Samsung Galaxy S10 Rumors: Everything You Need to Know

Samsung Galaxy S10 Rumors: Everything You Need to Know

It's hard to believe that just weeks after Samsung released its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, we're already talking about the Galaxy S10. But such is the technology world we live in.

In truth, the Galaxy S10 and, presumably, the S10+ promise to be the most important Samsung releases in years. The handsets will go up against three new iPhones from Apple that are expected to debut this fall, and the new Galaxies could be the first from Samsung to offer 3D face scanners. 

Of course, things very well could change dramatically in the coming months. Regardless, here's what we've heard about the Galaxy S10 so far.

A 3D face scanner

Samsung has been criticized for not having a 3D face scanner to compete with the Face ID in Apple's iPhone X. But a report from The Investor says that Samsung has partnered with 3D camera firm Mantis Vision to finally get a 3D scanner into the Galaxy S10. 

Not much is known about the feature yet, but it's believed that the Mantis Vision technology will be able to compete on the same level as the Face ID feature on the iPhone X.

True bezel-free design, in-screen fingerprint reader

Samsung is clearly a believer in a bezel-less design and will likely remain so in 2019. In fact, according to a report in The Indian Express, the World Intellectual Property Organization recently published a Samsung patent filing that describes a new smartphone design featuring a completely bezel-less design.  

Better yet, the patent shows a fingerprint scanner under the display, suggesting that this feature could also make its way to a Galaxy handset. While it's unclear whether the patent design will appear in the Galaxy S10, there's a good chance we'll see some sort of design overhaul in 2019.

Sticking with Qualcomm

In a move that could inform what happens in the Galaxy S10, Samsung in February announced that it had invested $5.6 billion in a new factory to build 7-nanometer chipsets. Not only would that allow for a smaller chip, but it would also pave the way for the company to make a variety of design changes with the extra room it'll have inside the handset.

According to a report from Phone Arena, Samsung will begin testing the chip later this year and get it ready for mass production in early 2019 — perfect timing for the Galaxy S10.

We should also note that Samsung will work on the chip technology with Qualcomm, which the phone maker has done with the last few Snapdragon processors. The Snapdragon 855, then, should be coming to the Galaxy S10, at least for U.S.-bound versions of the phone.  

Name change on the way?

Samsung is said to be working on a foldable smartphone that could be known as the Galaxy X. And although that won't infringe on the company's Galaxy S schedule, it could cause a naming problem. After all, if one smartphone is called the Galaxy X, naming another phone the Galaxy S10 might cause confusion.

READ: Samsung has launched its latest Notebook 5 and Notebook 3 laptops

A report in February from The Investor cited an interview with Samsung mobile chief Dongjin Koh, who hinted that Samsung might move away from the numbered branding on the Galaxy S line. So, rather than calling its next smartphone the Galaxy S10, Samsung might opt for an alternative name. It might also choose, simply, the Galaxy S.

"Although Samsung will stick to Galaxy, we have been thinking about whether we need to maintain the S moniker or the numbering system," Koh said in that interview.

Release date

It's too soon to predict the exact release date for the Galaxy S10, but if history is any guide, Samsung will likely stick to a similar timetable in 2019 as in other years. That means you should expect to see the new handset announced at next year's Mobile World Congress show, which gets underway Feb. 25. If Samsung follows a similar pattern for the S10 as did for the S9, the new phone would hit shelves by mid-March 2019.

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Reportedly the First Smartphone to Get April Security Patch Update

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Reportedly the First Smartphone to Get April Security Patch Update 

Similar to the March Android security update for Pixel and Nexus smartphones that Google announced last month, the company rolls out monthly security updates for Android smartphones. But a new report suggests that a Samsung smartphone has already received the April security patch. While Samsung is already seemingly pushing out the April security update on just one of its handsets, we can expect a wider rollout soon.

READ:

All Galaxy S8s, Note 8s to receive Oreo update within 3 weeks As per a report by SamMobile, the Galaxy J3 (2017) is the first (and only) smartphone to have received the Android security patch for April. Samsung had launched the smartphone back in June last year. While the company launched two different variants in the US and in the European markets, the handset did not arrive in India. As of now, it remains unclear why Samsung chose this budget-smartphone to roll out the April Android security update instead of some flagship model.

