What we know about the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition
A leaked spec list indicates that it's got a cheaper display and
Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series are some of the most well-regarded smartphones in the world, but they’re also pretty expensive. It looks likely that the company will launch a more affordable version in the near future, dubbed the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition.
The first rumors about this phone, which has also been dubbed the Galaxy S20 Lite after Samsung offered a “lite” version of last year’s S10, started appearing this summer. An image purportedly of the handset was posted by OnLeaks and PriceBaba, with some claims as to what would go inside. According to that leak, there would be both 5G and 4G editions of the handset available, with a centrally aligned hole-punch camera and a plastic body.
WinFuture recently published new renders and a detailed specification list identifying where Samsung could be making compromises. One of the biggest is, for the 4G version only, Samsung is reportedly swapping out the Snapdragon 865 found in most retail versions of the S20 for the, uh, less whelming Exynos 990. As Slashgear wrote, this could irk some Galaxy Note 20 users, because the 5G budget version of the S20 could outperform the Exynos-toting Note 20.
In addition, that 6.2-inch QHD display has been ditched in favor of a FHD version with a pixel density of 407ppi. That said, the report adds that the screen will still have a 120Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for gaming.
Imaging-wise, the S20 Fan Edition’s primary camera is a 12-megapixel f/1.8 lens that has dual phase-detection autofocus and optical image stabilization. That unit is paired with a 12-megapixel, f/2.2 123-degree wide-angle lens and an 8-megapixel f/2.0 telephoto lens, also with OIS. Up front, there’s a 32-megapixel, f/2.0 camera poking through the tiny hole in the phone’s display.
Inside, the report says that all handsets will have 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 4500mAh battery, Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi 6 as standard. What will differ is the colors, with the handset available in white, blue, orange, lavender, green and red, although it’s not clear if the phone will be made out of glass or plastic. Whichever material it does use, the report says that it’ll support wireless charging.
It’s thought that we’ll see the S20 Fan Edition launch around the same time that Apple launches its latest handset. That certainly makes sense, since this could provide a powerful — and price conscious — alternative to the new iPhones.
