Samsung Galaxy S24 FE leak is bad new for release date — here's why

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The Galaxy S24 FE may not arrive until late fall at the earliest — if it shows up this year

Samsung Galaxy s23 FE review
(Image credit: Future)

Usually, when Samsung releases a new Galaxy S flagship, a lower-cost FE version follows about half-a-year later. But that might not be the case with the Galaxy S4 FE, a discounted version of the Galaxy S24 models that came out in early 2024. The latest rumblings hint that the Galaxy S24 FE might be delayed.

As seen on the Dutch site Galaxy Club, the Galaxy S24 FE won’t come out until late fall or possibly early 2025. That later date would be a contrast to the Galaxy S23 FE, which launched in October 2023 — some eight months after the Galaxy S23.

Then again, the FE phone in Samsung's lineup has always had an erratic release schedule. The Galaxy S22 FE didn't ship at all, and the Galaxy S21 FE arrived just a month ahead of the Galaxy S22's launch. 

Person using Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.

(Image credit: Future)

The earliest leaks point to the S24 FE being a pretty good phone, with rumors tipping to the phone to receive a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset in North America while models shipping in other parts of the world run on the Exynos 2400. That's the same approach Samsung used with the main Galaxy S24.

The Galaxy S23 FE battery is supposed to be a 4,500 mAh cell, similar to the one featured in the S23 FE. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip is much better at power management than the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip featured in the S23 FE. 

In terms of storage we’ve been expecting to see 128GB or 256GB capacity, with 12GB of memory a step up from the 8GB of RM powering the S23 FE.

The up-in-the-air release schedule underscores a problem Samusing has had positioning the FE model since the standard Galaxy flagship droppe to a starting price of $799. Release the FE too late in the year and you get to closer to the launch of Samsung's next Galaxy S flagships; showcase the phone too early in the fall, and it could be overshadowed by Apple's iPhone launch.

Adding to the confusion is Samsung's own midrange phone lineup, headed by the Galaxy A55, which costs less than the FE while also delivering some pretty impressive specs. Regardless of when Samsung winds up releasing the Galaxy S24 FE, it's going to have to make a case that there's still a place for this device among the best Samsung phones.

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Scott Younker
Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.