Meanwhile, there is no clarity on what the April Android security patch brings as there is no changelog available. These security patches are rolled out by Google every month, alongside official information on what that patch entails. This means we will get to know more about the changes and bug fixes when Google officially announces on its website.

Notably, the update is currently available in only a few European countries like Luxembourg and the Netherlands, but it's likely to roll out to other regions in the coming days. You can download the update, when it is available, from Settings > Software update. Alternatively, there are OTA zip files that can be installed on devices with an unlocked bootloader. OTA zip files can also be sideloaded on top of the existing software version. Samsung has launched its latest Notebook 5 and Notebook 3 laptops

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Pixel 2, Galaxy S9+: Best camera phones you can buy

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Pixel 2, Galaxy S9+: Best camera phones you can buy

Cameras have become an important part of a smartphone today and its performance has the ability to make or break it. Competition is fierce not just in the high-end premium segment between the Pixel 2 and iPhone X, for example, but it is also very much alive and kicking in the mid-range and budget segments as well with phones from OnePlus, Honor and Xiaomi all aiming to offer something more when it comes to picture quality. Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Reportedly the First Smartphone to Get April Security Patch Update 

Cameras on smartphones are getting better and better every year and companies are pushing the limits of hardware and software to offer the best possible configuration to shoot terrific photos. And it's no longer the case that only the high-end segment offers good camera phones. You can find impressive optics on phone today that cost under Rs 10,000 as well. If you are in the market looking for a good camera smartphone, we have picked the best in our opinion across various price segments.

Best camera phone under Rs 10,000

Xiaomi Redmi 5: Rs 7,999

Who says you cant find decent cameras on a budget phone today? The budget smartphone segment in India is highly competitive and no company wants to bring a phone that just works anymore. The reason Xiaomi is ruling the budget scene is because over the past few years it has been offering phones that work well in all areas, including the cameras. The Redmi 5 that was launched just recently is a no compromise kind of phone that offers a little something more than your standard budget cameras.

The Redmi 5 comes with the same camera configuration as the more expensive Redmi Note 5. The handset bears a 12-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus and a dual-LED (dual-tone) flash, while on the front it comes with a 5-megapixel sensor with LED flash. Both the cameras are capable of recording 1080p videos. Like most budget phones, you shouldnt expect great detailing or impressive low-light performance. On a bright day, the Redmi 5 will capture good photos with a decent amount of detail, but at night youre likely to capture grainy images.

Best camera phone under Rs 20,000

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: Rs 13,999

The Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with a dual camera setup that comprises of one 12-megapixel sensor with f/2.2 aperture and one 5-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture, both of which are RGB. The primary sensor has a 1.25-micron pixel to capture more light while the secondary camera helps in portrait shots. The rear cameras are backed by PDAF and dual-LED flash. Over on the front, you get a 20-megapixel camera with LED flash.

The cameras on the Redmi Note 5 Pro are exceptional and we feel that it edges out the Mi A1 as the best camera smartphone for its price. Photos captured have a good amount of detail and colour under ideal lighting. Unlike the Mi A1, low-light captures are good as well despite some noise. Meanwhile, selfies captured via the front camera are also quite detailed and colours are almost true to life. The only area where the Mi A1 has an edge is with portrait shots, although only marginally.

Best camera phone under Rs 30,000

Honor View 10: Rs 29,999

The Honor View 10 is currently the best smartphone under Rs 30,000 and thats because it widely impresses all round. Apart from offering a great performance, sleek design language and a god-looking 18:9 display, the phone also comes with some great cameras that are heavily infused with AI thanks to the Kirin 970 chipset.

The dual camera setup on the back comprises of one 16-megapixel RGB lens and a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor, both with f/1.8 aperture. Up front, you get a 13-megapixel sensor with support for bokeh shots via software. Images captured by the dual cameras are sharp and detailed. Thanks to some AI magic, the camera is able to detect objects and things like plants, human face, dogs, cats and macros and changes the photo setting accordingly to capture the best shot. This allows for improved colour, light and shadow of the photo. The rear cameras also work well to capture detail in low-light as well. The front camera isnt quite as impressive but it does manage to take decent bokehs.

