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Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S10 smartphone could introduce a completely new design with new features — here are 11 rumors about what to expect

Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S10 could deliver significant updates in design and features to the South Korean smartphone manufacturer's flagship line of premium smartphones.

galaxy s10 render

At least, that's what the rumors are suggesting. Even Samsung's mobile-business leader, DJ Koh, has chimed in to hype up the next Galaxy S smartphone.

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If the rumors are accurate, we should expect a pretty significant overhaul in the Galaxy S10 lineup that could see the adoption of new technologies, next-gen specs, and a more modern design. The rumors paint a futuristic vision of the Galaxy S10's looks.

Check out the leaks and rumors about the Galaxy S10, with a little visual help from a video render made in collaboration with popular, and often spot-on, gadgets leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, known best as @OnLeaks on Twitter :

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Samsung

Samsung is supposedly planning to offer three variants of the Galaxy S10, according to technology analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has accurately predicted elements of new Apple iPhones, as well as various subsequent leaks and rumors.

Kuo believes one model will have a 5.8-inch display, another will have a 6.1-inch display, and the third will have a 6.4-inch display.

A recent Bloomberg report suggests that one of the models will be a more budget-friendly version of the Galaxy S10 that won't come with the curved edges, but rather a more traditional flat display. A rumor featured in Gizmodo suggests that the "budget" Galaxy S10 will be called the "Galaxy S10 Lite."

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There's talk of a fourth Galaxy S10 model in the premium category that was certified in Russia, but its only extra feature appears to be dual-sim support.

YouTube/mobile91

The larger Galaxy S10 Plus model could come in two variations, one of which could have 5G support, XDA Developers reported , citing information it found in the code of an upcoming software update for the Galaxy S9 Plus.

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Bloomberg's report suggests the Galaxy S10 models will be compatible with Verizon's 5G network, but it isn't clear exactly which models it was referring to, whether it's the two higher-end models, or even all three variants.

5G is a new wireless standard that promises extremely fast data speeds and potentially less congestion than today's 4G LTE standard. That means 5G data speeds could still be fast even during times of peak data traffic.

So far, however, 5G availability is extremely limited and hasn't been fully deployed by most carriers. If a 5G model is released, it'll only fulfill its potential in a few cities where 5G is starting to roll out.

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Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

A front-facing fingerprint scanner embedded underneath the display is perhaps the most hotly anticipated feature that could come to the Galaxy S10 and the rumor mill says it's well on its way.

So far, the OnePlus 6T is the only phone in the US that has an in-display fingerprint sensor. Elsewhere in Asia and Europe, some phones from Chinese manufacturers including Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Huawei have in-display fingerprint sensors, too.

One of the latest rumors is that embedded fingerprint sensors will come standard on two of the upcoming Galaxy S10 models, according to The Investor , as well as a more recent Bloomberg report.

It's also said that Samsung's in-display fingerprint sensor uses ultrasonic technology rather than the optical technology that the OnePlus 6T uses. Apparently, ultrasonic fingerprint sensors offer better reliability and accuracy.

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Samsung is still deciding whether or not the lower-end Galaxy S10 model with a supposedly flat display will come with an in-display fingerprint sensor, according to Bloomberg. The Investor suggests it could have a regular fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone. The rumor lines up with Kuo's earlier predictions .

Bloomberg's report suggested the Galaxy S10 will have "almost no bezel" on the top and bottom of the phone a design that the supposedly leaked screen protector for the Galaxy S10, shown above, supports.

With ever-diminishing bezels, most phone makers have resorted to using the infamous notch design to house the selfie camera and various sensors. Samsung has staunchly opposed the notch design, and it's apparently sticking to its guns for the Galaxy S10.

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Blass suggests it'll have a "punch hole" style selfie camera, and the latest rumors suggest it'll be found on the top-right corner of the display. Samsung's latest mid-range smartphone, the Galaxy A8s, could also offer a good idea as to what this punch-hole design will look like. The Galaxy A8s could actually be giving away the Galaxy S10's design when you keep in mind Samsung's reported plan to introduce newer features to its mid-range devices before its high-end flagship devices.

