In short: The Galaxy Xcover 5 may be Samsung’s first smartphone with a 19:9 display, as suggested by a new browser benchmark listing discovered in the HTML5test database. First spotted by Dutch tech blog Mobiel Kopen, the entry identifies the tested device as the SM-G405F and indicates its screen features a resolution of 3,040 by 1,440 pixels, amounting to the tallest aspect ratio ever associated with a Samsung-made handset. The same phone has also been listed as running Android 9 Pie, whereas its model number suggests it may be part of the company’s rugged phone family, though the listed QHD+ resolution isn’t in line with that theory.
Background: The Galaxy Xcover 4 launched 18 months ago carried the model number SM-G390, whereas the Galaxy Xcover 3 line was known as the SM-G388. While the first two generations of the series followed a different naming scheme, no other existing handset from Samsung featured a model number that was remotely similar to the newly spotted one. The “F” in the SM-G405F moniker is also indicative of the tested device being powered by a Samsung-made Exynos chip, with that particular identifier usually being associated with international variants of the company’s products, meaning the SM-G405F model likely won’t ever be sold in the U.S. The Galaxy Xcover 5 was already prematurely listed by Samsung New Zealand in April, six weeks after its first alleged image leaked online, suggesting the handset will sport a triple-LED flash unit on the back. The fact that the device wasn’t released until now may imply Samsung canceled the project, especially given how the Seoul-based firm now appears to be moving away from the rugged phone niche, as evidenced by the fact that the Galaxy S9 Active isn’t happening this year even though the company ennobled the previous five generations of its Galaxy S family with an Active-branded model.
Impact: Between a slim aspect ratio that’s even taller than the 18.5:9 one used by Samsung’s Infinity Display panels and the existence of Android 9 Pie, the Xcover line may be set to receive its most significant remake ever, provided the SM-G405F truly is a member of the rugged handset series. Alternatively, Samsung may be developing an entirely new Android device line, which would also be in line with the company’s recent research and development efforts; in the coming months, the tech giant is expected to unveil its first foldable phone, its first quadruple-camera handset, and possibly even a Galaxy A-series product powered by the high-end Snapdragon 845 chip from Qualcomm, according to recent reports.