Samsung S10 compared to Apple iPhone XS and Huawei Mate 20 Pro

The new S10 series will give its rivals a tough fight

Justin Denison, SVP of Mobile Product Development, talks about the new Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphone in San Francisco. AP Photo

Samsung's new Galaxy Fold smartphone which features the world's first 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display that works with the next-generation 5G networks is seen in this image released in San Francisco, California. Courtesy Samsung / Handout via Reuters

Samsung's new Galaxy Fold smartphone which features the world's first 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display that works with the next-generation 5G networks. Courtesy Samsung / Handout via Reuters

A trio of its new Galaxy S10 smartphones unveiled during an Unpacked event in San Francisco, California. EPA

DJ Koh, president of mobile communications at Samsung, speaks during the Samsung Unpacked launch event in San Francisco, California. Bloomberg

Samsung Galaxy Buds headphones during the Samsung Unpacked launch event in San Francisco. Bloomberg

A Samsung Galaxy S10+ during the Samsung Unpacked launch event in San Francisco, California. Morris / Bloomberg

A Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone during the Samsung Unpacked launch event in San Francisco, California. Bloomberg

A member of the media holds a Samsung Galaxy 10+ smartphone during the Samsung Electronics Co Unpacked launch event. Bloomberg

Samsung's Galaxy Active smartwatch and Galaxy Buds wireless headphones. Reuters

The Samsung Galaxy Fold phone is shown on a screen at Samsung’s Unpacked event in San Francisco. Reuters

The smartphone industry, which expects very little or no growth this year, is going through one of the toughest phases of its history.

The industry fell globally by more than 5 per cent year in 2018 from 2017, in its first-ever full-year decline, Boston research company Strategy Analytics said. Future forecasts are also gloomy, as another US researcher, Gartner, is expecting only 1.5 to 3 per cent growth in the next five years in the market.

However, in a bid to beat negative market sentiments and mounting competition, smartphone manufacturers are trying every bit to survive - with newer products being launched every two to three months, giving the mobile-wielding world (some 2.1 billion people strong) more choices to consider.

The latest entrant is Samsung’s S10 Series, unveiled on Wednesday in San Francisco. The flagship device is the S10+, considered a strong contender against Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro, launched in October 2018, and Apple’s iPhone XS Max that hit the shelves in September last year.

The National dove into the nitty-gritty of the current top smartphone options to provide a quick comparison of the competition.

How big is the camera?

Coming with five cameras; three on the rear and two on the front, the S10+ certainly adds to the smartphone photography. A first for the S series, the Galaxy S10+ offers an ultra-wide lens with a 123-degree field of view, like the human eye, so what you see is what’s in frame. This is perfect for impressive landscape shots and big panoramas. Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro has three rear-facing cameras with one in the front whereas Apple’s iPhone XS Max comes with only dual camera lenses on the rear and one on the front.

Who added the most juice?

The S10+ comes with a 4,100-mAh (milli Ampere hours) long-lasting battery that promises fast charging. The Mate 20 Pro featured ground-breaking improvement on battery life last year when it introduced a high-density 4200-mAh battery. Huawei and Samsung are far ahead of the iPhone XS Max that houses a 3,174-mAh battery.

How much does it cost?

Targeting high-end consumers, the S10+ will be priced at Dh3,599 (128GB) but it seems still within the budget when compared to its nearest rivals. The Mate 20 Pro (6GB + 128GB configuration) is available for almost Dh4,000. Whereas, famously pricey Apple offers the iPhone XS Max, starting at 64GB of capacity, at Dh4,400.

How about the display?

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ comes with a 16.3cm curved dynamic AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) display that is a step ahead of the OLED display. An AMOLED display ensures the illumination of each pixel, resulting in a brighter display. Apple meanwhile comes with 16.5cm all-screen OLED multi-touch display and the Mate 20 Pro has 16.3cm OLED display.

When is the S10+ available in the UAE?

Pre-order will start on February 21 with devices in-hand by March 8. Samsung is planning the Gulf region’s launch in Dubai on March 6.