Galaxy Note 10 Rumors: Release Date, Specs, Price and More
So far, 2019 has been a big year for Samsung flagships.
First, the company launched the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus — three smartphones that deliver fresh looks, the long-awaited in-display fingerprint sensor and much more. Next, Samsung is planning to release its Galaxy Fold, a bendable device that could change the smartphone game forever — if people can swallow its price.
But the year isn’t over. And as it has in the past, Samsung is readying a big launch this summer for the Galaxy Note 10.
Of course, at this early stage, Samsung isn’t saying much about its plans and why it might have something big and exciting to unveil. But the rumor mill has picked up the slack and shared a host of important details about what we could expect from the smartphone when it’s released later this year.
So read on through our rumor roundup and be sure to check back often to find out what Samsung could ultimately deliver when it’s time to showcase the Galaxy Note 10.
Price and Availability
For now, neither Samsung nor the rumor mill has much to say about the Galaxy Note 10’s pricing and availability.
According to most reports, the Galaxy Note 10 will be unveiled sometime in August and make its way to store shelves in September. That certainly fits Samsung’s recent release pattern for the Galaxy Note 8 and 9, which both appeared in August allowing the company to get the jump on the September debut of Apple’s new iPhones.
Pricing hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but considering the Galaxy S10 Plus — arguably the best comparison to the Galaxy Note 10 — costs $999, there’s a good chance the device will be on the pricey side. That also happens to be the price at which the Galaxy Note 9 debuted last year, so $999 seems a likely ballpark for this year’s model.
Where Are the Buttons?
Here’s one Note 10 development you might not expect: Samsung could decide to ditch the buttons in its Galaxy Note 10 and go with a buttonless design.
The claim comes from ETNews, one of the more reliable sources out of Samsung’s home base in South Korea. The site’s sources say that Samsung is mulling the possibility of ditching the volume, power and Bixby keys, replacing them with gestures.
MORE: Galaxy Note 10 Could Have This Huge Design Change
Interestingly, Samsung has patented technology that places sensors on the sides of the device to activate certain features. It’s also possible that the way you touch or squeeze the Galaxy Note 10’s sides could prompt an action.
Plenty of Cameras
Samsung could try to top its Galaxy S10 models with a Galaxy Note 10 that offers not three, but four cameras on the rear. That would match a feature Huawei just introduced with its flagship P30 Pro phone.
According to SamMobile, the quad-camera setup would pave the way for Samsung to offer a standard camera, a telephoto lens and an ultrawide snapper like the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus. It’s unclear what the fourth camera would offer, but it could be similar to the rear-facing depth sensor Samsung has bundled with the Galaxy S10 5G.
Massive Screen Size
If you’re hoping for a big-screen smartphone, the Galaxy Note 10 could fit the bill.
According to a report out of Korea from iGeekphone.com, the Galaxy Note 7 could ship with a whopping 6.7-inch screen, making it much larger than the 6.4-inch Galaxy Note 9 display and notably larger than the 6.5-inch screen in the iPhone XS Max. There’s some precedent for Samsung to produce a device with such a massive display: The Galaxy S10 5G coming out this spring has a screen that same size.
A 5G Version
There might be more than one Galaxy Note 10 version in the works, if a recent XDA Developers leak is any indication.
The site recently discovered some code baked into Samsung’s kernel that points to a “davinci5G.” At first blush, that might not mean much, but Da Vinci is believed to be the code-name for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10. And the 5G mention is obviously a reference to a 5G version.
MORE: Hands-on Galaxy S10 5G Review: Now This Is Big
What’s unknown right now, though, is whether the 5G version will be the standard model or if Da Vinci will be the standard model and Da Vinci 5G refers to a higher-end version.
The Same Old Snapdragon
Samsung is expected to deliver the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 you can find in the Galaxy S10 lineup in the Galaxy Note 10.
We don’t have any concrete rumors on this one yet, but Samsung in the past has used the same processor it delivers in the Galaxy S lineup in its Galaxy Note device. And there’s no reason to suggest Samsung would change tack here, since the Snapdragon 855 is still the most powerful Qualcomm smartphone chip on the market.
An Ode to the In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
Again, this one hasn’t been confirmed by Samsung, but all signs point to the company bringing the same in-display fingerprint sensor it offered in the Galaxy S10 to the Galaxy Note 10. The feature is one of the biggest upgrades in the Galaxy S10, and since the Galaxy Note 10 will aim for the same high-end market segment, it makes sense to look for it in Samsung’s next flagship.
The S Pen Gets a Refresh
Some people believe that Samsung’s use of the “Da Vinci” code-name points to some big upgrades for the S Pen and its performance with drawing and art. There’s not much else to go on in a Softpedia report on the Da Vinci name and the S Pen, but the Galaxy Note does deliver S Pen upgrades each year — with the Note 9, Samsung added Bluetooth connectivity — so clearly something big could be in the works for artists.
So Long, Headphone Jack
This one might not go over so well, but the Galaxy Note 10 could be the first Samsung smartphone not to ship with a headphone jack, according to a report from ETNews. The move could mean that future Samsung devices could similarly ship without a headphone jack. Bring on the adapters!
Credit: Tom’s Guide