Samsung Galaxy Note 10: 7 features that would bury the new iPhone X

The new iPhone X 2018 is being hyped as a generation-winning phone, but a Galaxy Note 10 with these features would leave it dead and buried

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 new iPhone X
(Image credit: GettyImages)

Along with the  Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung folding phone, the Galaxy Note 10 is one of the devices that the Samsung will be looking at to seriously take the fight to Apple's new iPhone X in 2019, building on the solid base of this year's Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

And, excitingly, judging from what we've seen and heard about Samsung's tech development focuses over 2018, it looks like the Galaxy Note 10 could come loaded with some truly game-changing technology. 

Technology that would, if implemented, lead it to come up trumps in a battle with Apple's new iPhones.

As such, here we explore seven features that would make the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 the ultimate smartphone ever released.

1. A Wolverine-style self-healing screen

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

A Galaxy Note 10 with self-healing screen would be mind-blowing and, excitedly, the tech already exists.

(Image credit: Concept Creator)

It has already been confirmed that Samsung is developing a self-healing phone screen, with the South Korean maker lodging a patent for a magical oleophobic cover with scratch abrasion healing properties.

And, this tech is far from a pipe-dream, with the LG G Flex 2 from 2015 already proving the validity of the concept.

If Samsung can partner this technology with its, also already confirmed, awesome "unbreakable screen" tech, then the Galaxy Note 10 would almost certainly boast the most advanced smartphone screen ever made, continuing its heritage as a technical leader within the mobile industry.

Drop the Galaxy Note 10 with that tech present and there would be no problem, with the screen still in-tact and any scratches generated automatically healed. Drop the new iPhone X without that tech installed, though, and it would be you-just-lost-a-dump-truck-load-of-money game over.

2. A faster-than-god 5G connection

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 5G modem

Samsung already has a consumer network-ready 5G modem.

The Galaxy Note 10 will easily be able to deliver a 5G connection. We know this as Samsung itself has already confirmed, mere days ago, that it already has a working, consumer network-ready 5G modem.

As such, we would not only expect the Note 10 to feature a 5G connection when it releases next August, but also a Samsung phone that is launched much sooner, maybe in either the Samsung folding phone, known as the Galaxy X (or Galaxy F), or the Galaxy S10 flagship.

A Samsung Note 10 equipped with a 5G connection would, if anything, leave the rumoured to be Intel modem-packing new iPhone X smoked in terms of download and upload speeds, and allow users of the amazing new Galaxy Note to explore an entire new suite of smartphone experiences including mobile VR.

While Galaxy Note 10 players would be 5G rockin', new iPhone users would be 4G hatin'.

3. A stunning, iPhone-blitzing design

We're expecting big, big things from Samsung's next flagship device, the Galaxy S10, when it is launched next year at Mobile World Congress 2019, but especially so in terms of design, with some awesome early glimpses of what the handset could look like already making the rounds.

If Samsung can incorporate some of this futuristic S10's flair into the Galaxy Note 10, while also retaining the slab-of-luxe aesthetic that only enthusiast-grade devices rock (we're thinking Galaxy Note 9 and HTC U12+, especially) then the phone will have looks and ergonomics to kill.

Creating beautiful devices is normally Apple's raison d'être, but a Galaxy Note 10 dressed that well would cause Apple fanboys to turn their heads.

4. A screen that drops jaws with transparent tech

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

A Samsung-filed patent already exists for a transparent phone.

(Image credit: GettyImages)

A Galaxy Note 10 equipped with a screen that matches or exceeds the size of the 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel installed on the Galaxy Note 9, which is easily the best smartphone screen ever made, but with a brand new next-gen resolution and Infinity Display design, would leave phone enthusiast jaws well and truly on the floor.

The really exciting rumour, though, currently doing the rounds is that Samsung may be currently secretly working on a screen tech that can turn transparent, or a least partially transparent.

Think it hokum? Well think again, as reports earlier this year proved Samsung had filed a patent that describes the exact tech.

If such a tech existed it could be used, in partnership with a fully skeleton frame and backplate, to create a see-through or partially see-through Note 10.

Just imagine the see-through effect teased at last year on iPhone X, but for real. That would sure be some wow-factor…

5. A monstrous 6,000mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

(Image credit: Jonas Daehnert)

The one area where the Galaxy Note 9 hasn't made a massive forward leap is in the battery department, with a competitive but not special 4,000mAh unit in residence. This has improved things somewhat over the lackluster stack of cells installed in the Galaxy Note 8 range, however we are expecting far, far more from next year's Note 10.

With Samsung fully recovered from its Note 7 debacle, we'd want to see a 6,000mAh battery or greater tucked into the Galaxy Note 10, which if realised would grant the phone seriously impressive battery life that could even extend over the 2-day mark.

It's also perfectly feasible, too, with many phones already on the market packing units over 5,000mAh (such as the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1). 

If Apple didn't deliver a competitive battery experience on the new iPhone, that would play directly into Samsung's hands, giving them yet another win over the American maker.

6. An in-screen speaker and fingerprint reader

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

An in-screen fingerprint reader is set to be included in the Galaxy S10. It should be a shoe-in, then, for the Galaxy Note 10.

(Image credit: Concept Creator)

We've known that Samsung has been working on an in-screen fingerprint reader for months now, with patent filings at first indicating it could be a possibility, to then later basically confirming that it is incoming. And all signs point to a dramatic, game-changing launch on the Galaxy S10 smartphone.

That would leave the Galaxy Note 10 perfectly placed to benefit from the in-screen fingerprint tech, which would work seamlessly in-sync with its aforementioned transparent screen tech.

From what we know so far, Samsung's in-screen fingerprint reader works via ultrasonic technology, which is far more accurate compared to the optical tech used in fingerprint readers today.

This screen technology would also work perfectly with Samsung's, already shown off for real, voice-call speaker tech, which allows for a speaker to be built into a handset's screen and therefore remove the need for a traditional earpiece embed.

7. Internal hardware that smokes all-comers

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

The Galaxy Note 10 is set to use the cheetah-blood bathed Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 CPU.

(Image credit: DBSDesigning, Behance)

We already know the Galaxy S10 is set to be twice as fast as the Galaxy S9 and, as the Note series is always more powerful than the S series, that means the Galaxy Note 10 would be even faster than the S10.

The Galaxy Note 10 would achieve this, in part, by using UFS3.0 storage and LPDDR5 memory. UFS3.0 chips have twice the potential maximum throughput bandwidth when compared with their predecessor, UFS2.1, while LPDDR5 memory is the lightning fast successor to the LPDDR4 currently holding back this year's top handsets.

And, that's saying nothing about the fact that the Galaxy Note 10 would also benefit from Qualcomm's fastest, most advanced, benchmark crushing CPU too, the cheetah-blood bathed Snapdragon 855 set to absolutely tear up 2019.

But Apple could use the same tech right? A long-running legal battle with Qualcomm would indicate not…

Robert Jones

Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.