Samsung may release a surprise new phone at the end of 2019
And it isn't the Note 10
We thought Samsung's second half of 2019 consisted of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, repairing and releasing the Samsung Galaxy Fold, and finally making the Samsung Galaxy A80 available to the public, but it looks like the company may have an extra wildcard up its sleeves.
According to phone leaker @UniverseIce, who has a proven track record for accurate leaks, Samsung's got a handset release planned for late 2019 that isn't the Note 10 or Fold.
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There's no indication of what smartphone is being referred to, but we've heard enough rumors to take an educated guess.
What is Samsung's mystery smartphone?
Before we get into the rumors, it's worth pointing out that we don't think @UniverseIce is referring to the Samsung Galaxy A80. For sure it's a creative device, but a leaker wouldn't leak a phone that's already been launched, even if it hasn't been released yet.
In fact, since a large number of Galaxy A handsets were launched at an event in April, we'd be surprised to see any more any time soon, however we've also learnt that an upgraded Samsung Galaxy A70, called the Galaxy A70S, may have a 64MP sensor camera. This could fulfill the 'creativity' criteria posed in the tweet, but we'd expect to see a little more in a 'creative' phone than just a powerful camera.
Believe me, the most creative Samsung smartphone in the second half of 2019 is not Fold or Note10, you just have to wait, don't ask me more.May 21, 2019
The cryptic clue could also refer to another Samsung foldable, as we've heard Samsung is working on several new folding devices, one of which could be close enough to completion that it's ready for release before the end of the year.
However, given the Samsung Galaxy Fold's recent durability debacle, Samsung might be hesitant to release another foldable so soon.
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If we had to put money on an option, it would be the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Pro or another phablet from the company. The leak says it's not the Note 10, but doesn't say it's not the Note 10 Pro, which we're expecting to launch alongside the Note 10.
Of course this is just semantics, and we could be proven wrong on this, but a huge phone to rival the 7.2-inch Huawei Mate 20 X could take the best tech from Samsung's tablets and put it in a huge phone.
This is all speculation, but stay tuned to TechRadar all through the year as we report on all the latest leaks and news, in order to work out what this 'creative' phone is.
Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.
He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.