Samsung Galaxy S11 release date confirmed as phone maker announces 'Unpacked' event on February 11

The wait for Samsung’s Galaxy S11 is almost over, after the company sent out invitations for its next big smartphone launch event on February 11. 

The Samsung Galaxy ‘Unpacked’ event will take place in San Francisco at 11:00 PST (19:00 GMT), according to the invitation.

‘On February 11, Samsung Electronics will unveil new, innovative devices that will shape the next decade of mobile experiences,’ Samsung said.

The Galaxy S11 – the successor to Samsung’s popular Galaxy S10 – is expected to get top billing at the event, although some have suggested it will be called the S20.

Renderings created by 91mobiles using leaks from @OnLeaks depict the Samsung Galaxy S11 with a hole-punch style camera at the device’s center

A rear-facing array may have five separate lenses which are distributed over two rows

The new smartphone is rumoured to come in three versions – base level as well as ‘Plus’ and ‘Ultra’ models – with AMOLED displays ranging in size from 6.2 inches up to 6.9 inches.

They will look much the same as the previous generation, with a glass front and back and a metal core.

All three models will feature 5G support and either a new Samsung Exynos chipset or the Snapdragon 865 chipset.

The rear camera module is set to get bigger, and include up to five lenses, including one wide-angle and one telephoto. for close-up shots. 

It will be capable of 5x optical zoom and 8K video recording, rumours suggest.

Meanwhile, leaks suggest the the ‘punch hole’ selfie camera could become smaller and centralised, like on Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 series, offering a more streamlined look.

As well as the new Galaxy S11, rumours suggest that Samsung could unveil a new version of its Galaxy Fold smartphone at the Unpacked event.   

The original Galaxy Fold was unveiled in February last year, but its released was delayed for five months due to manufacturing and durability issues.

Reports suggest the Galaxy Fold 2 may take on a completely different form to its predecessor, which had a 4.6-inch screen on the front, and opened like a book to reveal a 7.3-inch flexible display on the inside.

The Galaxy Fold 2 could have flip phone-style design like the new Moto Razr, or even a wrap-around design like the Huawei Mate X.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GALAXY FOLD? 

Samsung debuted the $2,000 Galaxy Fold to great fanfare in February.  

But journalists who received review units ahead of the Fold launch in late April reported experiencing issues with the interior screen.  

After just one or two days of use, users said the display began to flicker and turn black before becoming completely unusable. 

Journalists who received review units ahead of the Fold launch reported experiencing issues with the interior screen. The display would flicker and go black

The issues are believed to stem from the hinge causing too much pressure on the screen. 

Some said they had removed a protective layer on the screen that was supposed to stay on.

Meanwhile, others said they didn’t remove the protective film, but the device still stopped working.         

YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues

A warning on the Galaxy Fold packaging instructs users not to remove the protective layer, according to a photo posted by T-Mobile Senior Product Manager Desmond Smith. 

‘The main screen includes a special protective layer,’ it reads. ‘Peeling off the protective layer or using any adhesives on the main screen, such as screen protectors or stickers, may cause damage.’

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman said his Galaxy Fold started operating abnormally after he removed the film and eventually became unusable.  

Additionally, YouTube user Marques Brownlee said he removed the protective film and his device began having issues.   

But Dieter Bohn, executive editor of technology news site The Verge, says he left that layer on and his screen still broke.  

The issues raise questions about whether or not the Galaxy Fold can withstand normal use.