Samsung's Galaxy S Series Journey
Samsung has launched its first Galaxy S series smartphone in 2010 and through the last decade. Ahead of the launch of the newest additions to the Galaxy family revealing an exciting future for the smartphone, let’s take a look at Journey of Galaxy S.
2010 – Hello, Smartphones! - Galaxy S was launched in 2010 with the first 4-inch (10 cm) 480×800 pixel Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, a PowerVR graphics processor, Wi-Fi connectivity, a 5-megapixel primary camera and a 0.3-megapixel secondary front-facing camera.
2011 – Size Zero of Smartphones - With thickness of just 8.49mm, Galaxy SII was introduced as the size zero of smartphones. It was one of the first devices to offer a Mobile High-definition Link which allows up to 1080p uncompressed video output to an MHL enabled TV or to an MHL to HDMI adapter, while charging the device at the same time.
2012 – Bestselling Device of the Year - The Galaxy SIII was the first to have a HD screen. With this smartphone, Samsung launched Multi Window (Android 4.1), Ambient Light, Smart Stay, S Voice, and S Beam (NFC). It employed an intelligent personal assistant (S Voice), eye-tracking ability, and increased storage.
2013 – Sophisticated Software - Galaxy S4 focused on features like IR Blaster (phone could double as a universal remote), Smart Program, Smart Rotation, Smart Scroll, and Story Album. The phone’s ability was enhanced to detect a finger hovering over the screen. It also had an expanded eye tracking functionality.
2014 – High Resistance - The fifth generation Galaxy S model brought fingerprint scanner on the home button and a heart rate sensor near the primary camera. Galaxy S5 was IP67 Dust and Water Resistant. The dust rating 6 is the highest level of protection, and the rating 7 in water resistance meant water-resistance up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes.
2015 – New Curves! - Samsung launched Galaxy S6 & S6 edge with unique Wireless Charging and Curved Edge Screen features. While wireless charging gave consumers more flexibility to charge their phones, Curved Edge Screen Display didn’t just offer them a gorgeous design but a brand new way to interact with their device with edge functionality.
2016 – Redefining the Phone Camera - Galaxy S7 and S7 edge were the first phones to offer a Dual Pixel Autofocus camera that ensured a great image quality regardless of lighting conditions.
2017 – Infinity Display - With Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung broke the monotony and raised the bar of smartphone design by introducing the stunning Infinity Display. It came with Samsung Pay for India.
2018 – New Audio & Augmented Reality Experience - Galaxy S9 & Galaxy S9+ came with features such as Dolby Atmos Surround Sound, Dual Aperture, and AR Emoji etc, changing the smartphone experience.
2019 – The Ultra Wide Lens debuted on Galaxy S10, letting users capture what they saw. Both front and rear cameras could shoot in up to UHD quality, which was an industry first.
2020 - Galaxy S20 series was Samsung’s first, full 5G flagship lineup, featuring 5G and AI camera technologies, built for the future of communications.
2021- On January 14, Samsung is all set to introduce the new upcoming S21 series. The company will introduce the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra as the successors to last year's S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra models. Reports suggest that the S21 will offer 6.2 inch display with Full HD+ resolution and 120 Hz of refresh rate, on the other hand, S21+ will offer a 6.7-inch display with a Full-HD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 1300-nits of brightness.
Moreover, the S21 Ultra will get a 6.8-inch WQHD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, 1600-nits of brightness, and S Pen support. The leaks surfacing on the internet also suggests that the upcoming S21 trio will be powered by an Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888 chipset(depending on the market), mated with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.
Talking about the camera, the S21 and S21+ will boast a triple camera setup at the rear comprising a 12MP primary sensor, a 64MP telephoto lens with 3x hybrid optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field-of-view. Upfront, both the smartphones will have a 10MP selfie shooter.
On the other hand, the S21 Ultra will get a quad rear camera arrangement at the rear, including a 108MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide lens with 120-degree field-of-view, a 10MP telephoto lens, a 10MP periscope camera, and laser autofocus. For selfies, there will be a 40MP camera.