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This is what Samsung's Galaxy S10 Lite might look like

By Joshua Swingle

Published: Nov 04, 2019, 4:34 AM

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Samsung Android

This is what Samsung's Galaxy S10 Lite might look like

The Samsung Galaxy S10+

The Galaxy S10 series was introduced almost nine months ago and Samsung has since turned its focus towards the Galaxy S11 lineup. However, rumors suggest the South Korean giant is working on another device dubbed the Galaxy S10 Lite, and a recent patent (via AllAboutSamsung) filing may have revealed what it looks like.

A Galaxy S10+ from the front and a Galaxy S9 from the back

Granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in late October, Samsung’s application describes an unreleased smartphone that blends the design of this year’s Galaxy S10+ with that of Samsung’s Galaxy S9.

The smartphone features an Infinity-O display up front paired with impressively thin side bezels and a uniform forehead and chin. These last two appear slightly thicker than those found on the premium Galaxy S10 devices but should ultimately help keep costs down and minimize the impact of Samsung’s more expensive design choices.

The Seoul-based company is planning to adopt a 6.7-inch AMOLED display which, as indicated by today’s patent, will arrive paired with curved edges and two selfie cameras. Exact details haven’t yet been provided but the most likely scenario involves the smartphone borrowing the sensors used on the Galaxy S10+. That means people should expect to find a 10-megapixel snapper and an 8-megapixel depth sensor for better portrait selfies.

Accompanying everything mentioned above is a vertical camera setup on the rear which houses two sensors. Details are yet to leak but rumors suggest the main camera boasts a 48-megapixel resolution while the second may be a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle shooter. Alternatively, Samsung could choose to borrow the Galaxy S10e’s camera and, therefore, position the phone as a more direct competitor to Apple’s iPhone 11.

The Samsung Galaxy S10e, which instead features a flat AMOLED display paired with just one selfie camera, has sold decently since it went on sale earlier this year but is nowhere near as successful as Apple’s iPhone XR. The latter, for reference, was the best-selling smartphone globally during the first six months of 2019 whereas the Galaxy S10e didn’t even place within the top 10. These results are likely the reason Samsung is now going all-in with the Galaxy S10 Lite.

Expect premium specifications but no headphone jack

Externally, the Galaxy S10 Lite will be quite unique, but internally the smartphone’s expected to borrow all of its specs from the upcoming Galaxy A91. Consumers should be able to find Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 on the inside paired with a very decent 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage which is going to be expandable via microSD cards of up to 512GB.

Recent certifications suggest a 4,370mAh battery will be keeping the lights on, although that could easily be the minimum rated capacity. The typical capacity, which is the one advertised by smartphone manufacturers, should sit at around 4,500mAh. On a related note, support for Samsung’s crazy fast 45W charging technology is to be expected.

The Galaxy S10e

Completing the smartphone’s package should be Android 10 straight out of the box paired with One UI 2.0, a USB-C port, and a bottom-firing speaker. Unfortunately, a 3.5mm headphone jack and 5G network support don’t seem to be part of the setup.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite announcement and price

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, or whatever the company chooses to call it, may arrive later this month in time for the Christmas shopping season. If that doesn’t happen, an introduction in early 2020 seems very likely.

Samsung will presumably position the Galaxy S10 Lite as a direct competitor to Apple’s newly released iPhone 11. Therefore, a price tag of $699 in the US is to be expected although the South Korean brand could surprise us all with a more aggressive strategy that involves a $649 retail price point.