Galaxy S10 screen protectors with a hole look ridiculous, but they might actually be a good idea

You have probably already seen the above leaked picture of a Galaxy S10 with a weird screen protector applied on the screen that has a hole right in the middle.

According to the latest leaks and rumors, this screen protector somehow made it to a prototype Galaxy S10. We don't know whether any actual Galaxy S10 screen protectors will have it, or whether this is just some prototype used for internal testing, and we have heard speculations that sme thicker glass screen protectors might feature such a hole. So what are we looking at exactly? That hole right in the middle is obviously there to remove the additional thick layer of protective glass on top of the display at the spot where the S10's fingerprint scanner is located.

And that's just funny and a bit absurd, especially if it's that noticeable, but this flaw might turn out to be a feature that users will appreciate. Bear with me as everything below is pure speculation and we do not yet know whether these screen protectors will indeed be made for real Galaxy S10 units.

Thing is that unlike traditional fingerprint scanners on the front or back of a phone, a fingerprint scanner embedded in the screen is not physically differentiated. Simply put, it's not very likely that you can unlock the S10 without first looking at the screen to get a rough idea where to place your finger. And for those who are used to unlocking their phones hundreds of times daily, often in a rush and without even looking at the phone, finding the right spot for an in-screen fingerprint reader will be an issue.

Well, those same people will appreciate the punch-hole screen protector because - despite its clearly absurd looks - it will make it so easy to physically determine where the in-screen fingerprint is without ever looking at the phone. And this might turn out to be one practical advantage in the long run.

Still, there is no going around the fact that such a screen protector would look all sorts of strange, but don't be too quick to discard the idea: it might not look well, but might make using your Galaxy S10's fancy new in-screen fingerprint scanner a bit easier.