The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is once again making pre-launch waves, with one prominent leaker claiming that the phone will launch much later than expected. Previous Galaxy S21 FE information had suggested an August and then a September launch, but according to Jon Prosser, a late October launch is now favored.

Prosser, a contributor to Front Page Tech, says his sources tell him that Samsung will launch the phone on October 29. This is virtually identical to what we heard from The Elec earlier this week, claiming that production of the Galaxy S21 FE will not begin until this month.

According to Prosser, the Galaxy S21 FE will be available for pre-order on October 20 and will be released almost a week and a half later. This means that Samsung's low-priced Galaxy S21 model will be the focus of attention for about two months until the Galaxy S22 is released.

Of course, such leaks should always be taken with a grain of salt, but Prosser has quite a track record: the S21 FE has been in development for quite some time, and at one point some claimed it was cancelled entirely. Many blame the ongoing chip shortage as the reason for Samsung's delay of this phone, which was scheduled to launch in August along with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3.

SamMobile just recently obtained what appears to be the official Galaxy S21 FE manual, showing off the rumored phone's main features. The manual's detailed specifications are unknown, but it is expected to be substantially less expensive than the Galaxy S21.

Still, one might wonder what the point of a Galaxy S21 FE would be when Samsung had already reduced the price by $200 when it launched the Galaxy S21 earlier this year.The Galaxy S20 FE was, after all, a 2020 too expensive Galaxy S20.

The Galaxy S21 FE will have a Snapdragon 888 processor, 6GB of RAM (versus the Galaxy S21's 8GB), a 4,317mAh battery, a Full HD display, and three rear cameras (32MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 8MP telephoto). Regulatory filings for what we believe to be the S21 FE indicate that it will also feature 25W fast charging.

Also, according to leaked manuals, the Galaxy S21 FE has IP68 water and dust resistance. This means that it can withstand up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes.

The manual also mentions many of the same camera features found on the Galaxy S21. These include the popular single-shot mode, scene optimizer, AR graffiti, pro mode, portrait video, slow-mo, and hyperlapse.

At this point, I think the Galaxy S21 FE is too late, especially if it is released in the last quarter of 2021, with the Galaxy S22 practically in sight. The chip shortage has derailed many industry plans, and it is my opinion that Samsung should have left it alone and let the S21 FE rest. But at least if this report of an October 29 shipment is true, the Korean tech giant seems to have other plans.