The Samsung Galaxy S10 is set to excite when it launches in early 2019 but it will not be the first phone launched by the South Korean maker to feature 5G connectivity.
Samsung CEO, DJ Koh, speaking at the Unpacked event that saw the Galaxy Note 9 make its appearance, teased some future Galaxy S10 details and revealed that the Galaxy S10 will not be the first 5G phone released by the company.
Whether this means the S10 won't feature 5G, or that another 5G Samsung phone will be released earlier than the S10 next year, remains to be seen.
It's entirely possible that Samsung's folding phone, the Samsung Galaxy X, will be Samsung's first 5G phone. That would explain why the S10 won't be where Samsung debuts 5G as the Galaxy X is widely expected to be announced ahead of the Galaxy S10. Then Samsung could launch its second 5G phone – the S10 – a few weeks later.
Another scenario is that the Galaxy S10 won't feature 5G at all. Why might that be the case? It would almost certainly be because of overheating issues caused by a 5G module. In this scenario, the Galaxy X could still be the first 5G phone from Samsung or the company may decide to wait until the release of the Galaxy Note 10 in August 2019 to implement 5G. Given that Huawei, Sony and others are rushing ahead to bring 5G phones to market, we're not sure Samsung would want to wait that long, though.
Naturally, any new new 5G handset from Samsung may be designed differently to current phones in order to withstand the intense speed processes. This could mean a giant battery, super efficient CPU and less glass and metal in favour of more breathable materials.
Samsung will launch 5G in March next year, but only 5G will be opened in few regions of the world. It is reasonable for Samsung not to carry 5G on S10. 5G baseband may bring instability and heat. Samsung will release a 5G dedicated mobile phone.August 13, 2018
DJ Koh said that the company was "focusing on developing innovations that will be genuinely accepted and liked by consumers". We would definitely accept and like 5G connectivity in the Galaxy S10. However, this could also be read to mean that Samsung only wants to go 5G when 5G networks are fully bedded in.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
And, since networks will only start rolling out proper tests of 5G connectivity in 2019, it could make sense to hold off on the tech until it has been perfected and won't cause instabilities in an otherwise great handset.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is expected to launch early in 2019 at either CES in January or at MWC in late February. Our money is on the latter.
Luke is a former freelance writer for T3 with over two decades of experience covering tech, science and health. Among many others Luke wrote about health tech, software and apps, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and plenty more. In his free time, Luke used to climb mountains, swim outside and contort his body into silly positions while breathing as calmly as possible.
-
Microsoft's 5-star Surface with keyboard is Best Buy's killer deal
Best buy it at Best Buy!
By David Nield Published
-
Sonos' premium soundbar just hit its lowest-ever price in 5-star deal
Top-tier sound doesn't have to cost top dollar
By David Nield Published
-
Huge 75in Sony TV is now cheaper than ever in Amazon's Black Friday sale
You can now get a top-quality TV for less, with 100s of dollars off this set
By David Nield Published
-
Improve your Wi-Fi with 5-star Netgear kit – now cheaper than ever
This is one of the most powerful home Wi-Fi setups you can have – and it has hit a new low price on Amazon
By David Nield Published
-
Samsung's fan-favorite earbuds are cheaper than ever on Amazon right now
The Galaxy Buds FE bring with them a superb listening experience at a low price – and that price just got even lower
By David Nield Published
-
Insta360 Link 2 review: a dream webcam for power users
A long list of features, a neat design, and crystal clear audio and video
By David Nield Published
-
Creative Sound Blaster GS3 review: a fantastic value speaker for gamers
An audio boost for your gaming – and for your music and movies
By David Nield Published
-
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: all four models compared – should you pre-order today?
How do the 2024 iPhone upgrades compare to what was launched last year's iPhone 15 models?
By David Nield Published