Samsung’s Note 10 is due to be revealed tomorrow, but that isn’t stopping the leaks from coming. Though we already seem to know every aspect of the devices, a new leak shared by Droid Life comes from very official-looking promotional materials, confirming much of the hardware changes we’ve heard so far and highlighting some new software tricks too.
Most notably, the leak confirms the Note 10 will come in two sizes, a 6.3-inch Note 10, and a 6.8-inch Note 10+, as well as a third Note 10+ 5G. Samsung is leaning into the extra power of its Note series by marketing the devices as full-fledged computers. One of the images reads:
With the Galaxy Note10 we haven’t just made a new smartphone. We’ve designed a computer that’s a gaming console, that’s a film studio, and an intelligent pen, all in one device.
Speaking of ‘film studio,’ Samsung seems to be placing a particular emphasis on video this time around, perhaps to steal some of the thunder from LG’s V series. In particular, Samsung highlights the ability to use studio lighting effects and shallow depth of field with video – basically portrait mode applied to motion. The company says it’s improved the quality of its lenses, and on the audio front, the Note 10 uses three microphones that can ‘zoom’ into specific areas to match your video’s field of view.
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The devices have tiny bezels with one central camera – Samsung is only using one front-facing camera here, unlike the two in the S10+. Perhaps the company decided it wasn’t getting much use out of the depth sensor on that model, opting to minimize the camera’s effect on the screen real estate instead.
There are some functional differences between the small and larger models. Naturally, the larger one has a bigger battery, at 4,300 mAh vs 3,400, though they both feature Samsung’s new ‘Superfast’ charge. The bigger model also features a time-of-flight camera sensor for more accurate depth effects.
The leak also confirms rumors of air gestures coming to the new S-Pen, which Samsung refers to as a “magic wand for your smartphone.” This is perhaps Samsung’s way of taking on Google’s Soli radar integration in the Pixel 4, without having to build in complicated chunky sensors into the front face of the device. Otherwise, it can do the other things you expect from the S-Pen, such as behaving as a remote shutter or providing handrwiting-to text conversion.
Last but not least, the prices: The Note 10 will cost $949, and the Note 10+ $1,099. There will be deals and trade-in options, but it’s clear Samsung is positioning these as premium devices second only to the Galaxy Fold.
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