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S Pen might not be the only thing Galaxy S21 series borrows from the Galaxy Note 20

By Anam Hamid

Published: Dec 31, 2020, 4:26 PM

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Samsung Android

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S Pen might not be the only thing Galaxy S21 series borrows from the Galaxy Note 20

UPDATE: Reservations for the Galaxy S21 preorder are now open in the US. Get $50 in store credit for registering!

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra

- get the S21 series with up to $700 trade-in, accessory credits, half-price financing, and exclusive colors.

Buy at Samsung

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In its latest Galaxy S21 series teaser, Samsung shows us how the lineup has evolved over the years. The new phones are expected to borrow the Note series' best feature, the S Pen stylus, and unfortunately, vanilla Note 20's worst feature too. The Galaxy Note 20 comes with non-expandable storage and per leaker Roland Quandt, the Galaxy S21 might not offer a microSD card either.

This applies to all three models, not just the standard variant.

This was rumored before as well and it suggests that Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus buyers will be stuck with 256GB of storage, and Galaxy S21 Ultra owners won't be able to go beyond 512GB of internal memory.

Last year's Verizon's Galaxy S20 5G UW also doesn't allow for storage expansion, and 2015's Galaxy S6 and Note 5 didn't come with a microSD slot either.

It's not all bad news though. We have been hearing that the Galaxy S21 series will be sold without a charger, but Quandt says some regions could get one. We don't know the reason behind this alleged strategy, but it could be that some markets require Samsung to include accessories with its phones.

S21 spec sheets say:
memory card reader: "No"

Some markets might still get a charger in the box though, while others don't.
— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) December 31, 2020

Apple now sells its iPhones without charging bricks and earphones, but a couple of markets have asked it to bundle in these accessories.

Galaxy S21 is arriving soon

Nearly everything is already known about the Galaxy S21 series. The phones will likely be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, and the unannounced Exynos 2100 elsewhere.

The highest-end model is expected to feature a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with variable LTPO 120Hz refresh rate technology, a 108MP primary sensor, and a 5,000mAh cell with support for wireless charging and 45W fast wired charging.

The entry-level Galaxy S21 will reportedly cost €849 and the baseline Ultra is tipped to retail for €1,349.

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra

- get the S21 series with up to $700 trade-in, accessory credits, half-price financing, and exclusive colors.

Buy at Samsung

The phones will probably be unveiled on January 14.

View Full Bio

Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.