You can set the clock to it, the latest top devices from Samsung will be in stores around spring. This year it concerns the successors of the Samsung Galaxy S10 series. Below you will find all the rumors about the Galaxy S11, or Samsung Galaxy S20.
Galaxy S11 or Galaxy S20, what is it now? You would logically assume that the S10 series will be followed by the S11 series, but more and more evidence is emerging that Samsung opts for S20 when naming it. We will use that name for the rest of this article.
It is not entirely clear why the name change was chosen. But Galaxy S20 certainly sounds nice and modern. After all, it is now 2020 and that would mean that future names fit in nicely with the year in which they were released.
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Samsung Galaxy S20: Three models
Okay, we're getting ahead of things. First the Galaxy S20 series, which apparently consists of three models. The standard Galaxy S20, The Galaxy S20+ and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. They 'replace' the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ respectively and have screen sizes of 6.2 inches, 6.7 inches and 6.9 inches. Big, bigger, biggest.
Speaking of those screens. It is expected that they will again be OLED panels, but this time with a so-called refresh rate of 120 Hz. This refresh rate can only be used with the lower FHD+ resolution. A doubling compared to the refresh rate of the Galaxy S10, which maintained a more common 60 Hz. There are few other phones with such a high refresh rate, including gaming phones from Asus and Razer.
The smartphones of those brands appeal to a certain niche and you therefore see little in the streets. With the Galaxy S20 series you can say that 120 Hz panels are getting their big breakthrough with the general public. A higher refresh rate means that the image becomes smoother. You notice that, for example, when scrolling (less jerky) and while gaming.
Samsung seems to be aiming high with the S20 Ultra model. With the 120 Hz 6.9 inch screen and 16GB of RAM, this should be the ultimate device of the new series. The battery is most likely 5000 mAh. The S20 Plus will have a 4500 mAh battery.
Camera setup
Competing at the top can be done on various fronts, but in recent years we have seen that the camera aspect is becoming increasingly important. Whoever puts down the top prize simply wants to get a device back for that money that can take the most beautiful pictures. The new S20 Ultra and S20 Plus will feature a 108 megapixel camera lens, a 48 megapixel telephoto lens and a 12 megapixel ultra-wide lens. The front camera goes to a 40 megapixel sensor.
This is based on the new I SOCELL Bright HMX sensor. Samsung previously highlighted some possibilities in the YouTube video below. Thanks to the high resolution, photos would come out in particularly detailed. The sensor also requires better night photography. One of the new camera modes is therefore one especially for shooting night timelapses (Night Timelapse).
Of course it doesn't stop with one camera. There would be a total of five pieces. One is a wide-angle lens and another is for optical zooming up to five times. You could know this technique from the Huawei P30 Pro, among other things. A time-of-flight sensor is once again available for estimating depth, which is useful for portrait photos and AR applications, among other things. And then there are rumors about a spectrometer that can map the nutritional value of food by means of light sources, for example.
Ready for 5G - and other specifications
2020 is the year that the first 5G networks are slowly being put into use. You buy an expensive device like the Galaxy S20 with an eye to the future and that is why it is not surprising that it is 5G-ready. In our country, the device gets the new Exynos 990 processor, which has an integrated 5G modem. In the United States, the smartphone will be with the Snapdragon 865 CPU, which is linked to a separate 5G modem - the Snapdragon X55 5G.
It remains to be seen whether 5G is part of all three models or whether only the more expensive S20 variants can receive this super-fast mobile internet standard. As for other specifications, leaked benchmarks would show that there is at least one model with no less than 12 GB of RAM. Probably the most expensive option.
Finally, about the fingerprint scanner. It would again be under the screen, but have a much larger surface. You no longer have to keep your finger exactly in the right place. More 'room for error', which benefits ease of use. The sensor is so large that two fingers can be scanned at the same time. And that is interesting from a security point of view.
Galaxy S20 price and release date
How much will you pay for the Galaxy S20? The only gripes we have at the moment are the prices of the previous generation. For the cheapest S10 you then paid at least 749 euros and the most expensive model had a starting price of 999 euros. The expectation is that the devices will not become cheaper, so you will lose a lot of money anyway. According to analysts, the S20 Ultra will cost around 1,300 euros.
Coupled with the new phone series from Samsung, the South Korean manufacturer also releases a second version of their Galaxy Buds, called the Galaxy Buds+. The active noise isolation (no suppression) and battery life should be the improvements. The Buds are included with pre-orders for the new S20 Plus and Ultra models and not with the regular S20.
In any case, what is certain is that the Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphones will be announced on February 11. Experience shows that they will then be on sale at the beginning of March, although you can already place a pre-order before that time. On that day, Samsung will hold its Unpacked event. The successor to the foldable Galaxy Fold may also be unveiled there, which would bear the name Galaxy Z Flip. We will keep you informed!