Best camera phone under Rs 40,000

OnePlus 5T: Rs 32,999

The current OnePlus flagship is a fantastic performer, and comes with a sleek ad premium design, but the only thing that stops it from being great is its camera. The OnePlus 5T may not have flagship-killing cameras, but they are impressive for its price. OnePlus made some minor changes to the configuration by going with two low-light shooters instead of a secondary zoom lens like the OnePlus 5. What OnePlus was aiming at was to provide great low-light captures through pixel binning.

The dual camera system on the back comprises of one 16-megapixel Sony IMX398 sensor with 1.12-micron pixels and an f/1.7 aperture, and one 20-megapixel Sony IMX376K sensor with f/1.7 aperture. The cameras do produce crisp and colourful shots in daylight and low-light performance has improved as well. Portrait mode is another area of improvement, but it still fails in front of the likes of the Pixel 2. The front camera can be a little more disappointing as the photos let in too much light and have been criticised for creating oil painting effect. That being said, the cameras on the phone arent bad as long as you dont compare it to the flagships out there.

Best camera phone(s) money can buy

Pixel 2: Rs 52,999

Before MWC 2018, the Pixel 2 was ranked the best camera smartphone by DxOMark. Despite being trumped by the Galaxy S9+ (only marginally) and the newly launched Huawei P20 and P20 Pro, there is no doubt that the Pixel 2 has one of the best cameras ever seen on a smartphone. A lot of what makes the cameras on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL so great is thanks to the software implementation. Both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL sport a single rear camera sensor, and yet they both capture fantastic bokeh shots better than most phones with a dual lens setup - all thanks to software.

Googles AI and machine learning has grown tremendously over the years, which powers a lot of the tech inside the camera. The Pixel 2 sports a 12-megapixel sensor with f/1.8 aperture and an 8-megapixel front camera with f/2.4 aperture. In bright light, the Pixel 2 offers great detail and accurate colours with an impressive dynamic range. The Pixel 2 performs quite well in low-light as well and does capture good detail although some noise will be seen.

Samsung Galaxy S9+: Rs 64,900

Samsung launched the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in India earlier this month which are incremental updates over last years Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. While the design language is largely the same, Samsung has focussed a lot on the cameras this time around. The Galaxy S9+ in particular highlights a vertical dual rear camera setup, which is a first for the Galaxy S series. Additionally, the rear cameras on both the Galaxy S9 phones come with a Dual Aperture feature that can switch between a wide f/1.5 aperture to f/2.4 depending on the lighting conditions.

The Galaxy S9+ bears a 12-megapixel dual-pixel sensor with adjustable aperture (f1.5/f.2.4) and OIS and a 12-megapixel secondary camera being a telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. Up front you get an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with f/1.7 aperture. The flagship also comes with the ability to shoot super slow-motion videos at up to 960 fps at up to 720p resolution for a period of 0.182 seconds. Samsung has also added a Motion Detection feature that can detect motion in a frame and automatically slow it down.

In our review, we called the Galaxy S9+ the best high-end flagship camera phone currently in the market. Knowing how good the camera on the Pixel 2 is, we found that the Galaxy S9+ delivers an all-round camera performance. The Galaxy S9+ truly outshines in exceptionally low light conditions thanks to its f/1.5 aperture. Photos captured even in pitch darkness appear brighter, crisper, and with little to no noise.

iPhone X: Rs 89,000

Now if youre going to pay around Rs 90,000 for an iPhone, you will expect nothing short of perfect. If you can bear with the notch, the the iPhone X is the best smartphone that money can buy. Apple rarely gets its cameras wrong and the X doesnt disappoint. Ranked among the top 5 best camera smartphones on DxOMark, the iPhone X comes with a terrific dual rear camera system with two 12-megapixel sensors with OIS, one with a f/1.8 wide angle lens and the other with a f/2.4 telephoto lens. Both the cameras allow for some pretty great portrait captures, although the Pixel 2 still gets an edge thanks to some software backing.

