Samsung last year announced the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition), which was the more affordable version of the Galaxy S20. This year as well, market expectations were that Samsung would go ahead with the Galaxy S21 FE, and multiple leaks about the same were making rounds online too. But in a recent development, it looks like the Galaxy S21 FE might not see the light of the day. A Samsung Electronics official confirmed to DDaily, a South Korean publication, that Samsung had cancelled the ‘Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE)’ unpacked event scheduled for mid-October. In fact, the official said that Samsung might not release the S21 FE at all.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Launch Cancelled, Possible Reasons
One of the primary reasons behind the move mentioned in the report was that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was selling too well. At such a point, Samsung doesn’t want to take the limelight away from its recent flagship by launching an affordable entry-level flagship device. Another issue that has plagued the entire electronics industry is the shortage of semiconductors. The global chip shortage might have also had to do something with Samsung cancelling the launch event.
It is worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE had already been spotted at the TENAA, Google Play Console, and Geekbench. The launch of the smartphone was still very much in the cards, but after looking at this fresh development, Samsung fans waiting for the Galaxy S21 FE would be very disappointed.
But there’s one more possibility to consider. Samsung might not launch the Galaxy S21 FE in the South Korean markets but might launch it elsewhere. In markets such as India, an affordable flagship can certainly make some noise if it comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. It would be a little harsh on the company’s books if it cancels the smartphone now since a lot of money has already gone into the production and R&D of the smartphone.
