SAMSUNG has unveiled its answer to the iPhone 12 – a batch of new smartphones designed around power and camera performance.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series comprises three phones with 5G connectivity and curious rear camera bumps that merge with the chassis.

Samsung has unveiled three new phones: The Galaxy S21 Ultra (left), S21+ (centre) and S21 (right)

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Samsung has unveiled three new phones: The Galaxy S21 Ultra (left), S21+ (centre) and S21 (right)Credit: Samsung

They were announced during the Korean tech titan’s virtual Galaxy Unpacked event on Thursday.

The cheapest of the trio is the £761 Samsung Galaxy S21, which boasts a 6.2-inch AMOLED display housed within a metal frame.

Samsung has opted for a retro, flat-edged design as opposed to the pebble-like silhouettes of old – much like Apple did for the iPhone 12.

The S21’s rear camera is an upgrade on the snapper of last year’s Galaxy S20, with 12MP primary, 12MP wide-angle and 64MP telephoto lenses.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the smallest and cheapest of the new range

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The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the smallest and cheapest of the new rangeCredit: samsung

Samsung said it has improved the stability of its digital camera zoom – which can reach 30x magnification – and has boosted the speed and performance of the mobile, too.

The Galaxy S21+, which starts at £949, features many of the same specs but comes in slightly larger, with a 6.7-inch display.

Those willing to splash a bit of extra cash for all the bells and whistles can opt for the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

It’s got a mammoth 6.8-inch screen and adds an extra telephoto lens that gives the powerhouse the capacity to zoom at up to 100x magnification.

The S21+, which starts at £949, features many of the same specs but comes in slightly larger, with a 6.7-inch display

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The S21+, which starts at £949, features many of the same specs but comes in slightly larger, with a 6.7-inch display

The big news, however, is that the Ultra supports Samsung’s S-Pen stylus.

You can use the gizmo to navigate your home screen, type out texts or scrawl reminders in your favourite notes app.

The S-Pen has typically been reserved for Samsung’s larger “Note” smartphones released each August, but the company is heavily rumoured to be binning the flagging series this year.

The Ultra’s extra features come at a heavy price. The mobiles starts at a whopping £1,149.

The S21 Ultra is the largest of the lot and works with Samsung's S-Pen stylus

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The S21 Ultra is the largest of the lot and works with Samsung’s S-Pen stylusCredit: Samsung

All three of Samsung’s new mobiles boast 5G connectivity, the next generation of mobile data speeds.

That means you’ll get a lightning-fast connection provided you’re in a 5G area and have the right kind of contract.

In a statement, Samsung said it believed 2021 would mark a “new era” for its Galaxy range.

“We believe this year will be the real test of the power of 5G,” Samsung’s Conor Pierce said.

Samsung is releasing the high-powered mobiles in a range of colours for buyers to choose from

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Samsung is releasing the high-powered mobiles in a range of colours for buyers to choose fromCredit: Samsung

“We are committed to getting it in the hands of the next generation of innovators.”

Pre-orders for the new phones open January 14 and the mobiles will ship just over two weeks later, on January 29.

They come in a wide range of colours from traditional black or white to more adventurous hues like “phantom violet”.

In the UK, most major carriers are expected to offer S21 series contracts, including EE and Vodafone.

Also at Thursday’s event, Samsung unveiled new wireless earphones and a tracking tag that you can clip onto your belongings to help you locate them.

The Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag are out later this month.

Samsung also unveiled its latest wireless earphones, the Galaxy Buds Pro

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Samsung also unveiled its latest wireless earphones, the Galaxy Buds ProCredit: Samsung

Samsung – a brief history

Here’s what you need to know…

  • Samsung is a major South Korean company made up of many businesses that operate globally
  • It’s known locally as a “chaebol”, which means “business conglomerate”
  • It was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company
  • But over several decades, it branched out into food processing, insurance, textiles and retail
  • It wasn’t until the late 1960s when Samsung entered the electronics industry – for which it’s best known in the west today
  • It also launched businesses in construction and shipbuilding in the 1970s
  • Today, Samsung’s most important sources of income are its smartphones and computer chips
  • The firm accounts for around a fifth of South Korea’s total exports, and roughly 17% of the country’s GDP
  • More than 320,000 staff are employed by Samsung globally
  • And in 2017, Samsung turned over the equivalent of £174billion today in revenue
Samsung debuts ROBOT housekeeper that can lay the table, pour you a beer and clean your dishes

In other news, Samsung’s unveiled a robot butler this week that lays your table, pours you a beer and cleans the dishes.

Here’s our review of the iPhone 12, Apple’s first 5G mobile.

And, here’s how to find out if you can access 5G in your area.

What do you think of Samsung’s new mobiles? Let us know in the comments!


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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk

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