Samsung really needs a huge thing for its mobile division as reception and sales of their recent flagships have been less than enthusiastic. The pressure is on for the South Korean OEM to produce something spectacular in 2019 not just because it’s the 10th edition of their Galaxy S line but also due to the fact that their rivals are closing in on them and may have even surpassed them. Will the rumored three versions of the upcoming Galaxy S10 plus the reported foldable-phone display do the trick?
There is much riding on next year’s flagship line and so Samsung is reportedly pulling all the stops to have the both the Galaxy S10 and the foldable phone released next year. The former will also reportedly be their first 5G-capable device and they are working with Verizon in order to be able to popularize the technology, at least in the US, which will supposedly transfer data 12x faster than the current 4G that we have. The S10 will also have an embedded fingerprint sensor under the display, according to people close to the matter.
There will supposedly be three versions of the Galaxy S10: the standard one codenamed “Beyond”, the usual Plus bigger version, and a more affordable version to appeal to those who would want something cheaper but still within the flagship line (and not the A line). The standard version will have and OLED screen curved on both sides and will have rounded shaped corners and almost bezel-less in both the top and the bottom. It will have three cameras at the back and one front camera that will be “tucked” under the screen.
As for the foldable-screen device, it is currently codenamed “Winner” and there are still two prototypes being tested and debated upon. One is longer horizontally while the other is longer vertically when unfolded but both will open from side to side. But reports are saying designers prefer the portrait type as it’s easier to hold. There will not be a fingerprint sensor since it will be quite difficult to place that on such a display.
What users will get is an extra four-inch screen that will let you check emails, messages, notifications, without having to flip it open. And when you do flip it, it will have a snap like the previous flip phones, only it will be smoother. The display will be coated with a film instead of glass, which might not meet people’s glossy expectations. Samsung is working with Apple as well for a special version of the OS to accommodate that extra screen. Testing on the hinge is still ongoing, even though it passed internal tests already since mass-production will bring a different yield rate.
All of this is to say that Samsung may not yet be able to unveil a physical model at next month’s Developer Conference. This may also mean we can expect to see a viable, commercial version of the bendable phone only by the second quarter of 2019. Meanwhile, we’ll have to just watch out for what the Galaxy S10 line will have to offer.
VIA: Bloomberg
