Update: The Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphone is now available for pre-order in South Africa, and the contract price is fairly decent. It seems like mobile operators are fully aware of the current economic struggles and most are offering customers the ability to pre-order the different S21 series devices on 24 or 36-month contracts.
Samsung is also offering consumers the option to trade in their previous models (eligible devices only) for a trade-in value of up to R10,000.
| Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deal | Data | Minutes | SMS | Extras | Price pm |
| Vodacom | |||||
| Smart XS+ | 350MB | 50 | 50 | Travel charger | R899 |
| Smart Data 1GB | 1GB | 75 | 25 | Travel charger | R949 |
| Red More Data 6GB | 6GB | 150 | 25 | Travel charger | R1,658 |
| MTN | |||||
| Mega Gigs Xs | 1GB | 25 | 25 | 500MB social data, 500MB video data, 20GB once-off data | R649 (36-month) |
| Telkom | |||||
| FreeMe 1.5GB | 1GB | 25 + 500 | 100 | 250MB WhatsApp data, 250MB streaming data | R899 |
| FreeMe 3GB | 2GB | 50 + 1,000 | 200 | 500MB WhatsApp data, 500MB streaming data | R949 |
| FreeMe 6GB | 4GB | 100 + 1,000 | 400 | 1GB WhatsApp data, 1GB streaming data | R999 |
As expected, the bigger and better model, the S21 Ultra, costs a little bit more.
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deal | Data | Minutes | SMS | Extras | Price pm |
| Vodacom | |||||
| Smart XS+ | 350MB | 50 | 50 | Travel charger | R1,299 |
| Smart Data 1GB | 1GB | 75 | 25 | Travel charger | R1,349 |
| Red More Data 6GB | 6GB | 150 | 25 | Travel charger | R1,669 |
| MTN | |||||
| Mega Gigs Xs | 1GB | 25 | 25 | 500MB social data, 500MB video data, 20GB once-off data | R909 (36-month) |
| Telkom | |||||
| FreeMe 3GB | 2GB | 50 + 1,000 | 200 | 500MB WhatsApp data, 500MB streaming data | R1,299 |
| FreeMe 6GB | 4GB | 100 + 1,000 | 400 | 1GB WhatsApp data, 1GB streaming data | R1,399
|
Original article:
Samsung took to CES 2021 this past week to announce the Samsung Galaxy S21 range (which includes Samsung S21 Ultra, Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy SmartTags and a standalone S Pen).
Samsung Galaxy S21 Range
At the Unpacked event, it was clear that Samsung focused heavily on its upcoming features and expanded ecosystem. These would tie directly back into content creation, especially video recording. It’s evident that Samsung is not focused simply on throwing more powerful hardware to its upcoming ranges, instead with a greater emphasis on the experience.
Samsung announced three models at the event. The next flagship Samsung smartphone includes the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra.
A lot of this is also geared towards the new-normal of working remotely and spending more time at home.
The Galaxy S21 has an intelligent, edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display. It also has an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and viewing.
Record videos at 8K with Super Steady stabilisation at 60fps. The camera app also includes the new Director’s View. It lets you view, switch and select the best shot to tell your best story. Samsung has also enhanced its Single Shot option for both stills and videos, providing you with a number of options without recording multiple shots.
| Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S21 Plus | Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Exynos 2100 (5nm) – South Africa | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3×2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) | ||
| Display | 6.8″ – 89.8% screen-to-body ratio | 6.7″ – 88.3% screen-to-body ratio | 6.2″ – 87.2% screen-to-body ratio |
| RAM | 16GB, 12GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 512GB, 256GB, 128GB | 256GB, 128GB | 256GB, 128GB |
| Camera | 108MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 10MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 10MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
12MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 64MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
12MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 64MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Battery | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Po 4800 mAh | Li-Po 4000 mAh |
- Samsung Galaxy S21 prepaid price in South Africa: R17,999 – Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink and Phantom White
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus prepaid price in South Africa: R21,499 – Phantom Violet, Phantom Silver and Phantom Black
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra prepaid price in South Africa: R27,999 – Phantom Silver and Phantom Black
Samsung has announced its trade-in option for your older Galaxy smartphones, valued up to R10,000. What’s great about this option is that you’re now able to trade in multiple smartphones at once towards your new Galaxy S21 device.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Samsung has been releasing updates to its wireless earbud range quite frequently. The Galaxy Buds Live was announced at the Unpacked event in August 2020 with the Buds+ the event before that. This time around, the brand has launched its more premium offering to date, the Galaxy Buds Pro.
The Galaxy Buds Pro features world-class audio, with intelligent active noise cancellation (ANC) as well as 360° audio supported by Dolby Atmos. With the Buds Pro’s, it offers immersive audio is enabled through an 11mm woofer for deep bass and a 6.5mm tweeter, providing crisp treble with almost zero distortion.
The brand states that the Galaxy Buds Pro “delivers Samsung’s best audio experience yet – a dynamic, balanced sound.”
A key focus has been placed on bringing voice quality to the next level, as we move into a world of remote offices and the likes. As a result, the Galaxy Buds Pro features optimised calling through its 3-way microphone layout to enable its Voice Pickup Unit (VPU).
Two outer microphones have a high signal-to-noise ratio, allowing it to eliminate those annoying background noises. This new feature is so enhanced, Samsung claims that it could effectively provide clear voice quality even in windy environments thanks to its Wind Shield technology.
The Galaxy Buds Pro are immediately available and will come in a range of three colours. These colours will match with the Galaxy S21 range and includes Phantom Black and Phantom Silver and an incredible Phantom Violet.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTags
In addition to smartphones and earbuds, Samsung also launched a smart home accessory. This ties in with its smart home launch event earlier in the week. The Galaxy SmartTags allow for tracking of items, making it easier to locate.
The Galaxy SmartTags are paired to your Galaxy smartphone via the SmartThings app and indicate its last known location on a map. If it’s within range, you can send our a signal to show a proximity indicator or, with a press of a button, emit a chime for you to easily track.
The Galaxy SmartTags are slated to work well in terms of finding your lost keys and items around the house and even on your pets when out and about. You’ll never have to worry about misplacing the remote again.
