Samsung Galaxy S10: Rumours | Specifications | Pricing

After playing it relatively safe with the Galaxy S9, Samsung seems to be swinging for the fences with the groundbreaking design of the Galaxy S10.

Alongside Apple, Samsung is arguably the biggest name in the smartphone business. Its Galaxy S handsets go toe-to-toe with the latest iPhones, outperforming practically all other Android smartphones in terms of both popularity and features.

Like Apple, Samsung iterates on its Galaxy S line each and every year. Sleeker designs, improved performance and even-steeper price tags are typically the order of the day, but for the Galaxy S10 line, Samsung appears to have loftier ambitions in mind.

Design

• More screen space thanks to an under-screen fingerprint sensor and front-facing camera
• Front fingerprint sensor may create issues for screen protectors
• Goodbye notch, hello "holes"
• New cheaper model will not feature an Infinity display
• 5G model may feature an even larger display

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy S10's design

  

  Photo: Samsung Galaxy S9+

  Samsung has historically offered two models for each iteration of its Galaxy S line. There's the standard model and then there's the Plus (+) model that typically includes a larger screen, more RAM, a better camera and other enthusiast enhancements.

  This trend looks set to continue with the Galaxy S10. According to Korean news outlet The Investor, the fingerprint reader will be integrated into the phone's display instead of taking up space as a separate component.

  It will reportedly use an ultrasonic sensor as opposed to a typical optical sensor, allowing it to detect and process your fingerprint with greater accuracy, too. Though more expensive, ultrasonic sensors are able to register fingerprints even when dust, sweat and other environmental factors are present.

  Where this gets interesting is in how that ultrasonic sensor works with screen protectors. For a simple plastic screen protector this may not be an issue, but for glass protectors -- which are typically more durable and therefore more desirable -- there's potential for interference.

  On leak of the Galaxy S10's design shows one possible solution to this, but it's not a pretty one, with a deliberate "hole" in the protector to ensure the sensor still works.

  In terms of screen sizes, current rumours point to the Galaxy S10+ featuring a 6.4 inch display, while the Galaxy S10 will offer a 6.1 inch screen. The lower-cost variant heavily rumoured will feature a 5.8 inch display. There's also a 5G Galaxy S10 rumoured which would feature a 6.7 inch display, making it a serious competitor to the Galaxy Note line.

  Still, it's rumoured that the Galaxy S10 line may well end up a little thinner than its predecessors, at least in the case of the plus-sized Galaxy S10+:

  It seems that the Galaxy S10+ is thinner than the S9+, 7.8mm thick and accommodates a larger battery of 4100mAh. For comparison, the S9+ has a thickness of 8.5mm and only has a 3500mAh battery. pic.twitter.com/tkS6z1YUvN

  — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) February 3, 2019

  The front-facing camera is also reported to have a new home beneath the Galaxy S10's screen. At a developer conference in October 2018, Samsung revealed a new technology called Under Panel Sensor (UPS). This technology allows for the placement of a camera sensor behind the screen, enabling a true all-screen design without the need for an unsightly "notch".

  Great news! Samsung established the direction of mobile phone design in 2019!
  On October 18th, Samsung Display invited about 20 customers to hold the "2018 Samsung OLED Forum" at the Shenzhen Marriott Hotel in China. At the meeting, Samsung showed a PPT pic.twitter.com/sYu0ORTd6V

  — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) October 19, 2018

  However, we've seen a range of rumours around exactly what Samsung will do with that front-facing camera, from notch-free designs to a shift from a "notch" to a "hole" design, with a single gap or possible double gap to incorporate the camera. That's the model that Samsung has adopted for its new Samsung Galaxy A8s, which features a laser-drilled hole in what Samsung calls its "Infinity-O" display.

  

  There's also talk of Samsung possibly taking cues from the likes of Apple and ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack for the Galaxy S10. This would require users to switch to wireless Bluetooth headphones or a pair that connects over USB-C instead. Again, we can look to the Samsung Galaxy A8s, Samsung's first phone to ditch the headphone jack for an early example of what that might look like. However, later leaks seem to suggest that the headphone jack will still be present.

  That's not the only change on the audio front, however. Korean site etnews reports that Samsung may be planning to incorporate a new form of audio transmission into the Galaxy S10. Rather than using a traditional speaker, Samsung has developed a technology that transmits sounds by vibrating the display panel itself. When you press your ear against the panel, the vibrations register within your ear as sound, delivering audio that only you can hear.

  Along with all this new hardware, Samsung is expected to introduce an entirely new model to its Galaxy S10 line. Aimed at the more budget-conscious smartphone user, the Samsung Galaxy S10e model will cost less than the standard Galaxy S10 but lack a few of the higher-end features such as the edge-to-edge Infinity display and the in-screen fingerprint reader. It's also rumoured that the lower-cost Galaxy S10 will feature a flat display screen where the S10 and S10+ opt for curved screens, most likely with Samsung's "Edge Sense" features.

