The technology powering the new Samsung Galaxy S10

New additions to Samsung’s flagship smartphone include the brand-new Dynamic AMOLED display, an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor in the screen and a multi-camera set-up on the front and rear. Elements such as the new Android 9 operating system, upgrades to the Bixby assistant and 5G compatibility are also worth a mention.

To get you up to speed, let's start with the specs.

What is the latest Android version for Samsung?

The most up-to-date version of the Android operating system is Android 9.0 Pie. The new Galaxy S10 models come with it installed as standard, along with Samsung’s new One UI software layered over.

Android Pie is capable of lots of new tricks and functions, including adaptive brightness that considers what apps you’re using and alters display and battery distribution accordingly – optimising battery use in the process.

Making everyday use more efficient, the new ‘App Actions’ functionality on Android 9 provides users with custom shortcuts to specific features within an app, depending on where they are and what they are doing. If you’ve just plugged in a pair of headphones, for example, a shortcut to Spotify may appear. In a similar vein, if you have just left the house, it could present you with a navigation app. Handy, hey?

Android 10 Q is also hot on the heels of Android 9 Pie, rumoured to be launched in August 2019. The key features of the new operating system are expected to be kept under wraps until Google IO 2019, though a couple have slipped through the net. An all-system dark mode and foldable support ready for the dynamic folding screens of future devices are among the new features, in addition to face ID-style authentication.

Digital Wellbeing on Android 9

The Galaxy S10 is also one of the first Android phones – aside from the Google Pixel range – to adopt Google’s Digital Wellbeing feature. If you find you that you spend too much time glued to your phone, these new functions will come in useful. The tool allows users to monitor how much time they spend using particular apps and an upgraded ‘Do Not Disturb’ function not only silences notifications but can also hide pop-up notifications so they don’t flash up on your screen. ‘Wind down’ mode helps users to switch off at the end of the day by gradually turning the phone to greyscale, adding a warmer screen tint, and limiting notifications.

What is Bixby and how to use it?

Bixby is Samsung’s AI assistant. The innovative tool adapts to your individual phone usage to streamline processes and generally make your life easier. Consider it your very own PA.

The virtual assistant can be connected to certain apps, such as Uber or YouTube, to offer helpful suggestions and actions. Samsung Bixby was first introduced with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and has been a fixture in the Galaxy range since. What’s new for the Galaxy S10 Bixby is the option to remap the Bixby button, so that it opens another app of your choice. You can hold down the button to open Bixby or give it a simple click to open another app (such as your music player, for example).

What does Bixby do?

The Bixby assistant helps with a number of useful tasks and chores, categorised under Bixby Voice, Bixby Home, Bixby Vision and Bixby Routines.

• Bixby Voice – if the name doesn’t give it away – is a voice assistant that allows you to make search engine queries, send or read messages, and make calls by simply using your voice.

• Bixby Home is a hub that collates useful information in the form of cards, such as today’s weather, upcoming reminders, your daily step count and more.

• Bixby Vision is an image search feature that allows you to identify and shop for items, identify locations, or even translate text by simply pointing your camera at the object of interest.

• Bixby Routines is a brand-new element and is arguably one of the best Galaxy S10 features. It lets you set up tasks that are triggered automatically by certain actions. For example, it will recognise if you play the same playlist every day on your way to work and in turn, automatically open it when you leave your house in the morning. Now, that’s sure to get your day off on the right note!

How to use Bixby Voice

Bixby Voice can be activated by saying ‘Hey, Bixby’ or by pressing and holding the Bixby button on the side of the device and issuing your command. While it is great for completing simple tasks, Bixby Voice can also handle more complex requests, such as rotating misaligned photos.

Is Bixby like Siri?

Yes. Similar to Apple’s ‘Siri’, Google’s ‘Google Assistant’ and Amazon’s ‘Alexa’, Bixby uses artificial intelligence to improve smartphone usability. It can respond to voice commands and uses smart technology to assist with day to day tasks.

S10 5G Phone benefits

The 5G revolution is nearly upon us and the Galaxy S10 is one of the first 5G mobiles to be announced. While the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G isn’t due to hit the shelves quite yet, it is expected to bring big things.

5G is the latest generation of mobile network, succeeding 3G and 4G and bringing speedier connectivity. So, just how fast is 5G? Let’s put it this way – 4G tops out at a theoretical 100 megabits per second (Mbps), while 5G tops out at 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). There are 1000 megabits in a gigabit, so that works out to a hundred times faster than the current 4G technology.

And that’s not all. 5G is also predicted to bring with it a future of augmented reality, virtual reality, enhanced streaming and next-gen cloud computing. Exciting stuff!

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