Here's What to Expect From Smartphones In 2021
14th Mar 2021 | category: story | Hits: 1932
With Q1 2021 just finishing up, we have seen some of the latest mobiles being released. Other releases are being leaked, and rumors are plenty. Here are some of the features and main stories you need to know about the smartphones coming in 2021.
Folding Phones
Are you excited about folding phones? Here is what we know, Samsung and Motorola are able to make displays that can survive months of use in folding. Are they going to hit the markets in a way that is accessible to the average smartphone user? Not a chance.
The ridiculous price tags of over $1,500 mean that the technology is still significantly underdeveloped to compete with the cheap manufacturing of the average smartphone. But, look out for Oppo and Xiaomi folding phones. Then there is the Galaxy Z Flip 2 and 3, which are expected to be cheaper than the original model but lack the elegance of modern smartphones.
As an average user, I am not looking to touch flip or folding phones for a few years, are you?
Periscope Technology
Here is the science, cameras have moveable glass pieces that move around to produce a natural zoom called the optical zoom. The thickness of a smartphone limits how much those glass pieces can move and hence limit the total zoom the camera can offer. The periscope technology uses prisms and mirrors to be able to place those glass pieces sideways to the lens.
Now, the technology is old, and the latest mobiles have been showcasing periscope lenses like the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Huawei Mate 40 Pro. But the technology has become advanced enough to implement it even cheaper and it continues to align well with an ever-increasing focus on camera functionality. So expect more smartphones with periscope technology.
Audio Performance
Audio performance has never been more important. Asus ROG Phone 5 is rumored to be the next powerhouse for recording audio and also playback beating the amazing Xiaomi Mi 10S.
Harmony OS
Huawei P50 Pro is going to continue with the Harmony OS. It is not the best news for most developers, and users as new OS are a bit iffy. Especially since Harmony OS is only around 18 months old. But as we see Huawei continue to stop its reliance on Android quite successfully, more disruptions in the industry can be expected.
Nokia, please?
Look, I will always have a soft spot for Nokia even if its OS sucks. I have a weak grip and I drop my smartphone at least once every day. My old Nokia Lumia 540 served me so well suffering so much abuse for years on end and continued without a scratch. The Nokia 7.3 5G claims to be affordable, but it is so late in its release that I fear it will already be obsolete in performance by the time of its release.
LG being LG
LG's Velvet 2 is probably going to be just another run-of-the-mill update to the original. It is going to continue putting form and elegance as its selling point. Honestly my hands are not responsible enough to care for the older model, let alone the new one. But, the specs are expected to be good enough that you won’t be missing out on anything, but the relatively slower charging can be an issue.
Nanotech Batteries?
Since 2014, scientists have been promising to fully charge phones in a matter of seconds using new technologies which involve peptides, an organic compound made through amino acids as capacitors. But, no such batteries have been rumored to be ready for any of the 2021 releases. So, let’s continue the wait.
eSIM
And we are here. Motorola Razr flip phone is announced to be eSIM only. The latest mobiles are offering eSIM as an option allowing users to still use the physical SIM cards. But the Razr has shown that it is only a matter of time before more and more flagships remove the SIM slot entirely forcing users to use eSIM.
In The End;
We are seeing constant delays in releases for almost all brands and the pandemic is possibly to blame for that. The flagship releases are not hyped up to showcase some amazing new technology or features. Instead, this year's focus seems to be on little improvements in OS, processing power, camera functions and battery timing. I am looking to finally upgrade my smartphone and move away from the sturdy but abused Oppo A57, let's hope the releases stay true to the specs and continue to amaze us with the technological marvels.