This is the Galaxy S10e, Samsung's dual-camera iPhone XR competitor
Yesterday was a pretty massive day for Galaxy S10 leaks thanks to two separate reports which revealed official press renders of both the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. There was, however, no sign of the cheaper Galaxy S10e. But now, thanks once again to the folks over at WinFuture, the first “official” press renders of the smartphone have been published online.
After years of using curved-edge AMOLED panels on its flagship devices, Samsung is returning to its roots with the Galaxy S10e by installing a flat AMOLED alternative. Unlike previous-generation displays which featured large bezels above and below the display, though, this one doesn’t.
In actual fact, much like the larger Galaxy S10 & Galaxy S10+, the Galaxy S10e uses an Infinity-O panel. This means that there is a small cut-out in the top-right corner that is home to the front-facing camera, thus removing the need for any controversial notches. The display also includes uniform top and side bezels along with a reduced chin. The latter is, however, slightly thicker than the other bezels.
Unlike its larger siblings – and presumably due to cost cuts – the Galaxy S10e doesn’t include a next-generation ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner. It also doesn’t include an awkwardly-positioned rear one like Samsung’s most recent flagships. Instead, the iPhone XR competitor boasts a side-mounted sensor which has been embedded into the power button that sits on the right side of the aluminum frame.
Taking a look at the smartphone’s rear design, Samsung has once again opted for a horizontal camera setup, as seen on previous Galaxy Note flagships and the other Galaxy S10 models. Unlike the latter, though, only two rear cameras are present.
The first of these is understood to be a 12-megapixel variable aperture camera. This means impressive low-light photos should be possible.
The second, on the other hand, won’t be the telephoto alternative which Samsung has used in the past. Instead, this particular device is rumored to include a 16-megapixel sensor coupled with a wide-angle sensor, allowing users to capture much more in their photos. This setup is, of course, accompanied by the usual LED flash.
Much like its premium siblings, the Galaxy S10e will reportedly come equipped with the Exynos 9820 in Europe and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 in the US.
Samsung is returning to its roots with a flat display
After years of using curved-edge AMOLED panels on its flagship devices, Samsung is returning to its roots with the Galaxy S10e by installing a flat AMOLED alternative. Unlike previous-generation displays which featured large bezels above and below the display, though, this one doesn’t.
Unlike its larger siblings – and presumably due to cost cuts – the Galaxy S10e doesn’t include a next-generation ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner. It also doesn’t include an awkwardly-positioned rear one like Samsung’s most recent flagships. Instead, the iPhone XR competitor boasts a side-mounted sensor which has been embedded into the power button that sits on the right side of the aluminum frame.
While on the topic of the frame, it’s worth noting that the smartphone features a volume rocker on the left side and a dedicated Bixby button. The SIM tray and SD card slot will presumably be present on the top along with a microphone, while towards the bottom is a USB Type-C port and a bottom-firing speaker. The budget flagship also includes the popular 3.5mm headphone jack which has begun disappearing from other smartphones.
Two rear cameras, one more than the iPhone XR
Taking a look at the smartphone’s rear design, Samsung has once again opted for a horizontal camera setup, as seen on previous Galaxy Note flagships and the other Galaxy S10 models. Unlike the latter, though, only two rear cameras are present.
The first of these is understood to be a 12-megapixel variable aperture camera. This means impressive low-light photos should be possible.
The second, on the other hand, won’t be the telephoto alternative which Samsung has used in the past. Instead, this particular device is rumored to include a 16-megapixel sensor coupled with a wide-angle sensor, allowing users to capture much more in their photos. This setup is, of course, accompanied by the usual LED flash.
The announcement, pricing, and release date
Corroborating previous rumors, WinFuture claims this will be accompanied by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. If European consumers wish to get their hands on a device with more RAM or storage, though, it seems they will be out of luck. The only alternative will seemingly be purchasing the regular Galaxy S10 in its 8/512GB configuration which will reportedly cost €1149 ($1316) in most European countries, a whopping €400 ($458) more than the Galaxy S10e which is set to retail at €749 ($857).
As a result of this pricing strategy, the Galaxy S10e with 128GB of storage will significantly undercut both the 64GB and 128GB models of the iPhone XR, which retail at €859 ($984) and €919 ($1052) in most European countries.
Naturally, as indicated by the pricing of the iPhone XR, the cost of smartphones in Europe is typically much higher than in the US. As a result of this, the Galaxy S10e will likely retail for $699, still lower than both the 64GB and 128GB iPhone XR variants which cost $749 and $799 respectively in the US.
Moving on to the topic of release, the Galaxy S10e is expected to go official on February 20th alongside the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. Like these, pre-orders of the model are expected to start the same day ahead of an eventual launch on March 8.
Naturally, as indicated by the pricing of the iPhone XR, the cost of smartphones in Europe is typically much higher than in the US. As a result of this, the Galaxy S10e will likely retail for $699, still lower than both the 64GB and 128GB iPhone XR variants which cost $749 and $799 respectively in the US.
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