Quick answer:
No, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE doesn’t have UWB connectivity.
Ultrawide-band (UWB) has been appearing on our smartphone spec sheets since 2019. It’s a short-range communication protocol that’s perfectly suited to object tracking with centimeter accuracy and even turning your phone into a car key (if it’s phone and vehicle-supported).
While UWB is becoming more common, there are still a lot of Android phones that don’t have the required hardware. So, if you want to use UWB accessories, you’ll want to check that the phone you buy has it. That begs the question, does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Fe have UWB?
Does the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE have UWB?
Samsung’s FE phones have been hit or miss since the original Galaxy S20 FE that we loved so much (even calling it one of our favorite phones that year). The S24 FE doesn’t quite reach that level of praise, but it’s a solid phone with a lot going for it, so long as you don’t pay the full price. Unfortunately, UWB isn’t one of those things. So, if you have a UWB-enabled tracker like the Galaxy SmartTag 2, you’ll be limited to Bluetooth when you try to find it.
Why don’t more phones have UWB, and what does it do?
Source: Samsung
Only the S24+ and S24 Ultra have UWB this year.
The S24 FE isn’t the only Samsung phone that lacks UWB, and the phone selection that does have it seems random. Of the S24 series, only the S24+ and S24 Ultra have UWB support. That would suggest that only the expensive flagship phones will get it, but that argument falls apart because the Z Flip 6, which sits between the S24+ and S24 Ultra in price, doesn’t have it. Starting with the Note 20 Ultra, the only phones Samsung has made with UWB have been the Plus, Ultra, and Fold models.
If that feels inconsistent, I agree. If UWB can be included in a tracker that only costs $30, I can’t imagine adding it to a phone would raise costs. Even Apple, who won’t give the base iPhone models 120Hz displays, has included UWB in every non-SE model iPhone since iPhone 11 in 2019.
Ultrawide-band’s primary uses are object tracking and opening various smart locks or even cars. The tracking side of things includes devices like the Apple AirTag or Samsung’s SmartTag 2, the Pixel Watch 3, and Apple’s AirPods Pro 2nd gen and all Apple Watch models as of Series 6.
Should UWB support affect your choice of phone?
If that doesn’t sound like much, you’re right. UWB is limited for now, and it feels like we have a chicken-and-egg situation — most phone manufacturers don’t feel the need to include something so limited, but innovation around UWB won’t progress quickly unless more devices support it.
If you own a car, smart locks, or any other device that supports UWB and you know it’s something you’ll use, then by all means let it factor into what phone you buy next. If you don’t plan to use it regularly, though, it’s not a necessity. There are more important things to look at for your next phone.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
$550 $650 Save $100
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE looks to bring the experience of its flagship 2024 lineup to a more affordable smartphone. With a 6.7-inch display, a triple camera lineup, and all the AI features you could ever hope for, this is effectively the Galaxy S24+ for two-thirds the price. But it might be missing just enough, including UWB support, to make some fans opt for the more expensive model.
