{"id":7733,"date":"2019-02-20T20:12:24","date_gmt":"2019-02-20T20:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/samsung-reveals-galaxy-fold-and-s10-5g\/"},"modified":"2019-02-20T20:12:24","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T20:12:24","slug":"samsung-reveals-galaxy-fold-and-s10-5g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/samsung-reveals-galaxy-fold-and-s10-5g\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung reveals Galaxy Fold and S10 5G"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n The Samsung Fold has a hinge built into it
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Samsung has unveiled a foldable smartphone – the Galaxy Fold – alongside its first 5G handset and three further Galaxy S10 mobiles.<\/p>\n

The Fold will go on sale in just over two months time, earlier than many expected.<\/p>\n

The Galaxy S10 5G features the firm’s biggest-ever non-folding phone display and promises faster data speeds when networks become available.<\/p>\n

The line-up also includes the introduction of a lower cost model. <\/p>\n

Samsung had previously acknowledged that the cost of its S9 range had contributed<\/a> to “lower-than-expected sales”.<\/p>\n

Open-up screen<\/h2>\n

Samsung said the Galaxy Fold would open up to create a 7.3in (18.5cm) tablet-like display and would be able to run up to three apps at once.<\/p>\n

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\n The Samsung fold offers 3 app multitasking
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A demo showed off “continuity” features by which the device transferred from one mode to another much more smoothly than had been the case with an earlier foldable phone – Royole’s FlexPai<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One example involved a small map appearing on the smaller sized screen and then expanding to a larger view when the handset was opened.<\/p>\n

The Galaxy Fold is set to launch on April 26 and will start at $1,980 (\u00a31,515). Samsung described it as being a “luxury” item.<\/p>\n

“Fold is an experience that gives people who want a phone but also a larger screen with no compromise on the phone experience,” commented Carolina Milanesi from the consultancy Creative Strategies.<\/p>\n

“There’s a lot of tech packed in there. And it makes sense to have kept it under $2,000 even if only for the psychological effect that has.”<\/p>\n

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\n The phone comes in four colours
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But another market watcher still had doubts.<\/p>\n

“In theory, foldables are hugely attractive: they pack a giant screen into a small design,” commented Neil Mawston from the research firm Strategy Analytics.<\/p>\n

“But in reality, consumers don’t know exactly how they will work, and the applications for them are still fairly immature.<\/p>\n

“You can look back at history at the dual-screen folder phones that ZTE and NEC and others release. They haven’t sold particularly well mostly due to price and lack of distribution.<\/p>\n

“So, there’s good potential, but still a lot of uncertainty.”<\/p>\n

Galaxy S series<\/h2>\n
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Media playback is unsupported on your device<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>

Media caption<\/span>WATCH: Hands-on with the new Samsung Galaxy S10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The S10 and S10+ will cost roughly the same as the phones they supersede.<\/p>\n

But the S10e means the Galaxy S range now starts at a lower price-point, albeit with lower specifications to match.<\/p>\n

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\n The S10 family comes in four different sizes, each with a choice of different storage
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“Having a 5G variant is strategically important for Samsung as it gives them the jump on Apple and helps maintain the firm’s brand strength and perceived technology leadership,” commented Ben Wood, from the CCS Insight consultancy.<\/p>\n

“It also gives the operators a tier-one brand for their 5G launches.<\/p>\n

“But as far as consumers are concerned, unless you have a very good reason to buy a 5G phone this summer, one of the other three S10 handsets is probably a better investment, and will be viable for use for many years.” <\/p>\n

The launch comes days before Mobile World Congress in Barcelona – a trade event where Samsung’s rivals will unveil new handsets of their own.<\/p>\n

The overall smartphone market shrank in 2018, but Samsung’s sales saw a particularly pronounced drop-off as Huawei and other Chinese manufacturers wooed away customers.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Manufacturer<\/th>\nGlobal smartphone shipments in 2018<\/th>\nYear-on-year change<\/th>\nMarket share Q4<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Samsung<\/td>\n292.2 million<\/td>\n-8.0%<\/td>\n18.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Apple<\/td>\n208.8 million<\/td>\n-3.2%<\/td>\n18.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huawei<\/td>\n206.0 million<\/td>\n33.6%<\/td>\n16.1%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Xiaomi<\/td>\n122.5 million<\/td>\n32.1%<\/td>\n7.6%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oppo<\/td>\n113.3 million<\/td>\n1.4%<\/td>\n7.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Others<\/td>\n463.2 million<\/td>\n-19.2%<\/td>\n31.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Industry total<\/td>\n1.4 billion<\/td>\n-4.1%<\/td>\n100%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Source: IDC<\/i><\/p>\n

Cut-out cameras<\/h2>\n

All four versions of the S10 are distinguished from last year’s models by embedding the front cameras within their displays. <\/p>\n

Samsung refers to this as being the Infinity O design, but it is more commonly referred to as the “hole punch”. <\/p>\n

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\n The phone’s selfie camera is surrounded by its screen
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The move allows the phones to feature a thinner top bezel without having the kind of “notch” found on many rivals.<\/p>\n

It has, however, caused the firm to ditch the eye iris-scanner introduced in the S8.<\/p>\n

Samsung says a new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor placed under the screens of the three higher-end phones offers close to the same level of security, and is more convenient to use than a scanner formerly placed on phone backs. <\/p>\n

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\n A graphic symbol tells users where they need to press to provide a fingerprint
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It is based on a technology unveiled by Qualcomm in 2015.<\/a><\/p>\n

All versions of the handset feature wireless charging and introduce the ability to wirelessly charge other compatible devices in turn.<\/p>\n

This mirrors a feature first offered by Huawei’s Mate 20<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Samsung demoed the facility at a dual London and San Francisco launch as a way to recharge a new pair of Bluetooth headphones without having to use a separate cable or power mat.<\/p>\n

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\n The phone can be used to send power to the Galaxy Buds’ charging case
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Smarter photography<\/h2>\n

All four devices now feature a 10 megapixel selfie camera and introduce a 16MP “ultra-wide” rear version, which offers a slightly larger field-of-view than our eyes.<\/p>\n

The S10+ also has a second selfie camera to help it take depth readings.<\/p>\n

Other improvements include: <\/p>\n