Here's what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S10, including a new feature you won't find on iPhones
- Samsung's Galaxy S10 lineup is expected to be composed of three models when it launches next year, according to a well-known research analyst.
- One model of the upcoming Galaxy S10 will have a 5.8-inch screen, another will have a 6.1-inch screen, and the largest version will feature a 6.4-inch screen.
- The two larger phones will have an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner built into the display, according to the research note.
- That's a feature Apple has given up on, so expect Samsung to promote it heavily as one of the biggest differences between the competitors.
Samsung is planning to release three models of the Samsung Galaxy S10, its flagship phone, in 2019, according to a new report from the TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
He believes the S10 lineup, usually launched in the spring, will come with three models: one with a 5.8-inch screen, one with a 6.1-inch screen, and one with a 6.4-inch screen.
One key feature Samsung will promote next year is a "fingerprint on display," or "FOD," reader, meaning users will be able to scan their finger by placing it on the screen.
According to the Sunday report seen by Business Insider, the two larger, higher-end Galaxy S10 models will have the "ultrasonic FOD" feature, while the smaller Galaxy S10 will have the fingerprint sensor on the side of the device.
The Galaxy S9 has a fingerprint reader on the back. Apple has opted to remove the fingerprint reader from its iPhones - this year it's expected to release three new iPhones, each without a fingerprint sensor. And people with the iPhone X instead use Apple's proprietary Face ID camera to unlock their phone.
Kuo said he believes Samsung will "aggressively" promote the on-screen fingerprint scanning - after all, it's one feature Apple's not planning to match. The fingerprint-on-display part is expected to be used on Samsung's high-end "A series" phones and the Note 10, which will probably launch in fall 2019 and could have a 3D-sensing camera as well. The ultrasonic FOD part is made by GIS and O-film and based on a Qualcomm design and software, according to the report.
Kuo predicts Samsung could ship 40 million Galaxy S10 phones next year - mostly the two larger models, which will be more expensive. Samsung could also ship 14 million to 16 million Galaxy Note 10 phones next year, according to the TF International Securities forecast.
Kuo's research is geared toward investors in Asian parts suppliers, and in the note he picked several potential winners if ultrasonic fingerprint scanning becomes widespread. He has a reputation for correctly forecasting technical details for upcoming phones and laptops, particularly those from Apple.