Samsung is reportedly pulling the plug on the Galaxy S21 FE, aka Fan Edition, due to how well the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is selling. The Galaxy S21 FE was expected to follow the same approach as its predecessor, the Galaxy S20 FE, by toning down the specs of a vanilla flagship, with the cutting of a few corners helping to bring down the price. In other words, the ‘FE’ line serves as Samsung’s own take on the affordable flagship segment.
Over the past few months, leaks seemed to reveal everything about the Galaxy S21 FE, from renders and specs to even the approximate asking price. The phone is said to heavily borrow design elements from the vanilla Galaxy S21 and some of its key specs as well, such as a flagship processor, triple rear cameras, wireless charging, and the lack of a microSD card support. The phone even received the Bluetooth SIG certification last month and was rumored to debut in September or October, but it appears that those plans have now hit a roadblock.
According to South Korea-based DDaily, the company has reportedly canceled plans of a mid-October event for the Galaxy S21 FE. Additionally, Samsung has started to review the prospects of ever launching the phone altogether. The reason cited is that the demand for its new entry-level foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, is favorably high. Previous reports from Samsung’s home market have also mentioned that Samsung is struggling to keep up with the demand. With that in mind, Samsung appears to be focusing its resources on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 instead of the Galaxy S21 FE, especially in light of the current semiconductor shortage.
Samsung Prioritizing The Product With Better Profit Margins
“We canceled the Galaxy S21FE online unpack, which was planned for mid-October. We are reviewing the smartphone launch itself,” a Samsung executive was quoted as saying. The shadows of the ongoing chip shortage have been looming over the Galaxy S21 FE for some time now, with multiple reports predicting a delay in its launch due to the ongoing semiconductor crunch. Another factor is that Samsung wants to honor the commitment with telecom partners for an adequate supply of the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
However, it does remain possible that the company will launch the Galaxy S21 FE at a later stage and when the supply chain woes subside, even though the Galaxy S22 is just a few months away. Take, for example, the Galaxy S10 Lite. Announced before the Galaxy S20, the device only hit store shelves in April after the release of the Galaxy S20 series. Precedents of a delayed launch aside, the Galaxy S21 FE will help Samsung push a device that competes directly with the likes of the iPhone 12 mini and SE models in the US, and also against the budget flagships offered by OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi in Asia and Europe.
Source: DDaily