It seems three is the new de facto regarding smartphones, with manufacturers slowly buying into the idea that releasing three flagship smartphones is better than the current standard of two. Samsung is rumoured to be the latest in line to adopt the practice, combating Apple’s upcoming trio of iPhones with three new Galaxy S10 devices in 2019.
Referencing “multiple industry officials participating in the development of the next Galaxy S series,” Korean publication ET News reports that Samsung has been spotted with three separate flagship devices scheduled for launch next year.
The most basic of the trio is currently codenamed ‘Beyond 0’, which doesn’t seem to change much from current smartphones. It sports a 5.8-inch screen and a single rear camera lens. ‘Beyond 1’ will remain the same size as its presumably lower-end counterpart, while adding another lens for a dual rear camera setup.
Image: Galaxy S10 concept
‘Beyond 2’ is the true headline, supposedly housing a 6.2-inch screen worthy of the “Plus” moniker that Samsung often uses for its larger premium variants. It is believed to feature a triple-lens rear camera, which has previously been seen on the Huawei P20 Pro.
Fellow South Korean website, The Bell has reported that Samsung will also be opting for face scanning biometric security, similar to that seen on Apple’s iPhone X. This will see the front camera improved with 3D sensors, however it isn’t certain that the technology will reach all three rumoured devices. Alternatively, Samsung is also said to be implementing in-display fingerprint scanning technology, but it is said that this might not be ready in time for the rumoured launch early in 2019.
This isn’t worlds apart from Apple’s currently rumoured trio of iPhones set to debut later this year, in which each device can be distinguished by the amount lenses on its rear camera. Google is also in the running with rumours of three Pixel 3 devices, however it is believed that the company might once again perfect the single lens design that has kept Pixel devices at the forefront, instead bolstering the number of lenses on its front-facing camera.
KitGuru Says: As always, take these rumours with a pinch of salt. If a trio of flagship smartphones do fragment the market more, however, that could eventually mean easier access to new devices. Alternatively, it could also mean the handsets with the newest features become even more expensive.