Samsung may be the same company that peddles a $2000 foldable phone. As evidenced by Wednesday’s launch of the $699 (to start) Galaxy S20 Fan Edition smartphones, however, Samsung hasn’t abandoned conventional buyers with far more modest budgets, especially during a pandemic.
During a virtual, informercial-like product launch, Samsung showcased just the kind of buyers it is trying to lure to the FE device, young, attractive, and creative types who might gravitate to OnePlus or some other Android competitor.
The FE phones come in six vibrant and good-looking (in Samsung-provided pictures and videos anyway) colors: versions of red, lavender, navy blue, mint, orange, and white. Samsung claims the textured haze effect on the plastic body will minimize fingerprints and smudges, though absent a device to test, I’ll have to take their word for it.
What I can say is despite the mid-tier pricing, the FE boasts some pretty impressive specs, starting with 5G connectivity and a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate that promises decent graphics and seamless scrolling. There’s also a robust Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and a 4500 mAH battery that should get you past a full day well into the evening, with wireless and fast charging options when you are running low on juice.
The FE has a 32MP selfie camera and triple camera system on the rear (12MP Ultra Wide, 12MP Wide-angle, 8MP telephoto). And it has other photo features found on more expensive Galaxy phones, including Space Zoom (up to 30x) and Single Take (a collection of curated images and videos captured with a single tap of the shutter.)
The entry version has 128GB of storage but you can step up to 256GB. Or you can take storage levels all the way up to a full terabyte via optional MicroSD memory cards. The phone comes with 6GB of RAM and is also water and dust-resistant.
Suffice it to say the FE should sell more than a $2000 phone does, and of course Samsung fans have several other models in between to choose from, including its main S20 flagships and Galaxy Note 20s. But with the caveat that I haven't tested these phones, the S20 FEs look like potentially smart choices for smartphone buyers who who don't require every top notch fancy feature.
Email: edbaig@gmail.com; Follow @edbaig on Twitter
Comments