Quite recently, a rumor surfaced, claiming that Samsung plans to introduce five Galaxy S10 smartphones, one of which will become a Verizon exclusive… well, a new piece of info that just surfaced more or less denies that. A recent rumor suggested that the company plans to introduce two 5G-enabled Galaxy S10 phones, one for global markets, and a Verizon-exclusive variant named “Galaxy Bolt”. Well, a device named “Samsung Bolt” got certified by the WiFi Alliance recently, and it turns out that’s a 5G hotspot device, not a smartphone, which kind of clears things up. The Verizon-exclusive Galaxy S10 smartphone seemed fishy at first, and this certification more or less denies that the phone will ever come to be. The “Bolt” name was spotted inside a Galaxy Note9 firmware, along with the Snapdragon 855 and 5G, which is why most people thought that it’s an another 5G smartphone. Well, the WiFi Alliance listing shows off that same model number that was spotted in Galaxy Note9’s firmware, the SM-V570N (well, not the same, as that one was SM-V570V, but it’s the same device), and it belongs to a 5G hotspot device. Now, the difference between the SM-V570N and SM-V570V versions is… the first one is aimed for South Korea, while the second one will be sold outside of Samsung’s homeland, it seems, and it comes with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and WPA2 support. All in all, Korea’s model seems to be using Samsung’s Exynos 5G model, and works with 3.5GHz radio spectrum allocated to 5G in Korea. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon modes offer a different design, they’re designed for use on millimeter wave of sub-6GHz spectra, and will be used in the US. We’ll probably get more info regarding this “Samsung Bolt” device moving forward, but the point is, that’s not a new variant of Samsung’s Galaxy S10 device, not even close.
So, We’re Expecting Four Galaxy S10 Variants, Right?
It seems like we’re back to the original rumor, the one that claimed we’ll get four Galaxy S10 variants this year. With “Bolt” out of the way, you can expect Samsung to release the Galaxy S10, S10+, S10 Lite, and 5G-enabled Galaxy S10 unit. Some info actually surfaced regarding all of these variants. Now, all the Galaxy S10 variants will be fueled by flagship processors, even the Galaxy S10 Lite, and chances are that all of them will arrive in both Exynos 9820 and Snapdragon 855 variants, so that they cater to all markets. The Exynos 9820 variants will be available in Europe and India, while the Snapdragon 855 models will ship to the US and China. All four variants of the device will sport a similar design, it seems, though there will be some differences between variants, of course, read on if you’re interested what rumors and leaks are saying thus far.
Galaxy S10 Variant Differences
The Galaxy S10 Lite will be the most affordable out of the bunch, it is rumored to ship with 4GB of RAM, a 5.8-inch flat display, and a side-facing fingerprint scanner. The phone will also sport a glass back (same as the Galaxy S10 and S10+), and will include two cameras on the back, and a single camera on the front. The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will sport a 6.1-inch curved display, at least 6GB of RAM, and 4G LTE connectivity. An in-display fingerprint scanner will be included in this phone, two rear-facing cameras, and a single front-facing one. The Galaxy S10+ will come with three cameras on the back, a 6.44-inch curved display, and two selfie cameras, while an in-display fingerprint scanner will also be included. The 5G-enabled Galaxy S10 variant, also known as the “premium” Galaxy S10 model, is said to ship with a whopping 12GB of RAM, and a ceramic back. This will be the only Galaxy S10 model to support 5G connectivity it seems, and it is rumored to sport four cameras on the back, and two on the front. An in-display fingerprint scanner will be included in this package as well. Front-facing cameras on all Galaxy S10 models will be presented as holes in the display, whether you like it or not, and all Galaxy S10 devices will ship with Android 9 Pie out of the box, with Samsung’s new One UI overlay on top of it. The Galaxy S10 Lite, S10, and S10+ are rumored to arrive during the MWC 2019, while the 5G-enabled variant of the phone will arrive at a later date.