The Samsung Galaxy S10 is already looking like it could be not just the phone of 2019, but potentially the phone of the decade.
That's because we already know a hell of a lot about the new iPhone rival and, simply put, if it arrives as it currently planned to, it's going to redefine the concept of a powerhouse flagship phone, with a raft of advanced tech slated for inclusion that rival makers like Apple, HTC, Sony, and OnePlus will be desperate to match.
And, worryingly for Apple and the others, the S10 could then be followed by not just one other awesome Samsung device but two, with the South Korean maker's folding Galaxy F phone, and gaming juggernaut Galaxy X handset also tipped for a 2019 release.
- These are the best cheap smartphones on the market today
- These are the official Samsung Galaxy Note 9 specs
A 2019 triple play of that magnitude would leave many rivals dead and buried, however, the vanguard attack that could make or break it all for Samsung is the Galaxy S10, so it is unsurprising it is shaping up to be a titanically desirable device.
Here we're going to run through the 8 pieces of next-gen tech that have been leaked or strongly rumoured to be coming to the finished Galaxy S10, all the while trying not to leave drool all over the T3 office.
1. A gorgeous iPhone X-beating design
Everything we're hearing right now about the S10 indicates it is going to an absolutely stunning phone aesthetically.
Indeed, just this week we got our first glimpse of an Galaxy S10 in a super-revealing, bare-all video preview, which showed a handset based on rumoured design cues that sat somewhere between Samsung's own Galaxy S9 and Note 9 handsets, as well as Apple's iPhone X and HTC's U12 Plus.
Earlier renders of the S10 also depicted a device that managed to merge a distinctly Apple-esque frame with a gorgeous, eye-catching SuperAMOLED screen, too, which is very much an area where Samsung excels.
As such, we're very confident that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will turn heads when it is officially unveiled early next year.
2. A beautiful new infinity display
Samsung is the current king of smartphone screen tech, with the maker not only turning out gorgeous SuperAMOLED displays for its own devices - the screen on the Galaxy S9 Plus is simply stunning, for example - but also rival makers like Apple, too, which will use the company's screens in a portion of its new iPhones.
As such, it has come as no surprise to hear talk of an edge-to-edge new Infinity Display with a PPI in excess of 600 being lined up for the Galaxy S10, with a next-gen series of ghost-like bezels allowing the screen to seamlessly pour off every side of the handset and deliver an astonishing 93 per cent screen-to-body ratio.
And, what's more, despite nothing officially confirmed by Samsung yet regarding the S10's screen, it does make sense that the South Korean maker would want to push its screen innovation even further in 2019, as rival parts makers like LG Display are starting to muscle in on its screen production territory.
3. The most powerful 3D-sensing camera in the world
Another piece of next-gen tech being prepped for the Samsung S10 is an iPhone X-style 3D-sensing camera, which is slated to have Face ID-beating security and unlocking capabilities.
And, we're expecting the technology to almost certainly feature in the S10 as, at one point, it was seemingly set to feature in this year's Galaxy Note 9, as the camera system was so far along in development. Right now, though, numerous reports from respected Korean news outlets are pointing to the tech debuting in the S10.
The reports describe a system being developed by Isreali startup Mantis Vision in partnership with camera module firm Namuga, with the latter company not only a key supplier of past Samsung phones' camera modules, but also a main supplier of 3D-sensing tech for Intel's RealSense AR cameras as well.
An S10 equipped with a 3D-sensing camera that beats the system installed in the new iPhones? That would be a major boon to Samsung, and a major blow to Apple.
4. Insanely fast storage and memory
Another area where Samsung's rivals should definitely be worried is in terms of hardware speeds. That's because the Samsung Galaxy S10 is set to be twice as fast as the Galaxy S9 in two key areas, memory and storage, and is also set to absolutely torch the new iPhones in download speeds, too.
The S10's memory and storage credentials stem from its usage of 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 super fast successor to the LPDDR4 currently throttling performance on current smartphones.
The download speed prowess for the Galaxy S10 comes from its use of Qualcomm chips, rather than Intel ones, which have been shown to be much faster in independent benchmarks.
The new iPhones are predicted to be using the slower Intel chips due to an on-going legal battle with Qualcomm, which if they do, will play directly into the hands of Samsung, who has a strong relationship with the chip maker, by not allowing Apple to counter the Galaxy S10's best-in-class proposition.
5. A futuristic under-screen fingerprint reader
We've known about this much-wanted new S10 feature for months now, with patent filings first hinting at it, and then nigh-on confirming its inclusion in Samsung's hot new flagship. And it looks like it is going to be a game changer.
Everyone can agree that rear-mounted fingerprint readers can be annoying to locate, while front-mounted readers take up space that should be used for more screen real estate, so an in-screen fingerprint reader would solve both these issues for the S10, while also delivering a true standout piece of tech that many of its rivals won't be able to match day-and-date.
The S10's new under-screen fingerprint tech is rumoured to work hand-in-hand with the S10's aforementioned new Infinity Display, which allows at least two-thirds of the reader to be positioned under the device's screen. The reader is then tipped to use ultrasonic technology, which is super accurate compared to the optical tech currently used, to scan and register fingerprints.
6. A lighting fast 5G connection
Maybe aside from Sony and its much-hyped new 5G Xperia smartphone, it currently looks like the Samsung S10 will be one of the first phones to support the next-generation of mobile connections, 5G.
Why does the industry think this? Simple. Qualcomm and Samsung recently announced a "strategic relationship" agreement that specifically mentions the "transition to 5G".
"As we lead the world to 5G, we envision this next big change in cellular technology spurring a new era of intelligent, connected devices," Qualcomm also boasted.
And, in truth, a 5G connection would make perfect sense on the Galaxy S10. Such a premium device should have a premium connection, and 5G would enable incredible download and upload speeds, as well as open up amazing new smartphone uses, such as streaming AAA games and high-fidelity 4K movies from the cloud.
Here's hoping networks can keep pace with Qualcomm and Samsung and supply the 5G networks needed for the S10 and other 5G devices next year to flourish.
7. An enthusiast-grade skeleton backplate
Another on-trend feature that looks set to separate the Galaxy S10 from the new iPhones is the ability to pick up the new phone with a see-through, transparent backplate.
This craze was kicked off at the high-end of the market by the HTC U12 Plus this summer, with its "Translucent Blue" colourway offering a partially skeleton finish that let you see some of the components inside. This went down a storm with critics and users alike.
As such, it makes perfect sense that Samsung could consider including a skeleton or partially see-through model of the Samsung S10 next year, as it would tap directly into that smartphone enthusiast market, and offer a model with a notable visual difference to many of its rivals.
8. A notch-free screen with voice-call speaker
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is also reportedly getting what is referred to as a voice-call speaker.
The basic principal with the voice-call speaker is that it is built into the phone's screen, removing the need to have a traditional earpiece at the top of the device, and thereby freeing that space up for even more screen or extra camera modules.
While it sounds crazy, and it admittedly is the weakest of the features in terms of industry talk right now, this sort of speaker was demonstrated by Samsung this year with its "Sound on Display" tech, which uses bone conduction to stream sound directly to your inner ear.
The "Sound on Display" tech was tipped for an early 2019 release, too, so that lines up very well with the Samsung S10's launch date, which is currently slated for February 2019.
Hopefully, though, we'll hear more about the Samsung Galaxy S10's form, hardware, and features at CES 2019 in January - we can't wait!
