What’s New in Smartphones – 2021 Edition

Almost every year, each of the major smartphone manufacturers release updated models with lots of changes. If you aren’t in the loop on tech-minutiae, the benefits of new smartphone features might not be clear. Marketing speak and terminology get mixed together, making it harder to fully understand what changes each year. To cut through the confusion and explain what the new smartphone features mean for you, we’ll explore the top features of the latest smartphones from three major manufacturers in our piece – What’s New in Smartphones – 2021 Edition.

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Samsung: Galaxy S20, Plus, Ultra, Note, Fan Edition + Z Fold 2

Samsung offers a plethora of different phones in a multitude of market segments, including futuristic (but seriously expensive) options like the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 2. As a result, you might not even know where to start when trying to understand what new features they released.

Many of Samsung’s 2020 releases include 120 Hz displays, which offer noticeably smoother animations and scrolling compared to other manufacturers’ 90 Hz or even 60 Hz displays. The S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra all come with faster 5G cellular connectivity now, although the fastest variant is limited to specific, high-population areas.

In addition to display updates, most Samsung models have upgraded cameras this year. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s 108 megapixel standard-lens camera, for example, is one of the highest-resolution cameras in the industry. Samsung also loaded newer phones with the latest Qualcomm processors and more RAM, although iPhone chips from a couple of years ago still beat the newest Qualcomm chips on some benchmarks.

Apple: iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 12 mini

Apple’s biggest announcement this year was that every phone in the iPhone 12 series would come with 5G connectivity. Compared to 4G LTE, 5G is faster and more responsive, but the main speed benefits are only available within specific parts of major cities. The fastest version of 5G, known as mmWave, is only available on specific streets in large cities.

In addition to this headline item, Apple made some incremental improvements to iPhone cameras and included the next-generation A14 chip (by far the fastest in the industry). 2020 iPhones also have a new magnetic wireless charging feature called MagSafe, which offers a range of accessories for faster and easier wireless charging.

If you love small phones, you’re in luck this year.  The new iPhone 12 mini is smaller than any iPhone since the design used for the 2013 iPhone 5s.

Google: Pixel 5, 4a

Compared to Samsung and Apple’s respective lineups, Google’s Pixel phones are refreshingly easy to understand from a glance. In 2020, they released two models, the higher-end Pixel 5 and the budget Pixel 4a. The Pixel 5 comes standard with 5G connectivity, while the Pixel 4a offers 5G as an upgrade that also includes a bigger screen and more cameras.

With the Pixel phones, Google’s focus continues to be on unique software features. For example, Google’s custom version of Android for Pixel can automatically filter robocalls before your phone even rings. Their Extreme Battery Saver mode can stretch the Pixel’s battery up to 48 hours.

Final Thoughts on What’s New in Smartphones – 2021 Edition?

Smartphone companies continue to innovate and iterate on an annual basis, giving consumers the choice of tons of great models. Some unique features, like Apple’s superfast chips and Google’s time-saving AI-powered software features, distinguish companies from their competition. On the other hand, some themes are present in every smartphone: an increase in display size and quality, better cameras, and faster connectivity. While smartphones continue to gain new features each year, you don’t need the latest and greatest model to enjoy just about everything that the digital world has to offer. Check out our recently updated article on older and less expensive smartphones that still work great today.

We hope the information in our piece What’s New in Smartphones – 2021 Edition, can help you with an informed decision if you’re considering buying a new smartphone. As always, if you need something you can’t find here, feel free to reach out to us through the Contact page or leave a comment below. Please use our approved affiliate links to explore the options available to you, we appreciate you support!