The 8-megapixel front camera also supports Portrait mode, which doesn't always get the edges right. Apart from the bokeh shots which is often a hit and miss, the front camera captures a good amount of light and detail. Essentially, you wont be disappointed with the cameras on the iPhone X, which offer excellent detail and true to life images.

Huawei P20 phones leap over iPhone X, Galaxy S9 in camera rankings

Huawei P20 phones leap over iPhone X, Galaxy S9 in camera rankings

P20 PRO. The P20 Pro is priced at 899 euros while the standard is priced at 649 euros. Photo by Gelo Gonzales/Rappler

READ: $2,100 Huawei smartphone comes with 3 rear cameras, 2 fingerprint readers

MANILA, Philippines – Huawei wasn't kidding when it said it wanted to bring professional-level photography to mobile phones with its newest phones, the P20 and the P20 Pro.

For weeks before the grand reveal held in Paris, France on Tuesday, March 27, Huawei had made it clear that the camera would be the centerpiece of the follow-up to last year's P10. "See mOOOre," the P20 teasers went, then hinting at the triple-camera setup of the P20 Pro.

TRIPLE CAMERAS. The triple camera setup is comprised of a 40-MP RGB camera, a 20-MP monochrome camera, and an 8-MP telephoto. Photo by Gelo Gonzales/Rappler

The P20 carries a more traditional dual camera setup:

At that point, Samsung had just revealed its newest, the Galaxy S9, whose teasers also focused on the camera, with the tagline "The Camera. Reimagined." For some observers, "Reimagined" may have been too strong a word, considering that its main hardware improvement for its camera is the hop from an f/1.7 camera to one with a variable aperture that goes up to f/1.5. (READ: )

Certainly, that is its own engineering feat – it's the widest aperture for a phone camera at the moment – among other important camera improvements. The S9 phones were greeted with great reviews but many agreed that calling it reimagined may have been overly dramatic.

Still recovering from the S9 hype, phone enthusiasts were understandably cautious with Huawei's "See mOOOre" ploy. But then came the unveiling, where Huawei, directly comparing its new P20 phones to the Galaxy S9 and the iPhone X, made quite the strong case and lived up to the hype – numbers-wise at the very least.

Moving up

SMALLER NOTCH. The notch on the P20 is about a third of the notch on the iPhone X. Photo by Gelo Gonzales/Rappler

The most important number of the night was this: 109. That's the P20 Pro's DxOMark rating, the industry-standard benchmark for mobile phone cameras. The number propels the P20 Pro to the top of the rankings, overtaking previous number one, the Samsung Galaxy S9+.

What's more amazing is the margin between the P20 Pro and the S9+. The S9+, unveiled just last month, February, "only" managed a 99. That means the P20 Pro is now 10 full points ahead of the next best phone from another brand. The standard P20 is second with a 102 rating, still 3 points higher than the S9+.

It's a massive leap, considering that the S9+, during its short reign at the top, was only ahead by a few points over its other recently released competitors, prior to the P20 announcement. Next to the S9+ are Google's Pixel 2, 98; the iPhone X, 97; and then Huawei's own Mate 10 Pro also with a 97.

Consider this too: It took phone cameras around two years to get from an 89 rating with 2016's Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge to the Samsung Galaxy S9's 99 rating in 2018. With the unveiling of the P20 Pro, the high score jumped by 10 points after just one month (the Galaxy S9 was unveiled last February 25). Impressive. 

SEE:  New Huawei Honor 7A Smartphone Leaked

Now, benchmarking numbers aren't the final judge when it comes to image quality; the look of actual real-world photos has just as much weight, as does personal taste. Beauty is in the beholder's eye after all. But with the DxO scores, the P20 Pro and the P20 are tops by at least one metric.

Forming the equation

USB-C. No audio jacks on this one too. Photo by Gelo Gonzales/Rappler

The DxOMark score represents the sum of all the camera parts, but now let's take a closer look.

