Galaxy Note 10 is still months away but rumors are already swirling. The latest update on Samsung’s next premium phone suggests some radical changes in the design – removal of 3.5mm headphone jack and no physical buttons such as volume and power keys.
According to Android Police, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will come with “capacitive or pressure-sensitive areas” which could be “highlighted by some kind of raised ‘bump’ and/or texture along the edge.”
From technology point of view, the pressure-sensitive side panels seem practical and we’ve already seen a basic implementation of similar tech in a few HTC phones. Samsung’s decision to get rid of physical buttons may have also been inspired from the recent efforts from some brands to deliver all-glass phones with no bumps. But it will be interesting to see how users react to such change on Galaxy Note phones which are known for their big screens and stylus compatibility.
The most polarizing move will be the removal of 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung has been one of the few brands that have retained the technology on their premium devices after Apple and then a number of Android players like OnePlus and Xiaomi removed the feature.
Interestingly enough, Samsung retained 3.5mm headphone jack on its latest Galaxy S10-series but removed it from the foldable Galaxy Fold smartphone. Motorola which has just launched Moto Z4 has included 3.5mm headphone jack after removing the feature from its last year’s Moto Z3.
