Early reports have been indicating Samsung could launch the upcoming Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE) at Galaxy Unpacked event in August, but a new report makes that out to be unlikely. Samsung will instead be launching this sometime in Q4, according to LetsGoDigital.
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE was first expected to be canceled and later delayed from an original planned August launch as per earlier reports from Bloomberg, with the company stepping in to clarify that it had made no such decision, saying “While we cannot discuss details of the unreleased product, nothing has been determined regarding the alleged production suspension.”
The new report gels with a previous report out of Korea that Samsung would be launching the Galaxy S21 FE in the fourth quarter of the year, between October and December. The company has had to do this due to the semiconductor shortage that’s ravaging the globe, and is now considering a release strategy where it uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 for select Galaxy S21 FEs, with others using the company’s own Exynos chips — not unlike it’s done with flagships in the past.
The S21 FE is otherwise expected to include a 6.41-inch full HD AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the front camera may be a high-quality 32-megapixel camera. At the rear is a triple camera layout with a 12MP wide camera, another 12MP ultra-wide, and an 8MP telephoto. It is expected to come with between 6 – 8 GB of RAM, and Samsung is likely adding a 4,370 mAh battery with 25W fast charging. 5G support should go without saying.
Giving all the earlier reports of delay and the as yet unresolved chip shortage, it was always a long shot to expect an Unpacked launch for the Galaxy S21 FE. Samsung also made the decision to note launch a Note this year, though it is currently unclear whether that is it for the Note line, or whether the series will return next year. This report, while not confirmed, does make a later release more likely. Otherwise, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic at Unpacked on August 11.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.
Samsung's next budget fitness tracker may look a lot like its predecessor. Although the company has yet to share any details about the device, Android Authority has obtained videos showing the Galaxy Fit 4 in three colors, offering a closer look at a wearable that appears to retain the same basic design as the Galaxy Fit 3.
Samsung may be playing it safe with its next fitness band