The P20 phones sport a bigger pixel size of 1.55 microns (µm) than the S9 phones' 1.22 µm and the iPhone X's 1.45 µm. The P20 phones' 1/1.7-inch sensor is also the biggest found in phones. A larger sensor size represents a wider field-of-view, essentially meaning the phone captures more of the surrounding, and absorbs more light. A bigger pixel size also helps in better light absorption.

Amazingly, the P20 phones also have a massive advantage in ISO sensitivity over the S9 and the iPhone X. The P20 goes up all the way to an ISO of 102,400 – the same as some pro cameras – while the S9 and the iPhone X only go up to 6,400.

The higher the ISO level, the bigger the pixel becomes and the more light it absorbs, but this leads to noisier images as well. With an ISO setting that high, it's theoretically a phone that's able to see and capture subjects in a very dark room that normal eyes won't be able to see anymore.

The P20 Pro has a 40-megapixel (MP) RGB camera, a 20-MP monochrome camera, and an 8-MP camera with 3x optical zoom. The P20 has the RGB and monochrome camera but not the one with optical zoom. Like the Samsung Galaxy S9, and the Sony Xperia XZ way before, the P20 phones have 960 frames-per-second (fps) super slow mo as well. The P20's RGB camera represents the first time a phone camera hit 40 MP since 2013's Nokia Lumia 1020.

The P20 also has a 24-MP front camera, rivaled only in resolution by several phones from Vivo. The iPhone X has a 7-MP front shooter while the S9 sports an 8-MP one.

Artificial intelligence (AI) once again plays a big role with these new Huawei phones as it did with the Mate 10 series. The P20 is said to have great AI-assisted image stabilization (IS), aside from optical and electronic IS. The AI is used to compensate for hand shake in order to produce crisper photos.

The P20 also lets you adjust the lighting on a portrait with 3D portrait lighting similar to an iPhone X feature.

It appears the P20 phones will also be able to take more photos on one charge than its S9 competitors. The standard P20 has a 3400 mAh battery while the Pro has a 4000 mAh battery. The S9 has a 3000 mAh battery while the S9+ has a 3500 mAh. The iPhone X has a 2716 mAh battery. Xiaomi Mi A2 (Mi 6X) With 5.99-inch Display, 2910mAh Battery Spotted on TENAA 

All Galaxy S8s, Note 8s to receive Oreo update within 3 weeks

All Galaxy S8s, Note 8s to receive Oreo update within 3 weeks

If you're on a specific carrier in a specific country, your Samsung Galaxy S8 or Note 8 may already have the Android 8.0 Oreo update, but many are still waiting.

In an update on Samsung's community site, the electronics giant announced a rollout for all S8 and Note 8 phones (including unlocked phones) should be complete within three weeks.

"We understand that many of you have Unlocked Galaxy S8/+ and Note 8 devices and may be wondering why those with Carrier models are seeing the updates first," said the forum post. "We're working with our Carriers to get Oreo out to ALL eligible Galaxy S8/+ and Note 8 devices within the next 2-3 weeks." Nigerians Living Abroad Can Send Mobile Credit to Relatives and Friends in Nigeria Who Use Glo or 9Mobile Prepaid Data

Samsung initially launched the Oreo operating system on the S8 phones in February before removing it as a result of a reboot glitch.

The Oreo update has been available on other Android phones for over six months now. Its main selling point is a dramatic increase in speed and an ability to better manage the apps you don't use. Many Samsung users have been frustrated with the rollout delays. The issue is with testing.

"The reason for this is that Unlocked devices must go through more rigorous testing than Carrier-specific devices because we need to make sure there is proper network functionality across ALL supported networks."

Meanwhile, Samsung's newly released Galaxy S9 range launched with Ore

Forget Samsung Galaxy X. Apple Is Developing A Foldable iPhone For 2020, Analyst Says

Forget Samsung Galaxy X. Apple Is Developing A Foldable iPhone For 2020, Analyst Says

Apple has a folding iPhone up its sleeve, says Wamsi Mohan, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, as reported by CNBC Friday.

