Samsung Galaxy S21 to skip under-display camera tech, could debut with Fold 3

Under-display camera technology will pave the way for more full-screen phones without notches or relying on motorised pop-up camera modules.

Galaxy S21 to miss out on under display camera (Robin Sinha/HT Tech)

Under-display camera technology is said to be the next innovation in the smartphone space. Samsung has been reportedly working on the technology for quite some time and introduce it with next year's flagship phones. A new report, however, says Galaxy Fold 3 will be the first phone from Samsung to house an under-display camera.

According to Korean publication TheElec (via GSMArena), Samsung has decided to skip Galaxy S21 for the technology because of the low production yield of the technology. It further said that Samsung is exploring ways to ensure the technology does not hamper image quality.

The report added that Samsung's under-display camera technology would be ready in the second half of 2021. The timeline allows the company to deploy the technology in the third-generation foldable phone, dubbed as Galaxy Fold 3.

No under panel camera on S21

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) August 4, 2020

As far as Samsung Galaxy 21 goes, the flagship phone will launch early next year. The smartphone series is likely to come with next-generation Exynos chipset, 4,800mAh battery, and 5G connectivity.

For those seeking the perfect, notchless smartphone screen experience – prepare to be amazed. 📲

You are taking a very first look at our under-display selfie camera technology. RT! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/FrqB6RiJaY

— OPPO (@oppo) June 3, 2019

It is worth noting that Samsung is not the only company working on under-display camera technology. According to a recent report, Xiaomi is working on a Mi 10 Ultra variant with an under-screen camera. The phone could launch later this year. Oppo has already showcased a prototype with under panel camera. Realme may also join the race.

China's ZTE, however, has become the first company in the world to offer a commercial phone with under-display camera technology. Called ZTE Axon 20 5G, the under-display camera phone launched last month. The phone comes with a 6.92-inch full HD+ OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor and a 32-megapixel selfie camera.