Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2019 Preview: Galaxy S10, foldable phone, and more

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2019: Galaxy S10

For months, reports have suggested that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S10 – the successor to the Galaxy S9. The Wall Street Journal claims Samsung plans to launch three variants of the Galaxy S10 with different display sizes. A fourth model is also on the cards and that will feature 5G connectivity. A number of signs suggest that all phones will feature a punch hole sAMOLED display, improved cameras, either Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 processor, up to 8GB RAM, up to 1TB onboard storage, and OneUI with Android 9.0.

Samsung Galaxy S10 will be pitted against Apple iPhone XS and Huawei Mate 20 Pro. (Image credit: OnLeaks/91 Mobiles)

Given that it’s the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S series, reports suggest that the Galaxy S10 will look drastically different from the Galaxy S9. Some believe that the budget model would be called the Galaxy S10 Lite, and will be modeled on Apple’s iPhone XR. All three regular Galaxy S10 models will go on sale in March, while the fourth model with 5G connectivity may hit the market in the Spring.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2019: Foldable phone

The Galaxy S10 will be the star of the show, but we might also see the official unveiling of a foldable smartphone. Samsung first showed a prototype of the foldable smartphone during its annual developer conference in November, but did not show a finished device.

The foldable smartphone has been delayed and Samsung knows it very well. Even the competition is increasing with Huawei and other Chinese companies planning to launch foldable smartphones in 2019. Meanwhile, a small startup named Royole is already selling a foldable smartphone in China.

Samsung’s foldable smartphone is a pocket-sized device that opens like a book.

If the WSJ report is to be believed, Samsung may also announce the long-awaited foldable smartphone in San Francisco. The Journal claims that Samsung has reportedly told its partners that the foldable phone may hit retail shelves in April, though a date or name have yet to get finalised. The Korean major is evidently considering names including “Fold”, “Galaxy Fold” and “Galaxy F”. The phone is rumoured to cost in the vicinity of $1500.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2019: Galaxy Home speaker

Samsung could also make some time for the Galaxy Home, its first ever smart speaker. The Bixby-powered smart speaker is directly pitched against Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod. Samsung announced the Galaxy Home speaker during its Galaxy Note 9 Unpacked event in August last year, but the company didn’t announce neither the price nor its release date.

Samsung Galaxy Home features six built-in speakers and a subwoofer.

We suspect Samsung is going to use the Galaxy S10 launch event to shed more light on the Galaxy Home smart speaker, perhaps alongside an affordable model for the masses. The Galaxy Home is speculated to be priced in the range of $350.