Samsung is the company that single-handedly created the phablet category with the Galaxy Note line years ago. And the crowd (even Apple) followed it. So much so that the latest iPhone XS Max has a bigger 6.46-inch display – which Apple advertises as 6.5-inch – compared to Galaxy Note 9’s 6.44-inch, though the iPhone has a notch. Other rivals are rolling out even bigger phones. So, Samsung is preparing to make the Galaxy Note 10 display even larger than before.
Galaxy Note 10 display bumped up to 6.66 inches
If a recent report coming out of South Korea is to be believed, the Galaxy Note 10 display will be even larger than the iPhone XS Max. And the current Galaxy Note 9’s 6.44-inch size will be applied on the upcoming Galaxy S10, which is set to debut in the first half of 2019. Industry sources familiar with the matter told The Bell that the Galaxy Note 10 display size will be bumped up to 6.66 inches, making it bigger than the XS Max.
It means the Note 10 screen will be the biggest on a Galaxy S or Note phone. Samsung Electronics has informed its display-making arm Samsung Display that it has decided to use a 6.66-inch screen on the Note 10. The Note 10 development started only last month. Earlier, the development of a flagship phone used to take just six months. But following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, Samsung has extended the development cycle from six months to one year.
Even though the Note 10 is about a year away and a lot could change between now and then, the display size is unlikely to change. An industry insider told The Bell that it’s possible for a phone’s specs to change during the development phase, but it’s rare for the screen size to change after it has been decided.
It’s unclear whether Samsung will increase the overall size of the phablet to accommodate the bigger display or make the bezels slimmer. Given the current trend, the company will likely make the bezels slimmer, increasing the screen-to-body ratio, which means the overall dimensions won’t get too bigger.
Will it have a notch?
The bigger screen on Note 10 makes sense considering the adoption of larger phones continues to increase. According to research firm IHS Markit, the average smartphone screen size will surpass 6 inches in 2019. Ironically, I’m still using my two-year-old 4-inch iPhone SE.
The 6.66-inch Galaxy Note 10 display – which will likely be marketed as 6.7-inch – could be part of Samsung’s major redesign effort. However, the Korean company will likely refrain from adopting the notch. While other Android vendors including Google and OnePlus have adopted the notch, Samsung has focused on reducing the top and bottom bezels. With the Galaxy S9 Plus and Note 9, it has demonstrated that a high screen-to-body ratio could be achieved even without a notch.
Samsung could drop the audio jack from Note 10
Earlier this month, Korean site ETNews reported that Samsung could finally ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack from the Galaxy Note 10. The company has been developing the Note 10 under the code-name ‘Da Vinci.’ The removal of the audio jack in 2019 won’t likely cause an uproar because most smartphone users have become used to dongles and wireless headphones. According to Strategy Analytics, global wireless earphone shipment will jump from 51.9 million units in 2017 to 73.9 million units in 2019.
Etnews said that Samsung is considering canceling the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Galaxy Note10 or Galaxy S11.
Do you need 3.5mm headphone jack ? pic.twitter.com/ovMU6IXrlF— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) October 10, 2018
It’s unclear why Samsung wants to get rid of the headphone jack. Samsung might want to free up some internal space for other components such as the battery. It needs to pack a bigger battery, the S Pen, and other components inside the phone without sacrificing any major existing features. A jack-less Note 10 could also help boost the sales of Samsung’s wireless headphones.
The Galaxy Note 10 is expected to feature an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display that will let users unlock the phone and authenticate payments by putting their finger on the screen. It would also support 5G technology. Carriers in the US and South Korea will start rolling out 5G services in the first half of 2019. The device is rumored to run the next-gen Snapdragon 8150 or Exynos 9820 depending on the region.
According to the rumor mill, the Note 10 could also feature a triple camera system on the back, similar to the Huawei P20 Pro. Samsung has traditionally launched new Galaxy Note handsets in August. The Note 9 was announced on August 9th this year and went on sale a couple of weeks later. We expect the Note 10 to debut in August 2019.
