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End of security update for Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e

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End of security update for Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e

In April 2023, Samsung finally pulled the plug to stop issuing the security update for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.

With 3 major Android (and One UI ) updates for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e, Samsung did keep its word on both major OS updates and security updates.

From now on, you will not expect any official new updates (unless it is very, very critical) from Samsung for your Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.  Very likely, Samsung will also end the security update for Galaxy S10 5G this summer.

This Galaxy S10 guide explains Samsung’s promise on the software update for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e, the update history for these 3 phones and the key features in each update, and what you should do next.

Samsung keep its word on both OS and security update for Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e

When Galaxy S10 was released in 2019, Samsung promised 3 major software updates and 4-year security update. Obviously, Samsung kept its word.

Galaxy S10 was released with Android 9 (One UI 1.1) and was updated to Android 10 (One UI 2), Android 11 (One UI 3), and Android 12 (One UI 4) subsequently.

As promised, Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e stopped at Android 12 and was not received the Android 13 update (One UI 5) last December.

Now, after 4 years of its initial release, Galaxy S10 marches to the end of life: no more official security updates for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.

Please note the commitment of 4 major OS updates and 5-year security updates applies to Galaxy S21 and later Galaxy devices.

Overall, Compared to other Android vendors, Samsung did an excellent job providing Android and security updates for Galaxy S10 and later devices.

The three major updates for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e

As mentioned, Galaxy S10 was released with Android 9 (Android Pie) and One UI 1.1.  Here is the list of the top 10 new software features of the original Android 9 (One UI 1.1) and three major updates for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e: Android 10 (One UI 2), Android 11 (One UI 3), and Android 12 (One UI 4).

Android VersionOne UI versionTop 10 new features
Android 9 (Pie, original)1.11. Night mode
2. New navigation gestures
3. Scene optimizer for the camera
4. New camera modes (Super Slow-mo, AR Emoji, and Live Focus)
5. Improved Face Unlock and fingerprint recognition
6. Digital Wellbeing
7. Bixby Routines
8. Edge lighting
9. Adaptive battery
10. One-handed mode
Android 10 (update 1)2.0/2.11. Dark mode
2. New navigation gestures
3. Improved Face Unlock and fingerprint recognition
4. Live Caption
5. Improved Digital Wellbeing
6. New Focus mode
7. Link to Windows integration
8. New camera modes (Single Take and Night Hyperlapse)
9. Improved system animations
10. Dynamic Lock screen
Android 11 (update 2)3.0/3.11. Chat bubbles
2. Built-in screen recorder
3. Improved media controls
4. Smart device controls
… Read the rest

Top 10 new features in Android 10 update for Galaxy S10

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Top 10 new features in Android 10 update for Galaxy S10Samsung started to roll out the Android 10 update for Galaxy S10 in December 2019. The update is expected to reach almost all Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G) by Q1 2020.

In most regions, the Andriod 10 update should be available by January 2020.

Android 10 update for Galaxy S10 is the first major update for the device. Some Galaxy Note 10 new features were ported to Galaxy S10 in the September 2019 update as explained in this post. But in some regions, this feature update is combined with the Android 10 update.

Of course, Galaxy S10 (all 4 variants) will get the new version of Android (Android 10). In addition to the underhood improvements in performance, security, and privacy, most of the Android 10 features are available in Galaxy S10 now.

This Galaxy S10 guide explains the top 10 new features you should try in the Android 10 update for Galaxy S10: native screen recorder, Android 10 navigation gesture, more info in Device Care, tweaked camera UI, enhanced biometrics, power limit for Wireless PowerShare, improved one-handed mode, OneDrive integration in the Gallery app, dark mode, and One UI 2.0.

Update: after receiving two additional major updates: Android 11 (One UI 3) update and Android 12 (One UI 4) update, Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e reach to the end of life. Samsung stopped releasing security updates for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e from April 2023.

Native screen recorder

In addition to streaming your screen (e.g., play games), screen recording (not just screenshots) is very useful for technical support and sharing procedural info.

Samsung first introduced the native screen recorder in Galaxy Note 10. Now in the Android 10 update for Galaxy S10, all S10 phones (including S10e, S10, S10+, and S10 5G) have this nice feature.

Compared to the screen recorder on Galaxy Note 10, Samsung apparently polished the app a bit in Galaxy S10 so that you get more control.

Android 10 navigation gesture (full-screen gestures)

Google introduced navigation gestures in Android Pie with a Home button and an Overview button. In Android 10, the navigation gestures can be used without any buttons (aka, full-screen gestures).

