Whispers about an early Galaxy S21 launch have been floating around for a couple of months now. We have also heard from our own sources that Samsung's next flagship series may be launched in early January 2021.
That's going to be quite a departure from the norm. Samsung normally unveils its new Galaxy S series in the second week of February. The release then takes place about a couple of weeks thereafter. So what might be the agenda behind this decision?
Early Galaxy S21 launch meant to keep Huawei at bay
Citing three sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reports that Samsung wants to launch its new Galaxy S flagship early to tackle competition from Apple and steal market share from Huawei. Samsung itself confirmed the possibility of an early Galaxy S21 launch in the most roundabout way it possibly could.
Apple recently launched new iPhones and Samsung would want to put new flagships on the market that take some shine off of them. That might work to some extent but customers who really want these new iPhones would probably have bought them already by the time the Galaxy S21 comes around.
It's Huawei that Samsung would likely be most concerned about. The Chinese behemoth has fast been catching up to Samsung in all segments of the market. Samsung only got some breathing room due to Huawei's troubles with the US government.
It has effectively been blocked from the global supply chain of semiconductors and other crucial components. Huawei will have a big problem on its hands when it runs out of stockpiled components next year. It's access to Android OS has also been cut off.
The situation could improve for Huawei in the coming year, especially if the new occupant of the White House takes a more lenient view. An early Galaxy S21 launch might provide Samsung with a hedge against that possibility.
A recent leak claims to reveal the launch dates for Samsung's next flagship. The company is expected to unveil the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra on January 14. Pre-orders may begin on the same day. The phones may go on sale starting January 29.
