Samsung is expected to release several new devices later this year, including the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. However, one device may be of primary interest to Galaxy Note owners looking to upgrade. Through a tweet from trusted insider Evan Blass, the alleged Galaxy S21 FE could be positioned as a “continuation” of last year’s Galaxy Note 20, not the Galaxy S20 FE.
This makes sense as Note devices usually ship in August. However, the FE has become traditional support for the Galaxy S line, not the Note series.
While Samsung has launched the Galaxy S and Note flagships in previous years, it has confirmed that the latter will not debut this year. This made room for a possible replacement. The likely candidate to fill this role now is apparently the Galaxy S21 FE.
S21 FE is not a NOTE
So what is Blass suggesting here? Does the Galaxy S21 FE come with a stylus and tons of productivity features? Well, while we can’t say for sure right now, that seems unlikely.
Instead, we’d imagine that simply means the Galaxy S21 FE will launch at a major Samsung Unpacked event later in the year (when we’d otherwise see the Note) as the company’s big flagship.
That’s been cooled by rumors we’ve heard that suggested the S21 FE would be released alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 sometime in August. Perhaps the Galaxy Tab S8 is also there.
What Does This Mean For Note Users?
So if the Galaxy S21 FE is a continuation of the Note 20, what does that mean in terms of features and design? Well, the leaked screenshots show the S21 FE as a shadow of the Galaxy S21 series. If Samsung were to position the S21 FE as a Note replacement, we would at least expect stylus support and some visual similarities. There is no indication that this is the case.
Of course, the Galaxy S21 FE could only play a more prominent role in Samsung’s lineup due to the restrictions for 2021. Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Note will also return in 2022. There is little chance that the Galaxy S FE line will be a long-term replacement for the Note series.
Finally, it is also worth noting that the Galaxy S21 FE name has not yet been confirmed. Although the name has appeared on an official Samsung website, the company may decide to use a different name before launch. Of course, Samsung first debuted the FE nameplate on a Galaxy Note device.
However, it will be interesting to see how Samsung can shake up its products in the second half of the year. Rumors suggest that Samsung will hold a launch event on August 19, so everything should become clearer in the coming months.