A foldable phone is one of those treasured ideas of science fiction, like time travel and flying cars. Those haven’t happened yet, either.

The closest to reality, so far, is the Samsung Galaxy X, and that’s nowhere near here. In fact, as Jay McGregor reported on Forbes, technological hurdles may mean that such a phone will remain only a concept for a while yet.

So, the prospect of an iPhone with a big, iPad-like display which folds in half to become a sleek, phone-sized gadget is certainly appealing. The phablet will vanish as we embrace the fold phone. What shudder-worthy name can we come up for such a category? Pholder, perhaps?

But according to Qualcomm’s product manager of display technology, Salman Saeed, quoted in Jay’s post, transistors in the display are the weakest link. Which means that the phone would not be durable. The New Huawei P20 Pro 40MP Sensor with 5X Hybrid Zoom Expected to lunch soon - check it out

Apple iPhone X with its big display on a small phone combination.

If Qualcomm is right about Samsung, would Apple really be likely to have got nearer to the prospect of a phone that you can fold? Not that it’s unthinkable. An Apple patent was spotted last November by Patently Apple which sought to deal with ‘an electronic device…’ which ‘may have a flexible portion that allows the device to be folded.’

Interestingly, this includes talk of displays using MicroLEDs, something which is cropping up in current news, too.

Even before that, there was talk of a folding OLED display in an iPhone, perhaps made by LG instead of current OLED supplier Samsung.

What’s new here is that this comes from an analyst of note.

Let’s be clear, flexible displays are not science fiction. Samsung has been making them and using them for years, putting them in its Edge and more recent Galaxy S and Galaxy Note handsets. OLED screens, at which Samsung is a master, have a natural bendable quality.

In fact, the iPhone X display uses a flexible OLED. Sure, it appears flat, but in order to reach all the way to the bottom of the phone and have that attractive curve to the edge of the display that so evenly creeps around the edges, Apple had to do something with the display controllers which usually sit where the screen ends. Finding a place for the display controllers is what creates the bottom bezel found on nearly every handset.

To achieve the effect it was after, Apple used a flexible display panel which it folded back on itself, putting the controllers behind the screen and allowing the display to go all the way down.

But that’s not the problem with making a folding phone. Current flexible OLEDs are encased in solid glass which keeps them immobile. It’s when you want them to flex that the issues arise.

The Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst is clear that this autumn’s expected phones will not have radically different designs from the current iPhone X, though different sizes may be happening, as other analysts have predicted, because size changes have proved a catalyst in the past, such as when the iPhone 5s was succeeded by the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

In a sense, a folding phone is just the next step on from a phone like the iPhone X, where screen-to-body ratio is crucial to create a handset with maximum screen at minimum phone size.

But for me, there are other issues to be addressed, along with the challenge of a display that looks great folded and unfolded with no annoying seam or crease marks that grow over time.

For a start, the screen-to-body ratio that has led to phones that are nearly all display has been accomplished by opting for a longer, thinner screen shape. LG has switched from 16:9 to 18:9, Samsung has opted for 18.5:9 and Apple around 19.5:9. In other words, the screen shape is roughly 2:1. Which means that a folding screen will be roughly square when opened up. Fine for reading documents, ebooks, websites, but not much help when you’re watching a movie or playing games where a 16:9 image would appear with huge black bars above and below. Concepts of fold-out displays have so far fudged the effect as though two phone-widths equals a tablet.

And initial suggestions were that the phone would be narrow with a rolled-up display inside, so the screen that would slide out like those projector screens in Geography class. And remember how tatty and rubbish those were.

And while I can see the advantage of not having a big chin and forehead on a phone, do I really need a big, squarish display in my pocket, especially when it will make for a thicker piece of hardware, at least at first?

One thing’s for sure Apple won’t release an iPhone Fold without it looking stunning and working sublimely.

Which makes me think two years’ time is highly optimistic. First, because Apple may be edging towards doing it with MicroLEDs and second, well, things take time when you’re working with perfectionists. Forget Samsung Galaxy X. Apple Is Developing A Foldable iPhone For 2020, Analyst Says