  Fancy hardware isn't all the Samsung Galaxy S10 is set to offer, either. It's pretty much a given that all models of the S10 will ship with Android 9.0 "Pie", the latest version of the Android operating system.

  The fine folks over at XDA Developers got their hands on an early build of Samsung's Android 9.0 user interface and have an in-depth breakdown of it available if you're keen on seeing it in action, but the key takeaways are that it doesn't stray too far from the stock Android 9 experience. Built-in apps have been redesigned to match the Android Pie aesthetic and gesture functionality has been expanded to allow for a greater range of swiping and motion controls.

  If you're already using a Samsung Galaxy S9 or Samsung Galaxy S9+, the most recent update included the OneUI experience, and that's what we're expecting to see on the Galaxy S10 as well.

  In colour terms, a leaked specification sheet suggests that the Galaxy S10 will be available in Prism White, Prism Green and Prism Black finishes. Samsung may produce additional colours through the Galaxy S10's lifespan, having done so previously for other Galaxy S handsets. Equally, there's no promise that all 3 colour types will officially launch here in Australia.

Camera

• Triple-array camera for the S10+
• 3D camera for facial recognition
• ToF sensors on top-end 5G model

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy S10's camera

  

  Photo: Evan Blass

  Competition in the smartphone camera space has increased dramatically over the last few years, with companies like Huawei and Google delivering multi-lens cameras capable of truly extraordinary photography. Samsung hasn't always led the pack in this regard, but that could change if the rumours around the Galaxy S10's camera tech prove true.

  While the very best camera technology that Samsung can muster will sit on the higher-end Samsung Galaxy S10+, the leaked specifications for the Samsung Galaxy S10 suggest that it'll be a very fine camera phone in its own right.

  At the rear, it's suggested that it will pack in a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens, 12MP f/1.5 wide angle lens and a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide 123 degree angle lens. That's a potent combination, and essentially the same as found on the higher-end Galaxy S10+.

  At the front, however, there will be a single lens selfie camera, rumoured to be a 10MP f/1.9 sensor. That's the same array as the lower-end Galaxy S10e, where the S10+ pushes two front-facing shooters.

  One feature that's been heavily rumoured is the integration of more secure and AI-driven facial recognition.

  The Bell points to Israeli camera company Mantis Vision and its partnership with Samsung. Sources from the industry have told The Bell that Mantis Vision is working on a 3D camera for the Samsung Galaxy S10, one likely influenced by the camera technology incorporated in the Apple iPhone X.

  3D cameras, as the name suggests, are able to identify three-dimensional objects and track them in real space. They have become increasingly important in the virtual reality and augmented reality markets as well as automated industries like self-driving cars and autonomous drones. In the iPhone X and its successors, meanwhile, the 3D camera allows for more accurate and reliable facial recognition via the FaceID feature.

  Given the popularity of FaceID, it's not surprising that Samsung would be looking into similar technology for the Galaxy S10.

  Cameras also need smart processors with the growth of AI-driven photography seen in many of Samsung's competitors, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Note9, and the new image signal processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 said to power the Galaxy S10 should give it further camera power to play with.

  The 5G model of the Samsung Galaxy S10, apparently codenamed "BeyondX" will have additional camera features according to current rumours, with a pair of Time of Flight (ToF) sensors. To date, we've only seen those on the Oppo R17 Pro and the upcoming LG G8 ThinQ. They're used to estimate distances for more accurate focusing, as well as potential 3D imaging applications.

Performance

• Snapdragon 855 or Exynos 9820 promises enhanced performance in AI tasks
• 5G connectivity may be an option

• Read more on Samsung Galaxy S10's performance

  

  Photo: Samsung Galaxy S9+

  Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor lies at the heart of most premium Android smartphones currently on the market, thanks in large part to its top-notch performance.

  It's no surprise, then, that the Samsung Galaxy S10 is heavily rumoured to feature the 845's impending successor, the Snapdragon 855. According to PhoneArena, the new 7nm chip will power all variants of the Galaxy S10, though it's almost certain that Aussie handsets will feature the Exynos 9820 processor instead since that's the approach Samsung has taken in the past.

  Qualcomm has announced the feature set of the impressive Snapdragon 855 that's likely to power the Galaxy S10 range. Its headline feature will be the inclusion of multi-gigabit 5G connectivity via Qualcomm's X50 modem.

  In another bout of clever sleuthing, XDA Developers discovered references to a 5G variant of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ in the files of Samsung's Android 9 software.

  Since the Snapdragon 855 chipset packs a 5G-capable modem, this seems plausible, though other reports claim that we won't see a 5G Samsung handset until the company releases its foldable smartphones later in 2019.

