Samsung has brought forward the launch of its next range of Galaxy smartphones, confirming plans to announce its next flagship devices in conjunction with CES 2021.
The South Korean giant has sent out invites for an event that will be livestreamed on the company's website on 14 January, according to The Verge.
Samsung's Galaxy S range is typically unveiled just ahead of Mobile World Congress in February, although this year's conference has been pushed back until June due to the continued spread of COVID-19. The decision to bring the launch forward means the launch of Galaxy S21 models will now coincide with CES 2021, which starts next Monday as an entirely virtual event.
Samsung hasn't revealed many details about next week's event, although reports suggest that there will be three new smartphones, similar to last years S20 range: a Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra. There was also a leaked image circulating before Christmas depicting a purple and gold colour scheme and camera module that wraps around the edge of the device.
The new models may also come with 'Note-like' capabilities, according to a blog post released by the firm in December, which also suggested a new foldable phone could be on the cards. The company has said it is 'expanding' its portfolio of foldable devices with the aim at making them more affordable, which hints that updated versions of the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip could be launched alongside the S21.
Whatever the firm unveils next week, it has a big act to follow. Last year, following the release of the Galaxy S20 range, the South Korean giant reported a record-breaking £6.31 billion net profit in its third-quarter results, largely due to a 50% increase in smartphone sales.
Despite this, the company's Q3 results came with a warning of increased competition heading into 2021. A later than usual release of the iPhone 12 and rapidly increasing market share of the likes of Oppo and Xiaomi saw most analysts predict that the Galaxy S21 would be launched ahead of schedule. Some also suggest the firm is looking to capitalise on Huawei's dwindling market share following weak European sales.
