We are only a month away from the official launch of Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and there is already a deluge of speculated specs and leaked information on the internet. According to the official teaser, Note 10 will be ‘unpacked’ at an event in New York on August 7 and the product is likely to hit the stores on August 23. The teaser shows minute changes in the design of the S pen, indicating an improvement in build and performance (which will be a boon for artists). The tiny camera lens shown in the 16 second video, along with leaked images of screen protectors, confirms speculations about a centrally aligned punch hole front camera. This pushes the screen to the edge, quite literally.
What is Punch Hole camera?
With Galaxy S10 and A8S, Samsung introduced Infinity-O display, in a move to ditch the much maligned smartphone bezels. This features an OLED display with a discreet cut out for front camera, resembling a ‘punch hole’ on the screen. This makes gaming and watching movies a much more immersive experience, with wallpapers and notification settings that accommodate the change in design. The punch hole camera has garnered favourable reviews in 2019, as opposed to the classic notch design. However, Galaxy Note 10 reportedly has a centrally placed camera, the implications of which are yet to be discussed.
According to tweets and murmurs, Samsung is planning two models: Galaxy Note 10 and a larger (and more expensive) Galaxy Note 10 Pro (or Plus), with 5G options. Note 10 Pro may have 45W fast-charging tech, a huge upgrade to the fast charging option in Galaxy S10. The Pro version might also feature ToF (Time of Flight) sensors, as reported by Korean techsource, ETNews. ToF sensors assist in 3D photography, AR (augmented reality) experience, portrait mode functions and low-light photography. Note 10 Pro might have a Micro SD slot, as well.
The leaked images, as released by Twitter user @UniverseIce, confirm triple camera in the back, placed vertically. The device will not sport a traditional headphone jack, like most flagship phones in the market. This will make Note 10 the first Samsung phone without the (much-debated) headphone jack. This could be a possible caveat. Moreover, Note 10 retains a 60 Hz refresh rate, which could possibly lead to losing edge in the smartphone market in terms of innovation. The 90 Hz refresh rate is one of the most hyped features of OnePlus 7 Pro, bumping up the display quality with ultra-smooth scrolling and animations.
Other rumoured specs are in-display fingerprint sensor and 12 GB RAM with Android Pie. The speculated designs also indicate the conspicuous absence of a speaker grille, prompting the adoption of 'Sound on Display' technology. The device will not be entirely buttonless, as previous leaks claimed, providing relief to users who prefer the feel of physical buttons. However, Samsung might do away with the Bixby button. Sources are still not clear whether there will be separate Snapdragon 855 and Exynos 9825 versions of Samsung Galaxy Note 10.
Only 30 days away from the official launch of the device, the jury is still out on whether users will be able to adapt to the absence of a headphone jack and microSD slots. Will Samsung Note 10 be a ‘burning’ sensation? We will have to wait and see.
