Samsung Galaxy S21 Problems: 5 Things You Need to Know

Samsung Galaxy S21 Problems: 5 Things You Need to Know is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra users are running into a variety of bugs, performance issues, and software glitches.

Samsung’s former flagship models are excellent smartphones, but they’re far from perfect. We continue to hear about an assortment of Galaxy S21 problems as we push deeper into the year.

The company’s still working to resolve problems that have been around for months and we’ll continue to see new issues emerge as more people buy these phones and as current owners put more mileage on their devices.

In this guide you can learn about the current state of Galaxy S21 problems, potential fixes for these problems, places to find feedback, and what’s next in terms of Android software updates for these phones.

Galaxy S21 Problems
Galaxy S21 Feedback
How to Fix Galaxy S21 Problems
Prepare for Software Updates
What’s Next

Galaxy S21 Problems

Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra users are encountering numerous bugs and performance issues. A lot of these complaints have come from users who recently installed the latest version of Samsung’s Android 12/One UI 4.x update.

Galaxy S21 users are reporting abnormal battery drain, installation issues, notification issues, problems with first and third-party apps, UI lag, charging issues, data issues, screen refresh problems, issues with the camera app (the app has crashed numerous times on the Galaxy S21 in our possession), Wi-Fi problems, sound issues, and more.

Again, this list will grow as times goes on as more people buy the Galaxy S21 series and as Samsung pushes out new Android firmware updates to these phones.

Where to Find Feedback About Performance

If you own a Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra, or if you’re thinking about buying one of these devices, make sure you keep an eye on feedback about performance from Galaxy 21 users.

There are several places to find feedback about the Galaxy S21 series’ performance on Android 12. We recommend keeping an eye on XDA-Developers, the Galaxy S21 Reddit, and the Android Reddit.

If you live in the United States you’ll also want to keep your eyes on the official AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile forums if you own a Galaxy S21 model on one of those networks.

We also recommend poking around social media sites like Twitter and YouTube for feedback about the Galaxy S21 series’ current performance.

We’ll also provide you with the latest information about Android updates for the Galaxy S21 so be on the lookout for new information as we cruise through the year.

How to Prepare for Android Software Updates

Samsung and its carrier partners will fix a lot of these lingering issues, but software updates often bring problems of their own so you’ll want to be extremely careful.

When you fire up your Galaxy S21 there’s a chance you’re prompted to download a new version of Android. Again, new updates can cause problems so you’ll want to prepare your device for the move to a new Android build.

There’s no way to predict how a new version of Android firmware will impact your Galaxy S21’s performance. Some of you will see a performance boost, others will run into issues. This is precisely why you should spend some time prepping your phone for the move.

Here’s what we recommend doing before installing Android on your Galaxy S21, Galaxy 21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra:

Backup your data.
Get familiar with the newest version of Android 12.
Have your login information handy.
Dig into feedback about the latest updates performance.
Cleanup your phone’s storage.
Find fixes for potential problems.
Check in with IT.
Check app reviews and install updates.

Follow these steps and you should be able to avoid major issues.

How to Fix Galaxy S21 Problems

If you run into a bug or performance issue on your Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to fix whatever is ailing your phone.

If you run into an issue, take a look at our list of fixes for common Galaxy problems. We’ve also released a guide that could help you fix battery life issues.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for in our guides, you should check out the XDA’s Galaxy S21 forums, carrier support forums (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, for example), and the Galaxy S21 Reddit for potential fixes.

You can also get in touch with Samsung or your provider on social media sites like Twitter. Samsung’s also got a customer support line that could help.

What’s Next

Samsung still pushes monthly security patches to the Galaxy S21 series and these updates sometimes include bug fixes for lingering issues.

Software support for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra will last for years. Samsung currently provides four to five years of support to flagship devices like the Galaxy S21 series.

If your carrier offers an Android update schedule, keep an eye on it for details. Carriers like Rogers, Fido, and Telus in Canada and Vodafone in Australia keep their customers informed about upcoming Android software updates.

If your carrier has a similar schedule available, you might want to bookmark it and keep an eye out for details regarding incoming software updates for your Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra model.

Google’s also working on its Android 13 update, but we don’t expect Galaxy devices to get the software, or a beta, until much later in the year.

Samsung is reportedly trying to get its version of Android 13/One UI 5 into beta testing by the end of July which, if true, would be much earlier than usual. Of course plans can change so there’s no guarantee this happens. Temper your expectations accordingly.

For more on Samsung’s Android 12 updates, have a look at our guide. And for more information about Samsung’s Android 13 update, have a look at our guide.

6 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 14 & 5 Reasons Not To

Wait for a Hole-Punch Design

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If you hate Apple's notch, you might be in luck because it looks like the company is making significant changes to the iPhone's design.

Apple didn't eliminate the notch in 2021 but the iPhone 13 series has a smaller notch than the iPhone 12 series and previous iPhone models.

In 2022, Apple will reportedly ditch the notch in favor of a hole-punch display design. The rumor comes from respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He's reiterated this in a newer note though he says the change may be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models.

Analyst Ross Young believes that while the iPhone 14 Pro models will be the only ones with this new design, the hole-punch design will likely come to all iPhone models in 2023. Young has reiterated this stance in a new report.

Korean publication The Elec backs up these rumors and claims Samsung Display will help with the manufacturing process. Like Kuo, the site says the new design will be limited to the Pro models.

A newer report from The Elec states that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will come with LTPO OLED displays with a hole-punch.

The panels will reportedly be supplied by Samsung and LG. Another report from the same publication sheds more light on Samsung's OLED plans for the iPhone 14.

If true, it would put the iPhone more in line with Samsung's high-end Galaxy phones which also employ a hole-punch design.

The hole-punch isn't as invasive as the notch which should be music to the ears of those who don't like the notch.

Jon Prosser has shared an image of alleged iPhone 14 Pro schematics and they showcase what the hole-punch could look like.

91Mobiles has shared renders of the alleged iPhone 14 Pro design. The site says these are based on leaked CAD images. They show circular and pill-shaped cutouts replacing the notch.

Leaker @dylandkt suggests the iPhone 14 Pro models will have a pill-shaped camera cutout located at the top of the display.

We've heard the iPhone 14 Pro design has been finalized as supplies have entered the trial production phase of the new iPhone models.

Alleged CAD images of the iPhone 14 Pro Max hint at thinner display bezels. As for the lower-end iPhone 14 models, they're expected to keep the same thickness and bezel size as the iPhone 13 series.

We've also seen renders of the alleged design Apple will deploy on the low-end iPhone 14 models. The renders, from MySmartPrice, hint at a design that's virtually unchanged from the iPhone 13's.

The device in the images has a notch and it also has the same rear camera setup as the iPhone 13.

We've also seen leaked iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max display panels corroborate all of this information.

Apple won a patent for under-display cameras for biometric authentication on the iPhone so it's pretty clear the company is working to get rid of the notch at some point. It's just a matter of when.

If you aren't thrilled with the look of the iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, think about waiting for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.