Samsung Galaxy S10 Range
Ahead of #MWC2019 next week, and at a packed-out auditorium in San Francisco, Samsung have launched their Galaxy S10 range of smartphones.
In the 9+ years leading up to this launch, Samsung has sold 2 billion S-devices!
The S10 lineup is now made up of four models:
- Samsung Galaxy S10e
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Samsung Galaxy S10+
- Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
Samsung Galaxy S10e
The ‘e’ in the S10e stands for essential and represents the entry-level handset in the line-up. With the top-end models now starting at $1000, Samsung has taken a page out of Apple’s book and added a watered-down version to create a lower entry price.
Despite having a little less all-round, it’s a good handset. The screen is slightly smaller at 5.8″ but still has an Infinity display. On the back, you lose a lens from the S10/+ down to a dual-camera set-up and the S10e has a smaller 3,100mAh battery.
Other than that, the S10e shares many of the specs with the other devices, including the latest Android OS, 9.0 Pie.
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The Samsung Galaxy S10e will start at £669/$750 with pre-orders open now and goes on sale from the 8th March 2019.
Samsung Galaxy S10
Taking over from the S9 as Samsungs new flagship device, the S10 is a strikingly gorgeous looking handset. It’s packed full of many new features, enough to even persuade S9 owners into an early upgrade!
The 6.1″ Quad HD+ Curved Dynamic AMOLED is a world first, and the most colour accurate display on a smartphone today. The curved edges are enhanced by thinner upper and lower bezels thanks to a punch-hole front camera (no notch) and the removal of the home button!
Samsung has been able to exclude the button and build an Ultrasonic fingerprint reader into the display! On the rear, another first! An integrated QI wireless charging pad!
Select power-sharing from the options, place your S10 face down, and any QI enabled device can charge itself from your handset! The Galaxy S10 has a 3,400mAh battery so I doubt this is a feature to be used daily, but handy if you get caught short!
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What stood out for me the most though was the new camera and software, as potentially a great combination for travellers. The main rear camera has a triple-lens configuration consisting of a Telephoto, Wide-Angle and Ultra-Wide Angle lenses with 10x digital zoom.
This combines to provide a field of view that mimics the human eye, and can capture broader panoramic views.
Both front and rear cameras can shoot in up to UHD quality, and in an industry first, the rear camera gives you the flexibility to record in HDR10+. ~ Samsung Press Room
Samsung announced two new software features with the S10. Instagram mode makes use of that lovely large display and creates a more immersive experience while using the app. Then, possibly my favorite addition, Adobe Premiere Rush CC, the new video editing software that was first released only last year!
Samsung have really made the effort to provide the hardware, and software, for people to capture, edit, and share great media!
The Samsung Galaxy S10 will start from £799/$900, pre-orders are now open and the phone will go on sale from 8th March.
Samsung Galaxy S10+
Usually, the ‘+’ version of the Galaxy S range, along with the Note series, offers the biggest displays and beefed-up specs compared to the normal handset. That title is now passed over to the new S10 5G, but the S10+ still brings some noteworthy upgrades on the base model.
The Infinity screen increases to a 6.4″ Quad HD+ Curved Dynamic AMOLED display, which is enough to give anyone some serious screen envy!
The larger frame has allowed Samsung to boost the internal battery up to 4,100mAh which should help those using the wireless PowerShare function. And for those who prefer the front-facing camera, the S10+ has a dual-lens ‘selfie cam’ offering a depth of field images.
The Samsung Galaxy S10+ starts at £899/$1000 with pre-orders now open and the phone will go on sale from 8th March.
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
Had it not been for the earlier announcement on the Galaxy Fold, the S10 5G would surely have been the new jewel in the Samsung crown. Although it shares many of the same features in the S10 range it has one very important addition. 5G connectivity!
Although we don’t expect a 5G network until 2020 in the UK, this will be the year manufacturers push out the devices. Samsung are not the first to do so, but they certainly pushed it to the top of the S10 range!
The S10 5G boasts the biggest screen on any Samsung smartphone with its 6.7″ Quad HD+ Curved Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Display.
At the back, the main camera gets a noticeable upgrade over the other devices with a Quad-Lens configuration, that includes 3D-Depth. This will support Augmented Reality (AR) features and Apps.
Despite being their biggest device, Samsung has opted to exclude the MicroSD slot from the Galaxy 5G, potentially due to the super-fast download speeds once 5G is turned on. But what about the data allowance?
Finally, Samsung has added a huge 4,500mAh battery, one of the biggest in any smartphone, and should be good for 2 days of average use!
The Samsung S10 5G has no pricing or release date as yet. I expect it to be significantly higher than the $1000 S10+.
Join the Conversation
What do you think of the new S10 range? Enough to justify an upgrade from the S9’s? Or just an evolution with not much to shout about? Is a premium 5G smartphone needed in 2019 with no super-fast network until the following year?
Are you an iPhone user tempted to move? Comment below or join the conversation on Twitter.
Visit samsung.com for further information.