According to some under-the-radar news outlets, there’s a lot to look forward to when it comes to Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10 smartphone. The rumoured device is expected to ship next year with a number of new features that would help it stand out in a world filled with iPhone X offspring and decent, low-cost phones. The host of upgrades may be exactly what Samsung needs, making the device more compelling than the S9, which didn’t do so hot earlier this year.
Photo: Sam Rutherford (Gizmodo)
Let’s start with the Galaxy S10’s rumoured camera. According to Korean news outlet ETNews, Samsung is planning on launching not two, but three different versions of its flagship smartphone. Sounds great, right? Who doesn’t love choices!
The rumoured models, codenamed “Beyond 0”, “Beyond 1” and “Beyond 2”, are expected to each feature a different camera setup. According to the report, the Beyond 0 will have one rear camera, the Beyond 1 will have two, and the Beyond 2 may will have three, similar to the Huawei P20.
The Beyond 0 and 1 will both have a 5.8-inch display, while the Beyond 2 will have a 6.2-inch display, ETNews reports. Three different models to choose from sounds like a dream come true, at least until Samsung reveals how much that triple-lens model costs.
There’s also the rumoured in-display fingerprint reader, recently seen in the pretty rad Apex smartphone, a concept phone you’ll likely never own.
The report from Korean business outlet The Bell earlier this week stated that Samsung is looking to incorporate the same Fingerprint on Display (FOD) technology into the S10, which could mean the demise of that rear fingerprint reader found on the Galaxy S9 – the one right next to the camera.
In theory, this could wind up becoming a preference among users who’d rather not have their face scanned by their smartphone. But wait, did I mention there’s apparently going to be more face scanning?
Samsung is reportedly ditching the Galaxy S9’s iris-scanning tech for something more robust. That means 3D face-scanning is on the way, according to The Korea Herald‘s The Investor.
Samsung has reportedly teamed up with 3D camera startup Mantis Vision and camera module manufacturer Namuga to develop better facial recognition software. Let’s hope it leads to the improvement of Samsung’s disappointing AR Emoji, which look like a bad copy of Apple’s own Animoji and Memoji characters (which are also similar to Bitmoji’s customised caricatures – you get the point).
While the iris scanner may be on the outs, it’s reportedly being replaced with some full-fledged 3D facial recognition tech. The upgraded scanning tech could make the iPhone X look a little less appealing, at least on a spec sheet.
Honestly, these rumours read like a wishlist of features – a wishlist that Samsung could just ignore and instead keep pushing faster processors and better camera specs. But damn, as an iPhone X user, I really do miss my fingerprint reader.