Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+: Here’s what to expect from the new flagship phones

Samsung Galaxy S10 is set to be the biggest update to the company’s premium series of smartphones. Here’s what to expect from Samsung’s latest flagship phones.

All you need to know about Samsung’s new Galaxy S10 series. (AFP)

Samsung returns to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona to unveil its latest flagship smartphones. Conveniently dubbed as Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+, the latest generation of premium phones will bring some serious processing power and camera capabilities. And let's not forget the foldable phone which is set for the commercial launch this year.

5G support

5G is going to be the biggest highlight of the MWC 2019. Samsung aims to grab the spotlight in the next-generation at its Unpacked Event scheduled to be held on February 21. Galaxy S10 will be the first Samsung phones to come with 5G support. There are rumours the 5G version will be a special edition altogether featuring massive 12GB of RAM and 1TB built-in storage.

Doubling up the performance

Traditionally, Samsung uses the latest flagship Qualcomm chipset on its Galaxy S-series. This year is going to be no different. Expect Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus to run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor. For Indian users, Samsung will launch Exynos 9820-powered Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus phones.

While Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 comes with critical upgrades in the battery and graphics department, Exynos 9820 brings faster LTE connectivity, 40% better graphics, up to 8K video recording support. The chipset is said to reduce power consumption by up to 10% compared to the older 9810 which powers the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

5,000mAh battery

Samsung has come a long way since the Galaxy Note 7 battery debacle. With Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, Samsung bumped up the battery size to 3,500mAh. In 2018, Samsung also introduced a phone with 5,000mAh battery. Its recent Galaxy M20 also features a 5,000mAh battery. It's being speculated Samsung will bring the same battery capacity on its flagship phone, Galaxy S9. It'll be interesting to see if the bigger battery will translate into extra thickness or change in the dimensions.

Samsung to unveil new phone with a foldable screen (Bloomberg)

Samsung to unveil new phone with a foldable screen (Bloomberg)

Apple iPhone XR alternative

Samsung is said to be working on a competitor to Apple's so-called cheaper iPhone, iPhone X. Samsung may introduce a Galaxy 10E featuring a 5.8-inch display with punch-hole design, similar to Honor View20. The iPhone XR alternative is said to come with two rear cameras, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and Exynos 9820 processor. Galaxy 10E will also be available in new bright colours similar to Apple iPhone XR.

Foldable phone

Samsung foldable phone is expected to finally launch at the MWC 2019. Unveiled in November last year, Samsung foldable phone, dubbed as Samsung Galaxy Fold, opens like a book to reveal a large 7.3-inch display. The phone runs on One UI, a new customised operating system optimised for fuller screen phones and foldable phones. Samsung is betting big on its foldable phone portfolio. According to reports, the company wills ship at least 1 million units.

India launch

Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus have already appeared on Flipkart hinting at the imminent launch. According to reports, Samsung Galaxy S10 will be available in select markets starting March 8.