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Galaxy Note 10 might ditch headphone jack, physical keys (Update: Keys might stay)
Update, May 31, 2019 (12:05 PM ET): Yesterday we heard the news that the Galaxy Note 10 could abandon the headphone jack as well as physical buttons. However, we now have a rumor that at least one of those aspects of the device will not change: the physical buttons.
According to noted leaker @UniverseIce, Samsung only tested out the idea of having capacitive buttons on the Note 10. After testing, though, the company decided to keep physical buttons. See for yourself in the tweet below:
Note10 pursues stability and maturity. In the first version, Note10 did not have physical buttons. It was very radical but it did not pass Samsung’s rigorous testing, so the final version of Note10 still retains physical buttons.— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 31, 2019
If this is true, that would offer at least some relief to Samsung fans who felt capacitive buttons were a bad move.
The headphone jack, though, appears to still be on the chopping block.
Original Article, May 30, 2019 (01:19 PM ET): An anonymous source speaking with Android Police suggests that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will abandon two things that every Note device has had since Day 1: a headphone jack and physical buttons.
Allegedly, Samsung is planning on launching the Note 10 without a headphone jack and with capacitive (touch-based) buttons in place of “clicky” power, volume, and Bixby buttons.
If this rumor turns out to be true, the Note 10 would be the first flagship smartphone from Samsung without the much-beloved audio port (aside from the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which still doesn’t have a release date). This will no doubt ruffle the feathers of Samsung fans who have long-championed the company for not dropping the port while rivals — such as Apple, Google, and OnePlus — leave it behind.
The capacitive buttons rumor will probably be less contentious, although many users of HTCdevices with capacitive keys ran into trouble with the design feature.
The Galaxy Note 10 will likely launch in August in multiple variants. It’s possible there will be a regular version, a “pro” or larger version, and a 5G version — although the pro and 5G versions could be one and the same.
What do you think? Would you stop buying Samsung phones if the company removes the headphone jack? Or have you accepted the fate of the jack’s removal? Let us know in the comments.
In the meantime, read up on all the credible rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 below: