The Galaxy S20 and Ultra release date may be sooner than we think

Last year, Samsung announced the S10 series on February 20th, and released them in the US in earnest on March 8th. It wasn't a leap year like 2020, so the gap was a bit over two weeks which jibed with Samsung's usual release schedule.

Samsung has been scheduling its Unpacked events and releases around the Galaxy S and Note families like clockwork in the past few years. Thus, when the company's press office invited us for a show on February 11, we assumed that the eventual S20 series it will unveil would have a Friday, March 6 release date at the earliest.There were even rumors that Samsung may release the phones the next Friday, March 13. Given that this would mark almost a month gap between launch and announcement, that March 13 release date seemed improbable, so we eventually settled on March 6. Even that, however, was a bit of a bummer given the three weeks pause for what is the most anticipated Samsung lineup in years.

Last year, Samsung announced the S10 series on February 20th, and released them in the US in earnest on March 8th. It wasn't a leap year like 2020, so the gap was a bit over two weeks which jibed with Samsung's usual release schedule.

Samsung Galaxy S20 launch may be pulled for the end of February

Long story short, the Israeli office of Samsung is now suggesting that the company could pull an Apple, and release the S20 series soon after the initial unveiling, at least in Israel, tips the local tech blog Gadgety. A launch date event has been scheduled for February 20, a week after the unveiling in San Francisco, as you can see in the invitation below.

Samsung Israel invitation for a Galaxy S20 launch date event

That, of course, doesn't mean that Samsung will release the device right then and there, but if we follow the historical schedule, the S20 family launch should not be preceded by the unveiling with much more than two weeks which would pull the release date from the current March 6  bandied about, to February 28 which is more like it.


As for the pricing, a drastic design rework is not expected, save for the camera island, but the addition of 5G could mean starting tags that are way above the Galaxy S10 prices, as even the 4G models would be ranging from $849-$1299 depending on the model and the storage. 

Put a 5G connectivity in the mix, and we may indeed be looking at $999 for an S20 with mmWave modem support. Here are all the known specs and features of the S20 family so far to make up your mind if it will all be worth it.

Galaxy S20, S20+ (S11) and Ultra specs and prices

Galaxy S20 Ultra (S11+)Galaxy S20+ (S11)Galaxy S20 (S11e)
Design and dimensionsGlass&metal
166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm
(10.2 mm at the camera bump)
Exclusive Danish fabric Kvadrat case
Glass&metal 
161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm 
(8.9mm at the camera bump)
Glass&metal
151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm
(9.1mm at the camera bump)
Display6.9" 3200x1440p AMOLED, Premium Hole Infinity Display, on-demand 120Hz refresh at FHD+ resolution 6.7" 3200x1440p AMOLED, Premium Hole Infinity Display, on-demand 120Hz refresh at FHD+ resolution6.2" 3200x1440p AMOLED, Premium Hole Infinity Display, on-demand 120Hz refresh at FHD+ resolution
Cameras108MP main
48MP periscope 'Space Zoom', up to 10x hybrid and 100x digital magnification
12MP Ultrawide-angle lens
ToF camera
40MP selfie camera
8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording
Features:   Video Spin, Bright Night, Single Take Photo, Director’s View from all cameras at once, Night Hyperlapse, Vertical Panoramas

12MP main, 1.8μm pixel size
64MP Telephoto, 3x optical
12MP Ultrawide-angle lens
ToF camera
10MP selfie camera
8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording

 
Features:
Video Spin, Bright Night, Single Take Photo, Director’s View from all cameras at once, Night Hyperlapse, Vertical Panoramas
12MP main, 1.8μm pixel size
64MP Telephoto, 3x optical
12MP Ultrawide-angle lens
10MP selfie camera
8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording

 
Features:   Video Spin, Bright Night, Single Take Photo, Director’s View from all cameras at once, Night Hyperlapse, Vertical Panoramas
Processor(s)Snapdragon 865, Exynos 990Snapdragon 865, Exynos 990Snapdragon 865, Exynos 990
Memoryfrom 12GB RAM/128GB to 16GB RAM/512GB basic storage from 12GB RAM/128GB basic storagefrom 12GB RAM/128GB basic storage
Battery5000mAh4500mAh4000mAh
Price (expected)from $1399 (5G model only), Galaxy Buds+ pre-order giftfrom $999 (4G version), $1199 (5G version), Galaxy Buds+ pre-order giftfrom $849 (4G version), $999 (5G version), Galaxy Buds+ pre-order gift
Release dateAnnouncement 2/11, release Friday, 2/28 or 3/6Announcement 2/11, release Friday, 2/28 or 3/6Announcement 2/11, release Friday, 2/28 or 3/6

I got more UK prices, likely more accurate than earlier:

S20 4G: £799
S20 5G: £874
S20+ 4G: £999
S20+ 5G: £1074
S20 Ultra 5G: £1149

These seem most accurate, but once again, they can always change. This source has proved a bit more accurate than others.

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) February 2, 2020 View Full Bio

Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7sbTOp5yaqpWjrm%2BvzqZmp52nqHy0rcysrKefXZyura3XsmSsamBiuaLBzZyfZpyRqbJuwc%2BdmK2dj56xcn6Qcmxr

 Share!