Although the Samsung Galaxy S10 range and the Samsung Galaxy Fold have already been revealed this year, Samsung still has a new Note series phone to come, and a picture of what the phone will be like is beginning to form through leaks and rumors. Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy Note 10.
Design and display
The Galaxy Note 10 is beginning to take shape in leaks and rumors. Renders have been created using leaked details, to help picture the new phone more clearly. Points to pay attention to include the single hole-punch camera at the top-center of the screen, the vertically stacked triple-lens camera set off to the side on the back, and no 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s estimated the screen will measure 6.3-inches, potentially making it the smaller of the two possible Note 10 devices in 2019.
Take a look at the video showing the renders in 360-degrees for a closer look at the USB Type-C connection, buttons for volume and power, plus the curved screen and thin metal chassis.
The physical buttons may not be on the final version, according to a previous rumor which stated the Note 10 may use capacitive, or pressure-sensitive, buttons with textures to indicate position on the body for power, volume, and Bixby duties. This has been rumored before, and used (with varying levels of success) on phones including the HTC U12 Plus, HTC U11 and the Pixel 2.
Previously, this leak offered a look at the Note 10, complete with a centered selfie camera and a vertically stacked triple-lens camera setup around the back. According to a report from iGeekphone.com, the standard Galaxy Note 10 will feature a massive 6.66-inch display, which would make the phone’s display far larger than the current Galaxy Note 9, and similar to the OnePlus 7 Pro. The report also notes that the phone is currently code-named “DaVinci.”
There’s a good reason the display will be so big. The device will likely offer an edge-to-edge design, meaning that the screen-to-body ratio is much higher than previous Galaxy phones, and that will allow the phone to offer a bigger display while retaining a similar-sized body.
Camera
What will Samsung do with the Galaxy Note 10’s camera? The recently released Galaxy S10 and S10 came with three rear-facing lenses, but the Galaxy Note 10 may be set to follow in the footsteps of the 5G S10 though, as whispers say it will pack four lenses on the back of the phone.
For the selfie camera, Samsung may turn to a patent discovered by Android Police for the Note 10, where the camera is inside the S Pen stylus. This would enable a true all-screen experience, without the need for a pop-up camera.
That’s not all. The long shape of the S Pen may also make it the perfect place to hide an optical zoom lens. Being able to squeeze an optical zoom into the S Pen would be a real win for Samsung, but we imagine it won’t be a simple goal to accomplish.
Two Galaxy Note 10 models?
According to recent rumors, Samsung might do something it’s never done before for the Note series: Release two different-sized Galaxy Note 10 models.
Leaks are casually dropping the name “Note 10 Pro“, fueling speculation that we’ll see two Note models for the first time ever. According to South Korean site The Bell, Samsung is considering launching a standard Galaxy Note 10, and a smaller Note 10 that will get a limited launch. The site notes that the smaller device will only be available in some select European markets, but it still highlights that Samsung could expand the Note lineup further in the future. Which of these is meant to be the “Pro” version is currently unknown, but it being the larger model would make sense.
Specs
The Galaxy Note 10 will almost certainly be a powerhouse, as it’s designed for productivity and media; but the official specification is still a mystery. There are rumors the Note 10 range will see a boost in battery size and charging speed. The cell capacity may increase to 4,500mAh on the so-called Pro edition, while this rumor states the Note 10’s charging speed will be a “significant upgrade.” Previous rumors say the device will charge at 25 watts, which is much faster than the Galaxy S10’s 18 watts.
Few other leaks about the phone have surfaced, but we can speculate given previous Galaxy Note phones. The Galaxy Note phone usually features Qualcomm’s latest and greatest processor, and we expect that to be true of this phone, too.
Will it have 5G connectivity?
Be prepared to ask this question of every phone released this year — but there’s a very real possibility the Note 10 might release with 5G connectivity built in, much like the Galaxy S10 5G model.
We’re still a while away from launch, so there’s no solid information yet. However, rumors about 5G are persisting. The latest news concerns the kernel source code for the Exynos chipset released by Samsung alongside the Galaxy S10 range. The code makes mention of a “davinci5g” — and since the current assumed code name of the Note 10 is “Da Vinci,” this seems to point to a 5G model of the Note 10, or even that the standard Note 10 will support 5G connectivity.
Previous to this, a leak from Sammobile gives the Note 10’s model number as “SM-N975F.” While this may not seem strange, it’s more usual for the Note range’s model to end with a “0,” not a “5.” Could this errant 5 indicate 5G connectivity? It’s certainly worth keeping in mind.
Release date and price
When it comes to a release date, the Galaxy series is usually released toward the end of the summer, so expect to see the Galaxy Note 10 around August or September of 2019. Manufacturers have recently been bumping up the price of their flagship phones, and it’s likely the Galaxy Note 10 will cost at least $1,000.
We’ll update this article as we hear more about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 10.
Updated on June 6, 2019: Added renders showing the Galaxy Note 10.