What’s in the next iPhone? Check out Samsung’s new Galaxy S21

Do you know what I could do with all the time saved? Probably … nothing.

You would be forgiven if you completely missed the launch of Samsung Galaxy S21 a few weeks ago. There are no whiz bang functions and you may be distracted otherwise. However, the trio of new phones – Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra – are the best Samsung released for years and the best Android phones for money now. The S21 starts at $ 799, down $ 200 from last year’s model.

It’s what I like to call a year of Samsung refinement. (For other examples, see Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S10.) The company polished and enhanced some of the best features previously introduced, including the fingerprint sensor, 120Hz fast screen and 10X zoom lens on the S21 Ultra.

Coincidentally, these happen to be some of the features that Apple could incorporate in the following iPhones, whether they are the iPhone 12S, iPhone 13 or iPhone Super Max Crazy Deluxe 2021.

Apple worked on on-screen fingerprint technology and considered including both Touch ID and Face ID on the same device, two former Apple employees told me. Although they could not confirm the company’s plans, other reports, including one from Bloomberg, say that Apple is testing on-screen fingerprint sensors on its next iPhone.

Apple declined to comment on its future products.

Although there are additional industry reports that indicate that Apple is adopting improved and faster OLED screens and an additional camera, they may also indicate something called … history. As you’ll see in the video above, I’ve been watching Apple for the past five years, following Samsung with hardware features – and Samsung after Apple.

There is a clear pattern: Samsung introduces the latest feature (for example, water resistance, wireless charging, 5G connectivity) as soon as possible – according to my estimates two or three years before Apple. Apple follows when it believes the technology is ready for the masses. When Apple beats Samsung in the market, it tends to be with exclusive technology, such as AirPods or Face ID – or by eliminating features such as the headphone jack.

“For people who love Samsung, it’s not too early,” said Drew Blackard, vice president of product management at Samsung Electronics America. He emphasizes the value the company gets from early adopter feedback. They “help us refine what becomes the product two years later.”

And this is how it syncs: Even at that time, Samsung is refining its previous features – as it did with the Galaxy S21 – you can trust that Apple is not usually behind with its own variants.

In-screen fingerprint sensor

The Galaxy S21’s fingerprint sensor lives below the bottom half of the screen. A fingerprint icon appears when needed to show you where to tap. It is fast and reliable, recognizing the sides of the fingers and even the lightest touch. It wasn’t always like that.

With the Galaxy S10 and S20, the technology was slower, frequently returned error messages and failed with wet fingers. The improvements are the result of Qualcomm‘s

second generation ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The sensor now covers a larger area, works 50% faster and captures more fingerprint data in its scans, making it more accurate.

Qualcomm declined to say whether Apple was another customer of its ultrasound technology.

A former Apple employee, who worked on Apple’s Touch ID, said the company works with optical sensors for reading fingerprints on the screen. The person who said that optical detection can be more reliable than ultrasound. Apple has filed various related patents since 2014. A recent patent shows a recognized fingerprint when placed anywhere on the screen. Apple declined to comment on its patents.

Former employees pointed out that whatever solution Apple has taken, it should meet the security standards of its current Touch ID, which is still used on the iPhone SE, iPad and MacBooks.

120Hz OLED displays

Please take a seat for the Rudimentary Refresh Rate class. To transmit motion, all displays are refreshed a certain number of times per second – often 60. It is measured in hertz, so “60Hz”. Because the video generally has 60 frames per second or less, this works for the most part. But doubling the refresh rate to 120Hz can make some animations look even finer, especially scrolling and menu transitions. It can also reduce latency when writing with a stylus and improve some video games, which can run faster than 60 frames per second.

Can you even tell the difference if you don’t compare the two next to each other? No, but it’s a nice thing. The biggest drawback of the technology was the battery. Last year’s Galaxy S20 had the 120Hz option, but was turned off by default due to battery consumption. With the Galaxy S21, it is enabled by default, with improved screen energy efficiency and new adaptive frame rates that adjust to what is on the screen. On the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung uses a new low-power 6.8-inch OLED screen, which reduces power consumption by 16%, but still has a crazy resolution.

It has been reported that Samsung, which regularly produces iPhone components, will provide this type of display for the following iPhones. In addition, Apple has already received the marketing language for this. The iPad Pro’s LCD screens have 120Hz refresh rates – which he calls “ProMotion”.

The 2021 iPhone 2021 models will have 120Hz displays, according to Ming-Chi Kou, a TF International Securities analyst with extensive experience in accurately predicting future iPhone functions. Apple tested it on the iPhone 12, he says, but pulled it off because of the battery and performance issues.

An ultra zoom camera

Last year, we called the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s “Space Zoom” – which could digitally enlarge photos up to 100X – a creepy camera. This year, the optical capacity is even better. Galaxy S21 Ultra has four rear cameras, including a telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom and another with 10X optical zoom.

Translation: Crazy-clear photos when you sit crazy, away.

Is it still creepy? Sure, but is it also useful when trying to take a picture of a deer in the distance or your child in the middle of the football field? It sure is.

Apple has explored a larger magnification of the telephoto lens, according to Mr. Kou, although it is not sure at the moment. Apple has also filed patents related to this, including one just this week, which refers to a camera that includes “two elements that fold into the light.”

Shrink and the picture is clear: whether Apple buys Samsung technology or invents its own technology, it is working to give iPhones many of the features that Galaxy owners already have under their thumb.

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Write to Joanna Stern at [email protected]