The Samsung Galaxy S10+ will feature a completely different “Hole in Active Area” — commonly referred to as an Infinity-O — display than its smaller counterpart, according to a recent Twitter leak from known industry insider “Ice universe.” The post indicates that the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ will all feature edge-to-edge display panels with cutouts for the front cameras. The Galaxy S10+ cameras will need to be unique to that flagship as a result of its inclusion of dual selfie cameras. No details are provided for exactly what design might be used instead but a set of recently emerged renders may shed some light in that regard.
Background: Rumors have been floated immediately following the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+. At least four handsets are expected to be forthcoming with the “S10” designation with varying internal specs and prices. The differences have chiefly seemed to center around screen sizes, memory, and the number of camera sensors to be included. Starting at the ‘budget’ end of the spectrum, the Galaxy S10 Lite is predicted to arrive in a format that features a flat 5.8-inch display instead of an ‘edge-style’ panel. It will also purportedly ship with only 4GB of RAM and dual cameras only on the back. Two middle-models will share screen size at 5.8 inches and triple rear cameras but will ship with 6GB and 8GB of memory, respectively. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is predicted to launch with 6.4-inches of screen real estate, 5G support, and with 12GB of RAM. Four rear cameras are expected on the rear panel with two on the front. The use of a dual forward-facing camera setup on the larger Samsung Galaxy S10 models is in support of more accurate and secure 3D facial recognition.
Alongside other speculation and leaks, the camera cutouts were actually reported to be finalized in a “notch-less” design back in March. The feature is the latest in a bid to reduce the amount of screen space and the often harsh criticism from users about the aesthetics of a notch while still allowing a higher screen-to-body ratio. Samsung has managed to avoid following the industry’s divisive solution for that so far and each of the four expected Galaxy S10 models has been expected to continue that tradition using holes in the display panel. Unofficial, non-affiliated concepts have also cropped up with more recent iterations showcasing how the display tech might be implemented in its final design. One notable exception to that may be the most affordable of those, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite. That handset has been spotted in at least one leak using a more traditional design without a notch or in-screen cutouts.
Impact: There’s no indication in the most recent leak with regard to how different the hole placement will be for the larger Samsung Galaxy S10+. The Korean tech company could opt to use two separate holes placed on different parts of the panel or together in an oval or double-circle ‘eight’ shape. To the contrary, it may choose to forgo holes entirely and take a more notch-like approach, albeit with a more refined shape and size or with two smaller notches. Each of the Samsung Galaxy S10 designs is currently thought to be finalized but none has been officially announced.
The Galaxy S10 Lite, S10, and S10+ are all Hole in Super AMOLED screens, but the S10+ has dual front cameras, so the hole design is slightly different.
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) December 2, 2018