The research and development portion of work on Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S10 flagship is now rumored to have been finalized, paving the way for speculation about an announcement in the very near future. No source has been provided for the new information and it’s unlikely that Samsung will reveal anything official about the handset prior to launch. The company has typically been revealed in Spring, so that shouldn’t take place until sometime in early 2019. However, the current expectation set by the new rumor is that the device could now be seen in some sort of announcement or that more accurate in-depth information will be revealed within the next couple of weeks.
Background: Rumors and alleged leaks about the Samsung Galaxy S10 started up almost immediately following the launch of the company’s flagship phablet followup to its predecessor – namely, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 – at the beginning of August. So there are plenty of predictions that have already built up regarding the Galaxy S10, starting with leaks that suggest there will be a total of four variations made available to consumers. Centered around the codename ‘Beyond’, the first of those is expected to be a “budget” Samsung Galaxy S10 with 4GB RAM and a flat 5.8-inch display panel more akin to older devices. RAM capacities go up from there, with subsequent devices also shipping with the more standard display shape found in modern Galaxy-branded flagships. That starts with a model tentatively referred to as the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus that delivers 6GB RAM at an identical 5.8-inches. Up from that is the Galaxy S10 X, with 8GB of RAM and a display expected to measure 6.44-inches. Finally, a fourth model has been rumored that will incorporate hardware to support 5G networking on top of everything found in the Galaxy S10 X. Screen resolution has not cropped up in rumors just yet but each is expected to have a 19:9 display ratio.
What’s more, the cameras in the upcoming handsets are expected to vary as well. The more standard models of the device are currently expected to feature a dual-camera setup at the back and a single camera at the front. The larger smartphones, those expected to be sold as the Samsung Galaxy S10 X and Galaxy S10 X 5G, have been rumored to feature a total of three rear-facing snappers and a single selfie sensor. Based on information shared by the source, the dual-sensor devices will have a variable aperture (f/1.5, f/2.4) 12-megapixel shooter coupled with a super-wide-angle 16-megapixel camera at a f/1.9 aperture. The larger handsets is expected to feature an additional 13-megapixel zoom-specific lens with a f/2.4 aperture. It’s also been dubiously speculated that neither will feature optical image stabilization (OIS) or autofocus with regard to the 123-degree wide-angle lenses. Underpinning that hardware, the split between international and US variants is also expected to continue, with the former utilizing Samsung’s own Exynos SoCs and the latter being based on a Qualcomm-built Snapdragon processing unit.
Impact: Whether or not Samsung actually reveals more information about the upcoming flagships remains to be seen but, if the rumor is accurate, finalization of the R&D process should at least mean that progress on the devices has very nearly reached that point. With that said, the Korean tech giant already has several other device launches planned over the coming months, including an at least partial reveal of its long-awaited flexible display-enabled folding flagship. So the chances of this handset getting a launch before next year seem slim at best.
#GalaxyS10 research and development has been completed 🔥
Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks!— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) November 1, 2018