Essential Official Android Thread

[loyola llothta]

Is the Ultra truly worth it though? I want to upgrade from the S10+, but right now there's nothing from the S21 that says I need the phone.

Not really

 

[Rell Lauren]

There's no headphone jack either?!

 

[drifter]

S21 dump before tomorrow

Ultra

Full 120hz refresh rate
12MP Ultrawide/108MP wide/10MP telephoto
Metal camera housing
Gorilla glass victus
8k video editing
Up to 16gb RAM
128/256/512 GB options
Spen
Wifi 6
6.8"
IP68 resistance
USB-C cable, no charger
Some cases will come with spen


S21+
Variable refresh rate
gorilla glass victus back
12MP ultrawide, 12MP wide angle, 64MP telephoto
8GB RAM
6.7"
128/512 GB options


S21
Variable refresh rate
"glastic" back
12MP ultrawide, 12MP wide, 64MP telephoto
8GB RAM
6.2"
128/512GB options


Special finishes for each version, regular S21 & + have same colors. 4-5 week wait, colors are made to order

Ultra: Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Phantom Grey
21/+: Phantom Red, Phantom Gold

 

[Ari Gold Bawse]

no real difference between the + and normal other than the size

i might have to go all out and get the ultra

my S9+ is on its last legs, i accidently updated it and the battery is now shyt

 

[Pete Wrigley]

S21 dump before tomorrow



Ultra

Full 120hz refresh rate
12MP Ultrawide/108MP wide/10MP telephoto
Metal camera housing
Gorilla glass victus
8k video editing
Up to 16gb RAM
128/256/512 GB options
Spen
Wifi 6
6.8"
IP68 resistance
USB-C cable, no charger
Some cases will come with spen


S21+
Variable refresh rate
gorilla glass victus back
12MP ultrawide, 12MP wide angle, 64MP telephoto
8GB RAM
6.7"
128/512 GB options


S21
Variable refresh rate
"glastic" back
12MP ultrawide, 12MP wide, 64MP telephoto
8GB RAM
6.2"
128/512GB options


Special finishes for each version, regular S21 & + have same colors. 4-5 week wait, colors are made to order

Ultra: Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Phantom Grey
21/+: Phantom Red, Phantom Gold

My S20+ has some better specs than the S21+

 

[drifter]

 

[loyola llothta]

The Galaxy S21 doesn’t support Samsung Pay’s most convenient feature
No more tricking payment terminals into thinking you swiped a card

• By Chris Welch
• on January 14, 2021 3:03 pm

Image: Samsung

Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra no longer support the convenient Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) feature of Samsung Pay. And based on what the company told Android Police, the same will be true for all phones that Samsung releases from here on out.

If you’re not familiar, MST is a very cool trick that allows Samsung phones to send out a magnetic pulse that made payment terminals think that you’d swiped a regular credit card. The most beneficial thing about it is that MST can work in scenarios where NFC payments aren’t available. It can send that magnetic signal to pretty much any payment terminal with a traditional card swiper.

MST is by no means perfect: getting a payment to go through on the first try can sometimes be a challenge, and it’s worthless in situations where you have to stick your card all the way into a slot.

But now it’s a goner, with Samsung believing that NFC adoption has reached a point where it can phase out the MST aspect of Samsung Pay. “Due to the rapid adoption of near field communication (NFC) technology by consumers and businesses, beginning with devices launched in 2021, Samsung Pay will focus its support on NFC transactions, across the Galaxy portfolio,” Samsung said in a statement to Android Police. “While future devices will no longer include magnetic stripe technology (MST), customers with previous, compatible Galaxy devices will be able to continue using Samsung Pay, including MST.”



Samsung phones as recent as the Galaxy S20 FE still had MST capabilities built in, so you don’t have to go far back to find a compatible device.

This means with the Galaxy S21 family, Samsung has now gotten rid of:

• 
  
  
  • The charging brick
  • microSD storage expansion
  • MST

I get the sense that a lot of people won’t mind losing some (or all) of those things — especially with the lower starting prices on the S21 and S21 Plus — but there’s no denying that Samsung Pay just lost what was maybe its best standout trick.

link:
The Galaxy S21 doesn’t support Samsung Pay’s most convenient feature

 

[Wayans Brehs]

I think the new Galaxy Ultra looks ok... but Samsung deserves all the criticism they are getting right now. Their phones from 5 years ago had more flagship features.

- No more 1440p screen unless you get the Ultra.
- Plastic back on the s21
- No more SD Card on any model
- No more MST or points on any purchase with Samsung Pay (I knew that wouldn't last though, they were giving free money basically)
- No charger in box after clowning Apple 3 months ago. I mean these nikkas are extra shameless with it.

This on top of the removal of the headphone jack and IR blaster, though I know a lot of people don't give a fukk anymore.

Samsung knows they are the best Android OEM by far and they are flexing it by removing features and still charging a grip. It's really important that LG, Sony, OnePlus, etc. start competing (or Xiaomi, please start trying in the US market)... because Samsung going to keep pulling this fukkery until they feel some heat

 

[HollywoodP]

damn they dont even got the SD card slot on the Ultra?

 

[Lord_nikon]

google just copped fitbit just got sent a email talking about nothing will be shared

 

[xXMASHERXx]

google just copped fitbit just got sent a email talking about nothing will be shared

They bought them last year, I guess it's just been made official today. Wonder if we'll see a pixel watch soon.

 

[ineedsleep212]

I keep holding off on getting a new phone and the S21 making me want to wait some more. This s7 edge been a little shaky battery wise. Waiting for what the Oneplus 9 Pro is gonna be like and a few other phones (Xperia 1 iii).

Other than Oneplus in March, what are some other new phones I should look out for in Q1?

 

[xXMASHERXx]

I think the new Galaxy Ultra looks ok... but Samsung deserves all the criticism they are getting right now. Their phones from 5 years ago had more flagship features.

- No more 1440p screen unless you get the Ultra.
- Plastic back on the s21
- No more SD Card on any model
- No more MST or points on any purchase with Samsung Pay (I knew that wouldn't last though, they were giving free money basically)
- No charger in box after clowning Apple 3 months ago. I mean these nikkas are extra shameless with it.

This on top of the removal of the headphone jack and IR blaster, though I know a lot of people don't give a fukk anymore.

Samsung knows they are the best Android OEM by far and they are flexing it by removing features and still charging a grip. It's really important that LG, Sony, OnePlus, etc. start competing (or Xiaomi, please start trying in the US market)... because Samsung going to keep pulling this fukkery until they feel some heat

At this rate I might just cop another Note 9 and stash it for when I need to replace my current one

 

[Wayans Brehs]

At this rate I might just cop another Note 9 and stash it for when I need to replace my current one

Not mad at you. I see a lot of people online saying the Note 9 was Samsung's GOAT.

 

[So-Chi]

The saw that people were indifferent when they took the headphones away so now they are just seeing how far they can go. It's ridiculous that they take things away but phone prices are not coming down

Well... Prices are down and they are giving a HAUL for my s10Plus through Samsung. I'll take a s21 plus