Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 needs to really bring it with the features

On Aug. 7, Samsung will once again hold an Unpacked event at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn to unveil its next stylus-equipped smartphone, the Galaxy Note 10.

Details about the Note 10 have been leaking for months and alleged images and features continue to pop up on Twitter almost daily. 

Assuming most of the information is true — the latest leak allegedly reveals virtually all specs — we’re looking at a Note 10 that probably won’t reestablish Samsung as the undisputed king of Android.

Here’s what we’re expecting from the Note 10:

• Small model with 6.3-inch curved AMOLED display (FHD+ resolution)

• Bigger “Note 10+” model with 6.75-inch curved AMOLED display (QHD+ resolution)

• Metal body design with flat top and bottom

• Center-aligned hole-punch selfie camera

• Triple rear camera system on Note 10: Main, telephoto, and ultra-wide

• Quad rear camera system on Note 10+: Main, telephoto, ultra-wide and ToF (3D depth sensor)

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (or Exynos 9825 for international versions)

• 8GB of RAM (Note 10) and 12GB of RAM (Note 10+)

• 3,500 mAh battery (Note 10) and 4,500 mAh battery (Note 10+)

• Improved S Pen stylus

• IP68 water and dust resistance

• Expandable storage via microSD card

• No headphone jack 

• Bixby button on regular Note 10, but maybe not on Note 10+

Looking over at these specs and features, I can’t help but feel the Note 10’s gonna be underwhelming. Aside from the slightly larger batteries and the inclusion of an S Pen, I’m not seeing a single feature that makes the Note 10 — at least on paper — a markedly better phone than a Galaxy S10 or S10+.

Nor does the phone appear to have enough compelling new features to persuade people that Samsung’s crushing its main Android opponents — Huawei and OnePlus — into the ground.

Where’s the insane optical zoom lens camera you can get on the Huawei P30 Pro? How about the 120Hz refresh rate display and pop-up selfie camera on the OnePlus 7 Pro?

The latest leak claims Samsung will unveil an improved S Pen that replicates the sound of the writing tool you’ve selected. For example, drawing with highlighter would sound different from using a pencil. Another new S Pen feature reportedly involves some kind of new air gesture controls.

Um…sounds kinda forgettable?

Maybe the leak’s wrong and Samsung’s got an impressive bag of new S Pen tricks up its sleeves, but I’ve got a gut feeling none of them will be revolutionary. 

Setting aside expected feature upgrades like larger screens, bigger batteries, and newer and faster processors, the Note series hasn’t added a lot of must-have S Pen features over the last eight versions. 

Let’s take a brief — but not at all comprehensive — trip down memory lane.

• Note: Introduced the S Pen.

• Note 2: Longer and more ergonomic with more precise tip (1,024 levels of pressure vs. 256 on the original Note’s S Pen). 

• Note 3: Reversible S Pen design. S Pen features collected into “Air Command” menu. Action Menu let you write things like phone numbers and email addresses and take action on them (call, send email, search, etc.) Scrapbooker let you capture anything you draw a border around. Screen Write let you scribble on top of screenshots. S Finder let you search with the stylus. Pen Window let you draw a window for an app to appear in. 

• Note 4: Pressure sensitivity level doubled from 1,024 to 2,048. S Pen added improved text selection; content previewing by hovering over photos, videos, and email (to name a few); and display haptic feedback when S Pen is in contact with screen.

• Note 5: S Pen given a clicky top like a ballpoint pen. The “Air Command” menu was revamped to let you add quick shortcuts to launch third-party apps; Screen Capture for taking more details screenshots for content like web pages; and Screen Off Memo for creating a hand-written note or drawing directly on the phone screen without needing to unlock or launch the S Note app.

• Note 6: There was no Note 6.

• Note 7: RIP. That said, the S Pen’s tip sensitivity was increased from 2,048 levels of pressure to 4,096 for even more precise stylus-to-display use. Some minor consolidations of various S Pen features were added, but the most notable new addition was a handy GIF maker.

• Note 8: New “Live Messages” feature turns your handwritten words or doodles into animated GIFs. Screen Off Memo gets more writable pages (100).

• Note 9: S Pen doubles as a wireless remote (i.e. for controlling media playback or for snapping selfies or advancing slides in PowerPoint) and also has digital ink that matches its actual color.

As you can see, the S Pen gradually improved with each Note. What new innovations will the Note 10’s version bring? Will they be groundbreaking? Will the Note 10’s aggregate features be worth the insane sticker price? (The Note 9 started at $999.99.) 

I say Samsung should brute force its way back to the top. Go nuts. Destroy the competition feature for feature. That’s how Huawei ate Samsung’s lunch and that’s how Samsung needs to fight back. 

Perhaps, the company is only pushing out sensible features for its primary Galaxy S and Note lineups. Leave the wild stuff to phones like the Galaxy Fold, you know? I get it, but unfortunately, Samsung’s not Apple. Samsung doesn’t have the same kind of loyal customers because there are tons of Android phones to switch to if people don’t like what’s being served.

The Note 8 and Note 9 are terrific phones, but they didn’t feel like a major turning point the way the jump from the Note 5 to the ill-fated Note 7 did. I hope the Note 10 changes things.