In the Android 10 update for Galaxy S10, the new Android 10 navigation gestures were added.

Of course, you can still use Samsung’s navigation features introduced in Android Pie (Android 9).

If you are not a fan of either of the navigation gesture implantations, you can use the traditional navigation buttons.

Anyway, the Android 10 navigation gesture is just an additional option.

You may check this guide on how to use navigation gestures on Galaxy S10 after the Android 10 update.

More info from Device Care

Device Care now offers more information on most cards.

For example, in the battery usage card, you can get more detailed information about battery usage and estimation.

Tweaked Camera UI

Samsung is still not sure how a good camera UI should be. So, they … Read the rest

Top 5 new features added in Galaxy S10 September Update

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Samsung Galaxy S10 September updateIn the September (2019) security patch update for Galaxy S10 (including Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e), Samsung ported some new features introduced for Galaxy Note 10 to Galaxy S10.

So, you can enjoy these Samsung Galaxy Note 10 exclusive features on Galaxy S10 now.

This Galaxy S10 guide explains the top 5 new features added in Galaxy S10 September update: Samsung DeX for PC, Link to Windows, new camera features (Live Focus Video, AR Doodle, Super steady, Night camera mode for all camera lens), the new video editor, and the dynamic lock screen.

Please note, in most regions, Samsung packed these features with the monthly security update (September). You can check the security patch level in Galaxy S10 Settings — About phone — Software information. You should be able to use these features mentioned if the Android security patch level is September 1, 2019, or later.

Samsung DeX for PC

In addition to using a Samsung DeX pad, DeX station, or DeX cable, you can now just use a normal USB cable to launch Samsung DeX on a PC or laptop.

Samsung DeX for PC is one of the most welcomed Galaxy Note 10 features. It allows you to use Samsung DeX mode without carrying any dongles or finding a monitor.

By default, when you connect Galaxy S10 to the PC, the Samsung DeX notification will appear, as shown below.

Samsung DeX for PC notification

Of course, to use Samsung DeX for PC with Galaxy S10 or Note 10, you need to install the app on the PC.

You may check this guide on how to use Samsung DeX for PC on Galaxy S10.

Link to Windows

link to windows (Galaxy S10 September update)Link to Windows is a special version of Your Phone Companion app, which allows you to access and manage app notifications, check and reply messages,  share recent photos (up to 25)  on the PC/laptop.

Previously, you can download and install the app from Play Store.

But Link to Windows offers more than the Your Phone Companion app does, for example:

  • Link to Windows offers screen mirroring (through WiFi). You can mirror the phone screen to the PC or laptop. Then use all apps installed on the phone with keyboard and mouse on the PC or laptop.
  • You can access Link to Windows with the quick setting buttons.

Please note, Link to Windows on Samsung Galaxy S10 requires Windows 10.

New camera features

Samsung also ported some Galaxy Note 10 camera features into Galaxy S10 in this update.

Live Focus Video

Live focus video allows you to blur out the background when recording a video.

It works just like the live focus mode for photos.

You can find the Live Focus Video mode among the camera modes in the Galaxy S10 camera app.

AR Doodle

AR Doodle lets you record fun videos with handwriting or drawings on faces or other places. The doodles on the face can move with the face. The doodles in the space will be fixed in the same place, even … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 night mode?

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use Galaxy S10 night modeGalaxy S10 night mode allows you to use the dark theme in system-wide to help your eyes and save battery. So, it is sometimes called the dark mode.

On Galaxy S10, Samsung chose to extend the dark theme features in the stock Android Pie to deliver better user experiences with the new One UI.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the details of the night mode on Galaxy S10 (including Galaxy S10, S10e, S10+, and S10 5G), and shows you how to enable and customize the night mode.

What is Galaxy S10 night mode? Why you may need it?

By default,  Android phones tend to use a white background. This usually looks great when you show the screenshot in presentations.

But it is not good for your eyes, especially in the low-light conditions, for example, in a theatre, or in the bedroom.

For the OLED screen like the one in all Galaxy S10 phones, the black (dark) background can save noticeable battery as well.

In Android Pie (Android 9), Google finally introduced the dark theme. But it is half-baked: the setting page still uses a white background even you enable the dark theme, as explained in this guide.

Samsung started to support third-party themes since the Galaxy S6. So, technically, you can get a dark theme for your S6, S7, S8, S9, and S10 with a third-party theme from the Galaxy Store. But the quality of these third-party themes varies sharply.

In Android Pie update, Samsung implemented and enhanced the dark theme feature in the stock Android. And it is named as the night mode.

So, Galaxy S10 night mode is essentially an enhanced (improved) version of the dark theme in Android Pie.

