The Galaxy S9 and Note 9 phones are among the few Android flagships that do not look anything like the iPhone X, and that’s a surprising achievement for Samsung. But that doesn’t mean Samsung has stopped copying what Apple does, and the Galaxy S10 series might swipe a move from Apple’s iPhone playbook.
That doesn’t mean the Infinity Display on the S10 phones will get a notch like the iPhone X. But Samsung is making three distinct Galaxy S10 versions next year, which will compete against — you’ve guessed it — three iPhone X successors that are going to be launched in mid-September.
Noted Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo penned a new research note for TF Securities, saying that the three Galaxy S10 will have 5.8-, 6.1-, and 6.4-inch screens. In case those sizes sound familiar, that’s because Apple is about to launch a 6.1-inch iPhone X with an LCD screen, a 5.8-inch iPhone X with an OLED display, and a 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus, also with an OLED display.
From the looks of it, Samsung will match Apple’s sizes, offering buyers alternatives for every new iPhone. That can always be a coincidence, of course. But then again, the sizes of Apple’s 2018 iPhones were known for months, and there’s no doubt those reports were accurate.
Meanwhile, we’ve only started seeing reports about the Galaxy S10 specs and potential screen sizes. Kuo’s note, seen by Business Insider, adds more credence to it all, given his great track record at predicting Apple’s move. In fact, Kuo is also one of the sources that mentioned the sizes of Apple’s 2018 iPhone X lineup.
There is one key difference between Apple and Samsung’s future lineups. The 6.1-inch iPhone will be the cheapest model of the three 2018 iPhones. On the other side, it’s the 5.8-inch Galaxy S10 version that’s going to be the most affordable one.
Kuo also noted that the bigger Galaxy S10 versions would come with an ultrasonic fingerprint on display (FOD) technology. If this sounds familiar, that’s because a different Samsung insider made a note of Kuo’s claims a few hours ago.
The 5.8-inch Galaxy S10 will feature a conventional fingerprint sensor that will be placed on one of the sides of the phone.
The analyst says that Samsung will aggressively promote the fingerprint-sensing technology, and that’s understandable. The Galaxy S10 will offer buyers the one feature Apple never delivered.
Kuo estimates Samsung will sell 40 million Galaxy S10 units combined, with the larger models expected to account for the majority of sales. The Note 10, meanwhile, could sell 14-16 million units.
