“Samsung is expected to launch as many as four new Galaxy Note models this year; here’s everything we know so far”
Samsung has been on a roll this year as it launched as many as three Galaxy S10 flagships alongside introducing a bagful of new Galaxy A and M series handsets with some of them offering next-gen features such as an under-display fingerprint sensor, punch-hole and a rotating camera. Now, the South Korean giant is all set to bring upgrades to its Galaxy Note line of handsets, which are allegedly dubbed the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note10 Pro (or the Galaxy Note10+, as per a recent leak).
The company is expected to introduce as many as four new Galaxy Note models this year — two for each of the Note10 and Note10 Pro. We have already witnessed a number of leaks and reports surrounding these devices, so here’s everything we know about the next-gen Note flagships.
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Display: following the punch-hole display trend
As per the leaked 5K renders and 360-degree videos, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 series will bring a brand new design with a lot of changes. The biggest among them will be the fact that the new Note handsets will be adopting the company’s new punch-hole Infinity Display, which is also present on the Galaxy S10 models. However, unlike the S10 trio, the hole on the Note 10 devices will be placed in the middle on top for housing the selfie camera.
The leaked photos so far have suggested that the Galaxy Note10 will have much slimmer bezels than its predecessor with a dual-edged screen. If the reports are to be believed, the Galaxy Note10 will have a 6.4-inch panel, while the Galaxy Note10 Pro will utilise a bigger 6.75-inch display. Both should come with a resolution of 3,040 x 1,440 pixels and support for HDR10+ standard. It’s worth mentioning that since there will be no earpiece on top of the screen, the new Notes are said to utilise the Screen Soundcasting tech.
Design: bidding adieu to the 3.5mm headphone jack
Talking about the design, the leaked renders have suggested that the primary camera module of the Galaxy Note10 phones will be placed vertically in the top-left corner. This will be different than the horizontally-aligned dual-camera setup on the Galaxy Note9, which is placed in the middle. Also, the fingerprint sensor on the new Galaxy Notes will be placed underneath the display instead of being present on the back.
Some reports had suggested that the Galaxy Note10 models will ditch physical keys, but the leaked renders clearly suggest the buttons will be available. Another huge change in the design of the smartphones will be the absence of the 3.5mm headphone socket, making the forthcoming Note handsets to be the first flagships from Samsung to ditch the good ol’ audio interface.
Performance: a powerhouse with 5G variants
In select markets like the US, both the Samsung Galaxy Note10 and Note10 Pro are expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship Snapdragon 855 processor. In countries like India, the company is expected to equip them with either the Exynos 9820 chipset that powers the latest Galaxy S10 flagships or slightly more powerful Exynos 9825, which is yet to be introduced. For memory, the phones are said to come with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of native storage.
If the reports are to be believed, Samsung will be introducing 5G variants of both the Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy Note10 Pro. These models are expected to utilise Qualcomm’s X50 modem to enable 5G connectivity, and they are said to be available in select markets. Since 5G networks won’t be available in India till at least next year, it’s unlikely that Samsung will launch these models in the subcontinent.
Cameras: foursome
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 phones will be the first in the Note series to flaunt more than two primary cameras. The Galaxy Note10 models are said to come with three cameras at the rear. There will be a primary shooter, a telephoto sensor, and an ultra-wide angle sensor. Notably, the Galaxy Note10 Pro variants are expected to have an additional camera that will be a Time-of-Flight sensor, apart from the aforementioned shooters. Unfortunately, as of now, there’s no word which sensors the brand will be utilising on these devices.
Other specs
As for the other specs, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 series phones will boot Android 9 Pie out of the box with the brand’s new One UI on top. They are expected to get the Android Q update later. Samsung is also said to preload Microsoft’s Your Phone Companion app, which pairs up Android phones to Windows devices to provide useful features like synced apps and video/photo sharing.
Some rumours indicate that the new Galaxy Note phones will come with a newly designed stylus that will have a built-in camera. However, trust-worthy sources indicate that that won’t be the case as the Note10’s S Pen will be largely indistinguishable from the one comes with the Note9. Last but not the least, the Galaxy Note10 and Note10 Pro could offer batteries ranging between 4,000mAh and 4,500mAh with either 25W or 45W fast charging support. A recent report claimed that the smaller Note will have a 3,400mAh, though it seems unlikely if the brand will opt for a lower capacity.
Pricing and availability
There’s no concrete information regarding the pricing of the Samsung Galaxy Note10. However, some report suggests that the new Notes will be launched with a starting price of between $1,100 (~Rs 76,000) and $1,200 (~Rs 83,000). The last year’s Note9 was released at the starting price of $1,000 (~Rs 69,000). With all new features, it’s justifiable for Samsung to offer the new Notes at a higher price tag.
As for the launch date, the Galaxy Note10 will be unveiled at some point in August. The most credible information regarding the launch date is August 7th.
So are you eagerly waiting for the next-gen Galaxy Note smartphone? Tell us what you are expecting from these devices in the comments section below.
