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An invitation for Galaxy Unpacked 2021. (provided by Samsung Electronics)

Invitations went out on Jan. 4 for the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event, where the Galaxy S21 series will be unveiled. Observers see Jan. 29 as the likely launch date for the Galaxy S21, which is to be revealed at Galaxy Unpacked on Jan. 15.

Both the unveiling and the launch have been moved up by around one month from past years. The move is likely a strategy to counter Apple — which has been increasing its market share at a breathtaking pace since the launch of its iPhone 12 series in October — while filling the gap left by Huawei, which has seen production decline sharply amid US sanctions.

Apple’s launch of its new iPhone series in October 2020 came about one month later than usual amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the products were a big hit, with Apple’s market share nearly doubling from 11.9% in Q3 to a projected 20.6% in Q4. Over the same period, Samsung Electronics’ share dropped from 21.9% to 16.2%; in addition to tumbling below 20%, Samsung also yielded its top ranking to Apple.

For Samsung, it was clear that it needed to rush forward a new product to counter the Apple juggernaut. This is why the release date has been moved up this year to Jan. 29, compared with the Mar. 6 launch of the Galaxy S20 series last year.

The steep drop in Huawei smartphone shipments amid US sanctions is also a factor in Samsung’s aggressiveness. Huawei, one of the world’s top three smartphone companies, saw its market share freefall from 19.7% in Q2 2020 to 14.1% in Q3 and to a projected 8.3% in Q4. Many analysts predict its shipments this year will drop all the way from 187,900,000 units last year to around 40,000,000 units. The US imposed sanctions prohibiting the supply of semiconductors using US technology or equipment to Huawei without Washington approval. This resulted in a severe blow to Huawei’s procurement of key smartphone components.

Samsung will likely play up its updated cameras and the S Pen in its marketing campaign. In a Samsung Electronics Newsroom message on Dec. 15, Roh Tae-moon, chief of Samsung’s mobile division, said the company would “perfectly support the video experience by satisfying the various needs of our customers, from professional video producers to those looking for an intelligent camera that will do everything for you.”

Cameras with high-performance sensors are expected to be on par with professional DSLR cameras, and AI will further enhance photography and video. The Galaxy Unpacked invitation video also shows a new, more natural design where the camera blends in better with the device’s surface.

The Galaxy S series will also feature the S Pen, a trademark of the Galaxy Note series. In a Newsroom message, Roh Tae-moon announced plans to “apply the Galaxy Note experience customers love to a broader range of products.”

Also expected at the Unpacked event are first looks at new wireless earphones and an updated ecosystem that uses “smart tags” to incorporate house or car keys.

By Song Chae Kyung-hwa, staff reporter

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