The different versions of Samsung’s upcoming next-generation flagship, the Galaxy S10 will each feature a 2K resolution Super AMOLED display, according to a recent leak from known industry insider Ice Universe. The shared information goes further to corroborate previous leaks too, indicating that a minimum of three variants on the design will be available in different sizes. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Lite will reportedly feature a 5.8-inch panel set at a display ratio of 18.5:9, while the Samsung Galaxy S10 and + models are each listed with a ratio of 19:9 but will be set at 6.1 or 6.4-inches respectively.
Background: Leaks and rumors surrounding Samsung’s flagships have been widespread almost since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 family of devices. There has been some variance to the information over the past several months but the discrepancies between the leaks also seem to be slowing down. As might be expected from that, this latest set of details lines up well with the most recent tips from separate sources including one from renowned tipster Evan Blass who on December 10 suggested that Samsung’s Galaxy S10 devices would arrive in exactly the same sizes with the same apparent ratios, in addition to providing some pre-render sketches. In each of those, Samsung’s premium gadgets were shown with a punched-out camera hole instead of the largely rebuked notch other OEMs have been using in recent handsets.
Rumors starting before that have suggested that each model will be available in two SoC variants. Consumers in the US and China will likely see their version powered by a Snapdragon 855 SoC while the in-house Exynos 9820 will power the international versions — driving Samsung-skinned Android 9 Pie out of the box. The smallest and most budget-friendly variant, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite has also been speculated to ship with a side-embedded fingerprint scanner instead of a rear-facing or under-glass reader. Camera distinctions between the handsets are expected too. The smallest handset will most likely arrive with just three sensors in a dual-rear camera configuration. The models above that are predicted to arrive with four or five sensors in total depending on the report in question.
Neither the abovementioned image or this most recent leak mentions the long-expected ‘premium’ variation of Samsung’s flagship at all. The South Korean smartphone giant has been expected to unveil another take on its phablet at the presumed launch of its devices in February of next year ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. That device will allegedly step up from the reported 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB of memory predicted to arrive in the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10 + to include a massive 12GB RAM. It will also be the only one of the four handsets to include out-of-the-box support for 5G networking. It’s also expected to measure at 6.7-inches and feature a total of six cameras, split between front and rear panels.
Impact: The comparatively small Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is expected to feature a flat front panel while all of the other versions will have edge displays. Although not confirmed, the use of Super AMOLED may come as a relief for any who were concerned about whether or not the screen tech would be held back alongside the use of a flat panel. At the same time, that might have implications about the pricing of these devices since Super AMOLED will most likely come at a premium. Stacked with other premium features, that could ultimately equate to a much smaller gap in costs than some might have hoped once these smartphones launch.