Galaxy S21 Price Leak Cements Its "Lite" Character

Samsung has always launched more affordable versions of its flagships, at least in name, although the exact branding changed through the course of the years. From "Mini" to "Lite" to "e" and now "Fan Edition", the company has used its bountiful resources to cast its net wide. The success of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, despite its flaws, may have convinced Samsung to adjust the price of its next flagship and, if the sources are correct, the base Galaxy S21 could be its cheapest premium flagship since 2016.

There are various factors that could be credited or blamed for this reported price change. The pandemic has definitely affected the global economy, pushing consumers to look into more accessibly priced phones. The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition or FE came exactly at that opportune time and its popularity even in the US may have influenced the company's pricing strategy, at least according to Korean media.

Industry sources claim that the base Galaxy S21 could be priced at around 980,000 KRW. That converts to more than $900. Given how global prices work, that could even translate to $899 in the US. While still expensive, that's significantly cheaper than the $999 that the Galaxy S20 started with this year.

If true, this could be the lowest that a Samsung flagship has gone since the $750 Galaxy S7 four years ago. Considering how prices have gotten higher and higher over the years, such a change sounds almost too good to be true. It could definitely be that since it's too early to put stock in that speculation.

That said, the Galaxy S20 might not look worth $999 anyway. If this year's Samsung flagships are any clue, it could come with a plastic, or "glasstic" rather, back along with a flat screen, a minimal set of cameras, and no extraneous features. It would definitely help paint Samsung in a more positive light if it does offer such an affordable flagship with no "Lite" or "Fan Edition" appended.