Samsung fans probably know by now that their favorite smartphone maker is working on up to four distinct Galaxy S10 models. Three of them, the Lite, S10, and S10+, will be unveiled in February, while a 5G version is expected to drop later next year. And we’ve learned a bunch of details about each of these devices in the past few months, as Galaxy S10 leaks spiked even earlier than expected.
Apparently, that’s not the only thing that started earlier than usual, as a new report from a trusted source claims that Galaxy S10 production has already begun.
A few weeks ago, we heard that Samsung’s brand new Infinity-O screen was already in production. Samsung just announced an Infinity-O phone, the Galaxy A8s, but that device features an LCD screen. The Galaxy S10 phones, meanwhile, will have OLED Infinity-O displays — a technology Samsung isn’t sharing with other phone makers for the time being.
Max, from German-language blog AllAboutSamsung, tweeted (via WCCFTech) that Samsung has started manufacturing the Galaxy S10 phones:
https://twitter.com/Samsung_News_/status/1074936931543367680
That’s a month earlier than expected, at least compared with last year’s Galaxy S9 series. While Max hasn’t shared any details about this early production run, it’s entirely not surprising news.
The Galaxy S10 will feature a novel design that requires sophisticated manufacturing techniques. The phone will pack the Infinity-O screen that we talked about before, and punching camera cutouts through screens can’t be a simple task. Furthermore, the phone will pack an in-display fingerprint sensor unlike anything else available on the market, as it relies on ultrasounds to perform readings.
Other novel technologies the Galaxy S10 will introduce include triple and possibly quadruple rear cameras, reversible wireless charging like the Mate 20 Pro from Huawei, and a Bitcoin cold wallet that will have a hardware component. Add to that the various Galaxy S10 versions that Samsung will sell next year — we’re looking at different screen sizes, different storage options, and different colors — and you get an extra layer of complexity when it comes to managing the supply chain and assembly process.
Not to mention that Samsung probably wants to make sure it’ll have enough Galaxy S10 units on hand at launch, which is one more reason to start production earlier than in previous years. Samsung is rumored to reveal the Galaxy S10 on February 20th, a few days ahead of MWC 2018, and sell it as soon as early March.