  Qualcomm's claim is that the Snapdragon 855 is up to 45% more powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 it replaces, while adding new features such as its 4th generation multi-core Qualcomm AI Engine, said to be up to three times faster than the already impressive 845 at working on AI tasks. An all-new image signal processor should beef up camera performance as well. Qualcomm's also promising something it calls "Snapdragon Elite Gaming Experience", an improved HDR-ready gaming feature that's said to boost frame rates and improve audio quality. We'll have to wait and see how Android games developers use those features, and how they adapt to existing Android titles as well.

  Samsung itself has dropped hints at other hardware likely to appear in the Galaxy S10. In July 2018, the company announced it had successfully built the first 10nm memory chip to feature 8GB of LPDDR5 DRAM. LPDDR5 RAM is designed specifically for low-power mobile devices such as smartphones and though Samsung has not made any official confirmation, it is highly likely that at least one model of the Galaxy S10 will include 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM.

  Also on the storage front, rumours point to the inclusion of UFS 3.0 storage in the Samsung Galaxy S10. UFS, or Universal Flash Storage, is the standard that specifies the speed and bandwidth of data storage for the flash memory included in digital cameras, portable gaming systems and of course, mobile phones.
  UFS 3.0 introduces a range of benefits over its predecessor, including reduced power consumption, higher transfer speeds and increased reliability. If incorporated into the Galaxy S10, this could lead to significantly faster performance in data-heavy tasks like high-resolution video recording.

  Samsung will mass-produce LPDDR5 and UFS3.0 chips in the second half of the year, and I look forward to the Galaxy S10.

  — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) June 14, 2018

  Then there's the question of quite how much storage we'll see. According to extensive leaks cited by Gizmodo UK, the lower-cost Galaxy S10e variant will ship with 128GB of onboard storage. Step up to the Galaxy S10 and you'll have the option of either 128GB or 512GB. For the Galaxy S10+, storage choices will come in at 128GB, 512GB and a hefty 1TB. It's not certain we'll see every storage variant here in Australia, but if we do see those larger sizes, you can expect their price points to shoot up rapidly.

Battery life

• 3,400mah rumoured
• Reverse wireless charging
• Wireless charging all but certain, but how fast?

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy S10's battery life

  Battery life on Samsung phones has generally been market leading, but it's still somewhat conservative when it comes to packing in larger batteries, no doubt due to the whole Galaxy Note7 fiasco. For the Samsung Galaxy S10, the current rumours suggest we'll see a battery capacity around 3,400mAh. That's not the largest we've seen in a flagship phone, so we'll have to wait and see what that means for overall battery life. For what it's worth, the battery capacity of the Galaxy S9 is only 3,000mAh, so it's still looking to be a step up in real power terms.

  Samsung has long supported wireless charging using both the PMA and Qi standards, and that's likely to continue with the Samsung Galaxy S10. What we've seen from competitor phones is wireless charging at faster rates, and that's something Samsung isn't likely to ignore either. It's feasible that the Galaxy S10 may feature even more rapid wireless charging to complement its fixed wire charging speeds.

  One trick that Samsung's rumoured to have picked up by way of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the inclusion of reverse wireless charging, which Samsung will apparently dub "Powershare".

Early outlook

• Exciting features and a broader range of handsets bode very well for the Samsung Galaxy S10

• Read our early Samsung Galaxy S10 verdict

  In contrast to the fairly by-the-books design of the Galaxy S9, the Samsung Galaxy S10 looks to be an impressive step forward for the Korean smartphone manufacturer.

  The triple-lens camera array in the S10 is a smart move that will allow the company to compete with the likes of Google and Huawei, while the addition of a cheaper and slightly less-powerful model gives a whole new breed of smartphone user a chance to join the Samsung family.

  Presuming the rumours are true, it's also great to see Samsung taking a few more risks in its design approach. Integrating the fingerprint reader and front-facing camera within the screen could considerably change the way we interact with our smartphones, as could replacing traditional speakers with the sci-fi-esque vibration technology.

  At any rate, early rumours have us more interested in the Samsung Galaxy S10 than we've been for a Galaxy launch in quite some time.

Pricing and availability

• The Samsung Galaxy S10 will debut on 20 February 2019
• Pricing will likely hover around $1,000 for the new cheaper model, $1,200+ for the standard Galaxy S10 and $1,500+ for the Samsung Galaxy S10+

So when will we see the Samsung Galaxy S10 debut?

It was at first rumoured to appear at CES 2019, but that didn't happen. Instead, Samsung has now announced a launch for the Galaxy S10 to take place on 20 February 2019 in San Francisco, a week before Mobile World Congress 2019. That's one way to grab all the headlines for yourself, we guess.

Samsung will also show off -- or at least tease -- its foldable phone, the Galaxy F (or possibly Galaxy X) at the Galaxy S10 launch, although it's not expected to make that phone available until much later this year.

Samsung doesn't tend to wait all that long between launches of its prime Galaxy S phones and actual retail availability, so we'd expect to see the Galaxy S10 family arrive in Australia in mid-to-late March 2019.