SAN FRANCISCO: Samsung on Thursday unveiled a new Galaxy S21 smartphone lineup, with prices lowered by some $200 from the prior generation of the South Korean giant’s flagship handsets.

Unveiled in a streamed presentation, the S21 device with a 6.2 inch display is available for order at an entry price of $800 for US customers. The global smartphone leader also unveiled the 6.7 inch S21 Plus and premium S21 Ultra handsets, with a 6.8 inch display. All the devices support the ultrafast 5G wireless networks being rolled out globally.

“We are living in a mobile-first world, and with so many of us working remotely and spending more time at home, we wanted to deliver a smartphone experience that meets the rigorous multimedia demands of our continuously changing routines,” said TM Roh, head of mobile communications for Samsung Electronics.

Samsung’s new lineup will range up to a $1,200 starting price for its Ultra S21, the most feature-rich device in the group.

The move follows Apple’s decision to largely hold the line on prices for its iPhone while offering a range of handsets at various price points.

“The premium smartphone market is resetting itself,” said Bob O’Donnell of Technalysis Research,

“We’re seeing a return to more moderate pricing. Companies can only go so far and they are retreating to the prices they had several years ago.”

Samsung touted its improved processors and camera technology and new design for the Android-powered smartphones.

“Samsung somehow found a way to make the slab-with-camera-cutout design more visually interesting than in the past,” said Avi Greengart, an analyst with the research firm Techsponential.

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