compare it with the other big brands in the market.

The top-notch quality of the portrait mood is unbeatable! This is because of the latest AI tech. The AI also works to refine the details and enhance the selfie experience.

The Galaxy S21+ 5G does not come with 1440 pixels. Instead, you get a 1080p display with 120 hertz. This is a clever decision from the Samsung team.

In S20, 1440 pixels were in default, but the refresh rate was 60 hertz. 120 hertz was only available with 1080 pixels.

The team removed the bottleneck as customers preferred the 120 hertz with a 1080p display. They reduced the price with this. The price cut in exchange for a lower display resolution was brilliant.

Moreover, the pixel density is good too. The S21 and S21 plus have 424 pixels per inch pixel density.

AU $1,549 is the starting price for S21 plus. The 256 GB version is $100 more, just like the S21 phones.

They are available in three colors – Phantom Black, Silver, and Violet.

Positives:

Great Camera
Glass Back
5G

Negatives:

Does not offer much more than the S21 but is costlier

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

What’s your take on the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G? Well, it is similar to the S20 Ultra too.

The model is a true-blue flagship providing you with the big techs. Everything’s big here – the camera, battery, display, and everything. With a similar weight and battery of 5,000mAh, it is the perfect update to the S20 Ultra.

The S21 Ultra offers an extra periscope telephoto camera. S21 Ultra offers 100x zoom capacity for that additional camera as big as it can be. The sharpness is excellent for this kind of zooming.

You can still get the 1440p display with a 120hz refresh rate in the S21 Ultra. The pixel density is 515 pixels per inch which are pretty good.

As for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, the price starts from AU$1,849 for the 128 GB version. The 256 GB version will cost AU $1,949. Both of the phones have 12 GB of RAM.

But, you can go a little bit further with this one. That’s why it’s called Ultra, right? For AU$2,149, you will get 512 GB ROM and 16 GB RAM for this model.

Positives:

Best Camera
Best Looks
Best Performance
5G

Negatives:

Costlier than other models
Only 25 Watts Fast Charging

Summing Up – What’s Special About the S21 Range?

You might be wondering – if you are getting all the features together, where did they cut off the price? Tricky question, but the answer will blow your mind!

For the S21 Ultra, the price starts from AU$1,999. As a flagship, it has the highest specifications.

But wait! How do they deliver you the same performance with just AU $1,249? That’s a massive AU $750 difference. Well, here’s the answer.

The S21 does not come with a Glass back. The portion covering the camera is metal made. The whole back, other than that, is made of plastic.

Surprised? It sure gives you a glossy look!

The plastic back reduced the weight significantly. It’s about 30 g and 57 g less than S21 plus and S21 Ultra, respectively.

Another area is the battery. The S21 range has a 4000mAh battery, but it gives a proper usage time.

One more big save is the periscope telephoto lens, macro lens, and others. Well, a general user will not notice this at all. You need to be a camera nerd to realize this.

Galaxy S21 Series Bottom Line

After knowing these things, it’s your choice whether you want to get the premium or the basic version. The S21 Ultra will offer you everything, and the S21 will provide you with a balanced performance.

Today, brands have a lot of technologies in their hands. But all of them are not compatible with each other. What has the S21 range to offer you? The answer is the right combination of technologies. They removed all the unnecessary specs and kept the right things.

Think about the chipset. For $1,249, they could have offered you a lower chipset like other brands. But they did not compromise the performance. Instead, they cut off unnecessary specifications like an extra camera or an extra glass back. This is the beauty of the S21 range!

Galaxy S20 FE

Release Date: 02 October 2020

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition or Galaxy S20 FE is a homage to the fans. Belonging to the Galaxy S20 family, the FE version is the most affordable one in the line. For people who want to save a few bucks, the Galaxy S20 Fe is the go-to choice.

Packed with all the premium features and specifications of a flagship Samsung device, the Galaxy S20 FE is the perfect edition of the Galaxy S20 family. Inheriting almost all the hallmark attributes of the Galaxy S20 version, the S20 FE comes at a much lower price.

The S20 FE starts at a lucrative price of AU$ 1,149, offering all the latest features like a fluid 120 Hz screen, a powerful quad camera, and a snapdragon processor.

The design and outlook of the S20 FE are very pop. The finishes come in a variety of outstanding shades like Cloud Mint, cloud red, cloud navy, cloud lavender, cloud white, and cloud orange.