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

The earpiece on the Galaxy S10 won't actually be an earpiece, according to ET News . Supposedly, phone-call audio will be transmitted to a user's ear not with a traditional speaker, but with vibrations emanating from the display.

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Without a traditional earpiece, there would be no need for an opening from which sound can escape. Fewer ports and openings could lead to a cleaner and more modern design, but it could also point to narrower bezels coming to the Galaxy S10. It could even allow Samsung to make an all-screen front surface without the need for an iPhone X-style notch.

Still, the front-facing cameras and sensors need a hole to peek out of somewhere, so it remains to be seen how Samsung could accommodate those with the Galaxy S10 design.

YouTube/Concept Creator

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So far, the rumors suggest that the Galaxy S10 will have three rear camera lenses and two front-facing cameras, according to The Bell , a Korean news outlet, as well as the latest Bloomberg report. Blass reinforced the rumor that the Galaxy S10 will come with a triple-lens camera system on the rear.

The Bell reports that the extra lens on the back will be a 16-megapixel, ultra-wide-angle lens, similar to the ultra-wide-angle lens on LG G and V phones.

That will be in addition to the 12-megapixel optical-zoom lens and standard wide-angle lens on Samsung's current-model Galaxy S and Note phones.

The dual-lens system on the front, meanwhile, could allow for an iPhone X-style portrait mode while taking selfies.

Some leaks have suggested a quadruple-lens camera system on the rear, as well as a dual-lens system on the front, which would make for a six-camera smartphone.

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Apple/YouTube

A face scanner for unlocking the phone will be included in the Galaxy S10, potentially creating an opportunity for augmented-reality stickers, The Investor reported , citing Samsung's partnership with Mantis Vision, a company that develops 3D-sensing camera technology.

Previous Galaxy S phones have featured iris and facial recognition technology, but they're not as accutate or fast as Apple's own Face ID system. A better facial-recognition system on the Galaxy S10 would be a welcome upgrade.

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This rumor flips and flops. Some say the Galaxy S10 won't come with a headphone jack, others say it will.

Apparently, Samsung hasn't finalized that decision yet. If it follows through with ditching the headphone jack, the Galaxy S10 would be the first Samsung Galaxy phone to lack the port.

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Qualcomm

It'll most likely run on the latest and most powerful chip from the mobile chipmaker Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 855, according to Phone Arena . Most smartphone models from 2018 are running on the Snapdragon 845.

The Galaxy S10 is also said to sport faster memory technology for both RAM and storage, which could boost the phone's performance.

It'll be surprising if the Galaxy S10 doesn't come with the latest version of Android, Android 9.0 Pie. Bloomberg's report, as well as Evan Blass' claims, suggest that it will come with the latest version of Android.

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Samsung's phones usually sport a tweaked version of Android, with a slightly modified interface. That interface used to be called "TouchWiz," but it has been called "Experience" for the past few years. Most recently, Samsung unveiled its new "One UI" interface that should feature in the Galaxy S10, considering Samsung will roll it out to the current Galaxy S9 and Note 9 lineup. Blass suggested the Galaxy S10 will roll out with the One UI.

Samsung's upcoming One UI is designed to make one-handed use easier on the company's larger phones, like the Galaxy Note series. It'll also come with a Night Mode that turns the overall theme of the Android operating system and One UI to black, which should make it more comfortable to use in the dark.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

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If Samsung follows its usual smartphone release cycle, the Galaxy S10 could be announced in February and released in March, much like the Galaxy S9. Recent leaks featured in Gizmodo suggest Samsung will announce the Galaxy S10 before the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event that usually happens in February.

As for price, few rumors exist, so it's hard to tell. The latest leaks appearing in Gizmodo from an anonymous source suggests the "budget" Galaxy S10 Lite could cost around $850, which isn't so budget.

As for the two "premium" variants, the regular Galaxy S10 is said to cost around $1,000, with the Galaxy S10 Plus potentially going for around $1,100. These are high, iPhone-style price tags, but the leaks and rumors do suggest some significant features and design upgrades. We'll have to wait and see.

See Also:

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SEE ALSO: 5 new Google gadgets that leaked ahead of the company's big October event

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