After a particularly leaky pre-launch season, Samsung has officially taken the wraps off its 2019 flagship smartphones, and as expected, we're getting three brand new devices to start with: the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10+, and the Galaxy S10e. A 5G-enabled Galaxy S10 - the Galaxy S10 5G - and the long-awaited Galaxy Fold are set to arrive a little later this year.
The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ succeed last year's Galaxy S9, featuring curved displays with a camera cut-out, three rear-facing cameras, and in-screen fingerprint readers. The Galaxy S10e is meant to be a cheaper alternative with two-rear facing cameras, no in-screen fingerprint reader, and a flat display running at a lower resolution.
Cheaper, is of course, a relative term. Much like the 2018 iPhones, Samsung's latest handsets are more expensive than ever.
The Galaxy S10e starts at $1,199, which is the entry-level price of last year's Galaxy S9. The standard Galaxy S10 will cost you a minimum of $1,349, and the Galaxy S10+ at least $1,499. If you're after the ceramic 1TB Galaxy S10+, you'll be parting with $2,399.
Phones got real expensive, hey.
Before we get stuck into the details, here's the important stuff. You'll be able to pre-order the main three Galaxy S10 devices from 9am today ahead of a March 8 release date. You can pre-order on a plan or outright from major retailers including Samsung, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Amazon Australia and others.
Customers who pre-order will get a bonus pair of wire-free Galaxy Buds worth $249. And all three still have a headphone jack!
Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+
The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ boast the first major redesign we've seen on a Samsung flagship since the Galaxy S8 back in 2017. The new look attempts to further reduce bezel for an all-screen look, which Samsung has achieved using a camera cut-out display it calls "Infinity O". Rather than putting the selfie camera in a notch, it's built directly into the top-right corner of the screen - the Galaxy S10+ even has two.
This also means the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ both have larger displays in similar sized bodies to their predecessors, this time measuring in at 6.1-inches and 6.4-inches respectively. Once again, these are curved and gently slope off on the left and right sides.
There are plenty of changes on the back too: both the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ have three rear-facing cameras. A 12MP standard lens with a variable aperture, a 12MP zoom lens, and a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens.
In addition, neither phone has a physical fingerprint reader. Instead, Samsung is using in-screen fingerprint technology, much like we've seen on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the OPPO R17 Pro. Given the somewhat awkward placement of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 fingerprint reader, this change isn't necessarily unwelcome. Both phones also support facial recognition.
Both phones also support reverse wireless charging. That is, you'll be able to use any spare capacity in your S10 to charge any other device that supports Qi wireless charging. This includes other phones, but also accessories like Samsung's new Galaxy Buds. In addition, if you've got your S10 connected to a wired charger, it can simultaneously charge another device wirelessly.
The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ will be available in a choice of black, white, and green. The Galaxy S10+ will also be available in two special editions - ceramic black and ceramic white - with either 512GB or 1TB of storage:
- Galaxy S10 128GB: $1,349
- Galaxy S10 512GB: $1,699
- Galaxy S10+ 128GB: $1,499
- Galaxy S10+ 512GB: $1,849
- Galaxy S10+ 1TB: $2,399
Pre-orders start at 9:00am AEDT today ahead of a March 8 release date.
Samsung Galaxy S10e
The Galaxy S10e is Samsung's ever so slightly more affordable flagship smartphone, but it's a little more basic. In fact, the "e" stands for essential.
While the Galaxy S10e shares a lot of its functionality with its pricier siblings - it has the same processor under the hood, it has a camera cut-out display, reverse wireless charging, and two of the same rear-facing cameras - a few compromises have been made to keep the price down.
The display is a little smaller, measuring in at 5.8-inches. It also runs at a lower resolution, and is flat, rather than curved. There's no in-screen fingerprint reader, with Samsung squeezing biometric authentication into the power button instead. There's also no zoom lens, although you still get the standard 12MP and 16MP ultra-wide angle lens from the S10 and S10+.
Here's how the three models compare:
Samsung Galaxy S10 specs compared
| Galaxy S10e | Galaxy S10 | Galaxy S10+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.8-inch flat | 6.1-inch curved | 6.4-inch curved |
| Resolution | 1080p+ | Quad HD+ | Quad HD+ |
| Rear Camera | 12MP+16MP | 12MP+12MP+16MP | 12MP+12MP+16MP |
| Front Camera | 10MP | 10MP | 10MP+8MP |
| Processor | Exynos 9820 | Exynos 9820 | Exynos 9820 |
| Storage | 128GB - 256GB | 128GB - 512GB | 128GB - 1TB |
| Battery | 3,100mAh | 3,400mAh | 4,100mAh |
| Water-Resistance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price | From $1,199 | From $1,349 | From $1,499 |
The Galaxy S10e will be available in a choice of white, black, or green. Pricing for the Galaxy S10e is as follows:
- Galaxy S10e 128GB: $1,199
Pre-orders start at 9:00am AEDT today ahead of a March 8 release date.
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
Samsung will be one of the first phone manufacturers to launch a 5G-ready device: the creatively named Galaxy S10 5G. While the Galaxy S10 5G shares a lot of DNA with the standard Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+, there are a few differences. Well, other than 5G connectivity.
The Galaxy S10 5G is the largest phone in the S10 family, with a massive 6.7-inch display. It has an extra camera lens on the back for 3D depth sensing (taking it to a total of four). It also has a larger 4,500mAh battery, and can charge at a faster rate. The Galaxy S10 5G will only be available in a 256GB model, with no expandable storage.
Telstra will be the first telco to range the Galaxy S10 5G. Notably, customers who purchase a Galaxy S10+ through Telstra will be able to trade it in for a Galaxy S10 5G at no extra cost when it goes on sale - provided the phone is in good working order.
Samsung says the Galaxy S10 5G will be available in Australia in the first half of this year. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.
Alex Choros
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