The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is making a comeback!
Amazingly enough, this mid-range 2020 smartphone got a re-release of its 5G version in South Korea earlier in 2022. It turns out that Samsung is actually relaunching this phone for the global market. Samsung Mexico has already started selling this device.
This phone, which Samsung is dubbing the Galaxy S20 FE 2022, is based on the 5G version of the original phone – there was also a 4G option, but Samsung seems to be leaving 4G in the past. The new handset is identical to the old except for two key points: it comes with newer software and has a 256GB storage option.
In Mexico, the new Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (2022) is not cheaper than at the launch of its 2020 predecessor, which is quite surprising, but it costs less than the new Galaxy S21 FE. It is therefore possible that Samsung will use the old Fan Edition phone as a more affordable alternative.
We asked Samsung to tell us why the company decided to re-release this nearly two-year-old phone, and if other countries were going to be affected by this re-release as well. The company has not yet provided any details on these subjects.
Analysis: a growing trend
It’s actually not the first time we’ve seen a company re-release an older smartphone – even Samsung is no stranger to the habit, having launched the S20 FE in select territories in 2021.
Most accustomed to this business practice is Xiaomi, which has re-released many of its budget Redmi devices, including the Redmi Note 8 – these new releases don’t always bring upgrades, although the Note 8 used a newer chip and have newer software.
Why do brands reissue their old phones instead of releasing new ones? Those companies haven’t commented, but we’d bet it’s based on name recognition – if a particular model has proven popular, the company would rather use the same name on a newer phone, rather than to launch a device that might not be as successful.
In further form, the Huawei P30 Pro became the subject of a “new edition” and one after its initial launch. The specifications were no different but, most importantly, the phone was equipped with Google Apps, which Huawei phones had stopped using since the P30 series due to political issues.
Additionally, companies can use leftover parts or continue manufacturing in their factories, instead of modifying production as they have to for a new phone.
So re-releasing phones is nothing new, although we’re a bit surprised that the S20 FE gets this treatment, as it’s not as famous as some of the brand’s other mobiles. It remains to be seen whether France will be affected by this reissue.