Samsung Comes Out Dealing With Much-Awaited Galaxy S21 Phone Line
Aggressive trade-in and switcher offers accompanied the rollout of Samsung’s much-anticipated Galaxy S21 series 5G smartphones Thursday, led by the 6.8-inch flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra with a 120 Hz AMOLED display. The S21 Ultra is the first phone to be compatible with Samsung’s S pen, allowing users to draw, take notes, edit photos and sign documents on the phone screen.
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Samsung and its carriers began taking preorders for the 5G trio Thursday, with phones due Jan. 29. Pricing starts at $1,199. Customers who order before Jan. 28 can get a $200 Samsung credit with a Galaxy S21 Ultra, said the company. For a limited time at Samsung.com, customers can get the phone for as low as $499, or $13.89 a month for 36 months, with an eligible trade-in value up to $700, said the company. At Samsung.com, a $250 instant credit on preorders includes an exclusive $50 credit.
At its Thursday Unpacked event, Samsung touted its Quad HD+ display with a frame rate that automatically adjusts based on content and a quad rear camera with a 108-megapixel sensor that captures 12-bit photos and 4K videos at 60 frames per second. The camera includes a 100x zoom, powered by a new dual-tele lens system -- one optical 3x and an optical 10x -- and wide and ultrawide lenses. The 5G smartphone is one of the first to support Wi-Fi 6E.
Owners of the S21 Ultra and S21+ will be able to use their phones to unlock compatible car doors via ultra-wideband, said the company. SmartThings on Android Auto allows users to control smart devices at home from their car; they can raise the temperature and turn on lights before they arrive home, it said.
T-Mobile offers for new and existing customers include a free S21 5G, or up to $800 off another model, with 24 monthly bill credits, when trading in an eligible device, no additional line required. Verizon pitched switchers a free 128 GB version S21 5G and a free year of the Disney bundle -- Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu -- along with Discovery+ with select unlimited plans. AT&T Wireless offered new and existing customers the S21 5G for free with qualifying trade-in and a compatible 5G plan.