The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 could have this next-gen sound tech
Only the third smartphone to have it
We're expecting the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 to come packed with premium features like four rear cameras and a 5G variant, and now it looks like the phone might get another piece of cutting-edge tech: Sound on Display (SoD) tech.
SoD means that instead of a front-facing speaker on the top of a handset, its whole screen vibrates like a diaphragm to create sound.
We've seen this tech in the LG G8 ThinQ and Huawei P30 Pro already, so the Galaxy Note 10 wouldn't be the first phone to use the feature, but it's still novel in the phones world.
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The hint that we'll see this feature comes in leaked photos of screen protectors for the Galaxy Note 10, which lack any cutout for an upper notch or speaker grille. Reliable leaker @Universeice claims this is because the upcoming handsets will use SoD tech instead.
The rumor makes sense, because including SoD would allow Samsung to increase the screen-to-body ratio of the phone by eliminating this front-facing speaker, and judging by other leaks and the design of the Samsung Galaxy S10 this is the company's goal. As with all leaks though, it's not guaranteed, so don't get your hopes (too far) up.
It's worth bearing in mind that in previous phones, SoD was only used for phone calls and a few other specific tasks, but not music or other media – if the Galaxy Note 10 goes the same route, its only speaker for media will be the bottom-firing ones, meaning it could have worse audio quality that competitors.
We may find out more about the device on August 7, as that's when Samsung is tipped to launch the phone, so stay tuned to TechRadar for all the latest leaks and news.
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Via GSMArena
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.