Samsung's Galaxy 21 is now available. All three models look truly impressive, thanks to full 5G support across the range and a new array and improved features for the camera. The S21 Ultra also features a new feature with support for the S-Pen.
All three phones run Android 11 with Samsung's proprietary One UI 3.1 skin. This means that you will get the best of Android 11, but you will also have access to the improvements and changes that Samsung has made to the operating system. For example, the S21 has two different types of mobile notifications and it will now be possible to add effects to video calls.
Here are some of the coolest features found in the new Samsung S21.
How to turn off the S21
Long press the power button waiting to turn off the phone, it will surprise you. The surprise in question is Bixby. Pressing and holding the power button will start Bixby instead of turning off the phone. But don't be alarmed, there are several options to shut down or restart your S21:
S-Pen support on S21 Ultra
This isn't a hidden feature, although it's not all that obvious. The S21 Ultra has no real place to store the S-Pen, like in the Note series.
The S21 Ultra will work with any S-Pen stylus from the Galaxy Note or Galaxy Tab S series. But you can also opt for an S21 Ultra case that includes an S-Pen.
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If you already have an S-Pen, all you need to do to start using it with the Ultra is to touch the phone screen with the tip of the pen, and everything should work. If you pass the pen just above the surface of the screen, you will see a small icon on the display that warns that it has recognized the stylus. Once you tap the screen, the Air Command icon will appear on it, allowing you to take quick notes, screenshots and so on.
Add effects to video calls
Have you ever seen someone use fancy backgrounds on Zoom? The ones that make it seem like you are somewhere else? Well now you can do it on the Galaxy S21 in video calling. To select an effect, go to Settings -> Advanced Features -> Video Call Effects. Activate the button, then select whether you want the background to be blurred, a specific color or image from your photos.
Enable mobile notifications for easy access to alerts
Android 11 brought the launch of Google's new Bubbles notification feature, which looks and works very similar to Facebook Messenger's Chathead feature. That is, instead of having to scroll down the notification panel to view the alerts, a moving circle will provide quick access to your conversations at all times. Bubbles does the same thing, but for more apps, like Google Messages.
Bubbles joins Samsung's version of the same feature, called Smart pop-up view. But before you can use either of them, you'll need to enable it.
Go to Settings -> Notifications -> Advanced Settings -> Mobile Notifications. Choose the option you want to use, they both show a preview of the animation on the screen to show how they work. Experiment with both Bubbles and the smart pop-up feature to figure out which one you prefer, or if you don't like any.
Widget on the lock screen
The Always On Display feature has long been a favorite of Samsung users. It makes it easy to quickly see information or control audio playback, but with the Galaxy S21, you can do even more. If you go to Settings -> Lock Screen -> Widgets, you will be able to activate any widget you wish to use, along with Show on always-on display. Then, whenever the phone is locked and the AOD is on, double-tap the clock to view all widgets.
Search for anything on your phone
Having trouble finding an app, contact or file? Swipe down from the top of the screen to review the Quick Settings Chooser panel, then swipe down again to view the full Quick Settings panel. Tap the search icon at the top of the screen and type your query.