Samsung Note 10 Series Devices Are Gorgeous, But Will It Sell?

Samsung is announcing two versions of its flagship Galaxy Note 10 smartphone: the regular Note 10 and the jumbo Note 10 Plus. The Note 10 Plus is actually more like the traditional Note — it’s virtually the same size as last year’s Note 9 and continues the tradition of the big-screened, super-powered, stylus-toting smartphone. The Note 10 is something new: the Note’s stylus and power crammed down into something a little closer to the size of the Galaxy S10.S

The Note 10 starts at $949 and comes in just one configuration: 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Note 10 Plus starts at $1,099 with 12GB RAM / 256GB storage and you can spend $100 more to get 512GB of storage. Both are available for preorder today and will ship on August 23rd. There will also be a Note 10 5G available for preorder on the 23rd that will be exclusive to Verizon for “a limited time,” but Samsung had fewer details to share about it ahead of its Unpacked event today. Read the rest of the overview on The Verge.

Analyst Take: As an S10+ user, I perhaps got a little teary eyed when I saw Samsung finally admit defeat and remove the headphone jack on its new Note 10 line. I knew it was coming, but I had held out hope for clearer minds prevailing. In this case, it may be me; so I will let this pass as I believe it is the right move. 

(BTW, I do have the Samsung Buds and they are really nice, but I do like to wire in for more dependable microphone)

So now that I’ve finished being nostalgic, let’s talk about what I am excited about. 

5G: This isn’t part of the standard new device, but it goes to pre-sale on August 23. This will get people ordering the Note product. The early adopters and those perhaps tired of waiting for other companies to finally deliver a 5G device (Talking to you, Apple). 

DeX: With the powerful compute of the Note 10 Plus you can use the device like a PC by plugging it into an HDMI monitor with a cable. This is cool, I am on the fence as to the use cases, but the typical Note user will make something of this. 

The Pen: It’s not just the pen, as the pen is new, but the new gestures like the “Air” actions that allow you to swipe without contact just by having the pen in proximity. 

No doubt this is the ultimate pocket rocket that enthusiasts will get excited about. 

With regards to price, this device falls into the premium smartphone category along with the Apple XS Max, The S10+ etc. Nothing to see here, except a much more powerful device in the Note10+. 

Verdict: Will the 10th Generation Note Sell? 

I believe these products, like most of what Samsung brings to market, are aesthetically beautiful and catch the eye of consumers. I have no question that sales will come for Samsung, but there is some crossover here that could actually eat into the S10 sales given the standard Note 10’s size. I tend to lean toward the 5G product being the one that brings the enthusiast Note 10 user types to get in line (virtually, of course), and be part of the 5G revolution. I also believe given Samsung’s having a 5G product while Apple continues to delay announcing any timeline for its product, will make this product especially popular in markets that already have 5G available. 

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The original version of this article was first published on Futurum Research.