Samsung Galaxy S10 will tear up tired Galaxy blueprint to wage war on Apple iPhone XS

Samsung promises "very significant" design changes and “amazing” colours

Samsung Galaxy S10
(Image credit: Concept Creator)

Samsung's Galaxy phones have recently faced criticism for being too similar to the previous generation. But the brand is in a bullish mood, and is now saying categorically that 2019's Galaxy S10 smartphone will feature "very significant" design changes.

That's a statement straight from none other than DJ Koh. He's CEO of Samsung’s mobile division, and he said that to the Chinese press last week. It was subsequently picked up by SamMobile.

That news will no doubt please Android fans in general and Samsung phone buyers in particular, as the changes between the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 were fairly small – the S9 arrived with slightly more petite bezels than the S8, although beauty is more than skin deep, and the interior also saw an upgraded chipset and improved camera.

Koh's statement confirms the chatter we've been hearing about a radically improved flagship Galaxy smartphone for 2019 after S9 sales, by all accounts, disappointed. 

Further rumours to date are that the Galaxy S10 will feature an in-screen fingerprint reader, 5G connectivity in at least one version of the phone, an all-new Infinity Display and a triple-lens camera. In fact, it could even feature four – yes, a full quadrilogy of rear cameras. At any rate, Samsung is teasing that for a phone it's set to announce in October.

As for your colour choices for the S10? Koh promises they'll be "amazing", but declined to go into further detail at this point.

It's not surprising that Samsung is talking up its next generation of phones. As well as promising a significantly changed Galaxy S10, the South Korean manufacturer has given its Galaxy Note 10 a codename that hints that it, too, is going to be reinvented and, of course, there's the radically new Galaxy X folding smartphone waiting in the wings.

2019 is shaping up to be an exciting year for smartphones. Samsung seems to have its game face on once again; Huawei is making massive strides and is on the verge of releasing its first 5G handsets; and Sony is planning to come back in a big way in 2018 with a reimagined Sony Xperia. We suspect Apple's new iPhones might still be doing alright in '19 as well…

For one idea of how the new S10 could look, check out the video below which imagines the new smartphone based on leaks, rumours and hopeful wishes.

Lead image credit: Concept Creator

Paul Douglas
Global Digital Editorial Strategy Director, Future

Paul Douglas is Global Digital Editorial Strategy Director at Future and has worked in publishing for over 25 years. He worked in print for over 10 years on various computing titles including .net magazine and the Official Windows Magazine before moving to TechRadar.com in 2008, eventually becoming Global Editor-in-Chief for the brand, overseeing teams in the US, UK and Australia. Following that, Paul has been Global Editor-in-Chief of BikeRadar and T3 (not at the same time) and later Content Director working on T3, TechRadar and Tom's Guide. In 2021, Paul also worked on the launches of FitandWell.com and PetsRadar.