Samsung sent out invites (opens in new tab) to the event with a focus on “opening up new experiences for self-expression through technology,” which gives us some clues as to what the company has in store on Wednesday (via The Verge).
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The event will be live-streamed on YouTube starting at 10 a.m. Eastern (7 a.m. Pacific) on October 20. If you can’t tune in live with us, then don’t worry; we’ll have the latest news on the event as it happens. As for what you can expect at the event, we have a few guesses. The most likely announcement is customization options for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. This was available with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 last year but has not been an option for either of the 2021 foldables. While that was limited to the phone’s hinge, the multi-colored boxes in the invite and corresponding video suggest maybe this could go further. While perhaps irritating to who that already bought a Z Fold 3 or Z Flip 3, this would be an excellent addition from Samsung as we’ve seen little customization available on phones in recent years. A Galaxy S21 FE launch is another possibility but feels unlikely given the persistent rumors that Samsung canceled the phone entirely. SamMobile recently suggested it got a reprieve, but that same rumor put its launch in January. The chip shortage has been the problem for the Galaxy S21 FE. Without any movement on that issue, it is hard to imagine Samsung producing the affordable member of the Galaxy S family in sufficient numbers to warrant the launch. Samsung’s success with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 further complicates the issue. According to the company, they outsold the previous two years of foldable sales in the first month of those phones’ availability. As the Galaxy S21 FE presumably uses the same Snapdragon 888 chipset as the entire Galaxy S21 lineup, something has to give. If Samsung does have some extra chips up its sleeve and manages to bring the Galaxy S21 FE to market, it would be exciting; the Galaxy S20 FE was one of our favorite affordable flagship phones of 2020. The leaks pointed to the Galaxy S21 FE being a similar value with the same design as the Galaxy S21, a slightly reduced triple camera array, and a drop to 6GB of RAM rather than 8 or 12GB.
