On January 14, 2021, Samsung held its first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year, unveiling the Galaxy S21 series. Breaking from its traditional February or March launch schedule, this earlier debut was a strategic move to directly challenge Apple's recently released iPhone 12 and gain a head start in the flagship market. Presented in a virtual format due to the global pandemic, the event showcased a refined product lineup with a striking new design, significant camera upgrades, and a revised pricing structure. The introduction of the S21, S21+, and the S Pen-compatible S21 Ultra marked a pivotal moment for Samsung's mobile strategy, aiming to reclaim momentum after the S20's high price met with a challenging economic climate.
What it is
The Galaxy S21 series consisted of three distinct models. The standard Galaxy S21 featured a 6.2-inch flat display with a polycarbonate ('Glasstic') back, while the S21+ offered a larger 6.7-inch screen and a glass back. The top-of-the-line S21 Ultra boasted a 6.8-inch curved display, a more premium build, and a significantly advanced camera system. The defining design feature across the lineup was the 'Contour Cut' camera housing, which elegantly blended the camera module into the phone's metal frame. All models featured Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with adaptive 120Hz refresh rates, and were powered by either the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 chipset. The Ultra stood apart with its 108MP main sensor, dual telephoto lenses offering up to 100x Space Zoom, and, for the first time in an S-series phone, support for the S Pen stylus.
How it came to be
The development of the Galaxy S21 series was a direct response to the market's reception of its predecessor, the Galaxy S20. While technologically advanced, the S20 was criticized for its high launch price, which proved a difficult sell during the economic uncertainty of 2020. Samsung's goal for the S21 was to refine the flagship experience while making it more accessible. This led to a key decision: lowering the starting price of the base S21 by $200 compared to the S20. Engineering efforts focused on creating a more iconic design, resulting in the Contour Cut camera housing. Perhaps the most significant engineering choice was integrating a Wacom digitizer into the S21 Ultra's display to enable S Pen support, a feature previously exclusive to the Galaxy Note series. This was the first major step toward consolidating Samsung's two flagship lines.
How many it sold
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series achieved solid, albeit not record-breaking, sales figures, estimated to be over 25 million units in its first year. The lineup saw a strong start, with sales in the United States during its first month being 30% higher than the S20 series. However, momentum slowed over the product's lifecycle. Interestingly, sales were heavily skewed towards the most expensive model, the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Its superior camera capabilities, premium build, and novel S Pen support made it the most popular choice among consumers, outperforming Samsung's own sales projections for the high-end variant. This indicated a clear market trend toward premium, feature-packed devices, even as the lower-priced base S21 aimed for broader appeal.
Why it resonated
The Galaxy S21 series resonated with consumers for its successful blend of style, performance, and strategic pricing. The distinctive Contour Cut camera design was a bold aesthetic choice that made the phones instantly recognizable and feel more cohesive than previous models. For many, the lower entry price of the base S21 made it a much more compelling proposition than its predecessor. For tech enthusiasts and power users, the S21 Ultra was a dream device. It offered one of the best displays on the market, a remarkably versatile camera system with incredible zoom capabilities, and the addition of S Pen functionality, which attracted loyal Galaxy Note fans. The combination of a polished software experience and Samsung's commitment to longer Android OS updates further cemented its position as a top-tier flagship family.
Impact today
The legacy of the Galaxy S21 series is significant, particularly in how it reshaped Samsung's flagship strategy. The introduction of S Pen support in the S21 Ultra was a trial run that proved immensely successful, paving the way for the full integration of the Note's features into the S-series and the eventual retirement of the standalone Note line. The S22 Ultra and its successors now carry that torch. The 'Contour Cut' design language influenced subsequent Samsung devices, creating a more unified brand identity. Furthermore, the S21 series' decision to remove the charging brick and headphones from the box, following Apple, solidified this as an industry-wide trend among flagship smartphones, fundamentally changing consumer expectations for what comes with a new high-end phone.
Historical content researched and generated by Gemini 2.5 Pro.