You should not confuse this night mode with the newly added night mode in Galaxy S10 camera app, which is just a camera mode for low-light conditions. The night mode discussed here is a theme (or template) with a dark (black) background.

In the Android 10 update for Galaxy S10, a new dark mode was introduced. In Android 12 update for Galaxy S10, you may use Extra Dim to dim the screen beyond the minimum brightness level.

How to enable and customize the Galaxy S10 night mode?

By default, the night mode is not enabled on Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G). You need to enable it by following the steps below if you want to try or use the night mode.

In Galaxy S10 Settings, tap Display as shown in the screenshot below.

Galaxy S10 settings page Galaxy S10 display settings

In the Display settings page, as shown above, you can find the Night mode option.

You can tap the switch (or drag it to the right side) to enable the night mode immediately.

Of course, you can tap Nigth mode (not the switch) to open the night mode settings so that you can further customize (schedule) it.

As shown below, you can use the night mode on Galaxy S10 in two ways… Read the rest

How to Use Galaxy S10 Always On Display (AOD)?

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You can use Galaxy S10 always-on display (AOD) to check notifications, the time, next alarm, today’s schedule, and the weather,  and to control music play without waking up the phone.

On Galaxy S10, Samsung added a few new features for the always-on display and the default behavior. So, do NOT assume the AOD on Galaxy S10 is identical to that on older phones like S9.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the new features of the Galaxy S10 always-on display (AOD), the difference between Galaxy S10 lock screen and AOD screen, how to enable and customize the always-on display screen on Galaxy S10.

Please note, the always-on display is identical among all Galaxy S10 phones.  In this guide,  Galaxy S10 refers to Galaxy S10e, S10, S10+, and S10 5G,

What is new in Galaxy S10 Always On Display (AOD)?

In all previous Galaxy phones, the always-on display screen will not be turned off automatically unless it is turned on by the scheduler.

So, once you turn on the always-on display on these devices, you have to choose to show the AOD screen all the time when the phone is locked or to show the AOD screen based on your designated period.

On Galaxy S10, Samsung added the show mode for the always-on display screen: tap to show. And this is the default option.

So, after enabling Galaxy S10 always-on display, by default, the AOD screen will NOT show up after you lock the phone unless you tap the screen (once).

The AOD screen will display only about 10 seconds, and then the screen is off.

If you need to show Galaxy S10 AOD screen all the time, you need to change the show mode.

This new show mode is also available on Android Pie update for Galaxy S9, S8, Note 9 and Note 8.

Please note, if you tap Galaxy S10 screen twice when the screen is off, you will wake the screen and get the Galaxy S10 lock screen, instead of the always-on display screen.

Of course, you can disable this feature in Settings —Advanced features —Motions and gestures — Double tap to wake.

Other new features of Galaxy S10 Always on Display include:

  • Landscape mode for Galaxy S10 AOD screen.
  • Brightness adjustment for the AOD screen.
  • Quick settings for AOD.

AOD Quick settings can also be found on Galaxy S9, S8, Note 8 and Note 9 if you updated these phones to Android Pie.

What is the difference between the lock screen and the always-on display screen?

Although Galaxy S10 always-on display screen is part of the Galaxy S10 lock screen and shares the identical FaceWidgets, they serve different purposes.

The major differences between the AOD screen and lock screen include:

  • Galaxy S10 lock screen shows up when the phone wakes up and is in the locked state. While Galaxy S10 AOD screen shows up only when the phone is NOT waking up.
  • You can use app shortcuts in
… Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare to charge other devices?

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You can use Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare to charge other devices wirelessly using Galaxy S10’s battery.

Galaxy S10 (including Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G) can be used as a wireless charger to share Galaxy S10 battery with other devices.

This Galaxy S10 new feature guide explains the details of Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare feature, how to use it to charge other devices, and answers some questions you may have when using the wireless PowerShare.

Update: with Android 10 update, you can now set the battery limit for Wireless PowerShare. Please refer to this guide on how to set the battery limit for Wireless PowerShare.

Please also note, Galaxy S20, Galaxy S21, Galaxy Note 10, and Galaxy Note 20 all support Wireless PowerShare. So this guide also applies to all these phones.

What is Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare?

Wireless charging is not new. Samsung added it as a standard feature since Galaxy S6.

But using the phone as a wireless charger to share the phone battery with other devices is still new.

Huawei named this feature as wireless reverse charging and introduced it in Mate 20 Pro (in 2018) and P30 Pro. Samsung introduced this feature in Galaxy S10 (all 4 models) and named it as wireless PowerShare.

Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare lets you share the battery juice of Galaxy S1o with other devices that support Qi wireless charging.

Technically, you can still use Galaxy S10 as usual when you share the battery with other devices.

You can even use wireless PowerShare when you are charging Galaxy S10 battery through a USB cable.  For example, you may have only one charger, but you need to charge both the phone and a Galaxy Watch.  In this case, you can connect the wall charger to charge the Galaxy S10 battery. At the same time,  you can use wireless PowerShare to charge the watch.

In a nutshell, Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare adds a Qi wireless charger on the back of Galaxy S10. And the charger can use Galaxy S10 battery to charge other devices wirelessly.

Limitations of Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare

Wireless PowerShare is very convenient, and it works with any devices that support Qi wireless charging.

FYI, most recent mobile devices including iPhone support Qi wireless charging. All Samsung gadgets with wireless charging support Qi wireless.

But wireless PowerShare has some limitations including:

  • Charging speed is slow. There is no fast charging. The maximum charging capacity is 5W. The actual charging speed is substantially lower than this. So, Galaxy S10 wireless PowerShare is mainly designed for accessories like Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch. It may be a temporal solution of sharing the battery with other phones. If the other phone also has a USB C port,  you can charge it faster by directly connecting Galaxy S10 to that phone with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
  • You may have to remove the covers or cases for Galaxy
… Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the front camera cutout without using any apps?

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You can hide the front camera cutout on Galaxy S10, S10+, S105G, and S10e with the Galaxy S10 virtual bezel without using any third-party apps.

Samsung pinched an elongated hole for the front cameras to avoid a notch on the screen. And they proudly announced this trick as infinity “O” display. But some owners do not like this design.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to use Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the front camera cutout on Galaxy S10, S10+, S105G, and S10e, and the implications of using Galaxy S10 virtual bezel.

Why some owners do not like the front camera cutout?

Nowadays, all smartphone manufacturers try hard to increase screen size without increasing the overall size of the phone.

So, the size of the bezels decreases over the years.  Samsung virtually eliminated the bezels on the sides with curved display since Galaxy S6.

On the bottom, Samsung removed the physical buttons and reduced the size of the bezel to the limit already.

So, on Galaxy S10, they tried to reduce the size of the bezel on the top further.

But there is a hard limit on the top: the front camera, notification LED, iris scanner, proximity, and light sensors all need spaces and cannot be hidden.

And Samsung made 2 stupid mistakes in reducing the size of the top bezel on Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, S10 5G, and S10e):

  • The iris scanner was removed.
  • The notification LED was removed.

The hole punch for the front camera actually is not a bad idea, although some owners may prefer the notch design as in other Android phones or iPhones.

But what makes it wrong (or less ideal) is the location of the hole.  On all Galaxy S10 phones, the hole is punched on the right side.

First, the hole destroys the symmetry of the front side. The ugly asymmetric look will be magnified when you use an app with a white background.

Second, the curved screen is used on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10 5G. The hole must keep a certain distance from the curved part. This results in a significantly-reduced area for the status bar.  So, Galaxy S10 has to offer the option for you to reduce the number of notification icons on the status bar or even hide/disable the notification icons on the status bar entirely.

Of course, some Galaxy S10 owners like the design.

Anyway, for those owners who cannot live with the look of the front camera cutout, it is easy to hide the front camera cutout without using any apps.

The truth is that Samsung already knew some owners would dislike the hole and therefore offered the Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the front camera cutout.

The price you have to pay to hide the Galaxy S10 front camera cutout is slightly reduced screen size.

How to use Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the front camera cutout?

If you want to hide the front cutout on Galaxy S10, you can … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 home screen landscape mode for Home screen and lock screen?

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You can use Galaxy S10 home screen landscape mode for the Home screen and lock screen on Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G now.

When you hold the phone in the landscape orientation, both Galaxy S10 lock screen and Home screen can rotate so that you can use the landscape mode easily.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to control the Galaxy S10 screen rotation, how to enable and use Galaxy S10 home screen landscape mode and Galaxy S10 lock screen landscape mode.

Different ways to control Galaxy S10 screen rotation (orientation)

On Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung introduced landscape mode for the home screen as explained in this guide.

Galaxy S10 keeps this feature and therefore you can enable the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 Home screen (including the apps screen)in a similar way.

Even better, Samsung also added the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 lock screen on all Galaxy S10 phones. Currently, this is a Galaxy S10 exclusive feature.  So, the landscape mode for the lock screen is only available on Galaxy S10 phones.

On Galaxy S10, you can control the screen rotation in different ways:

  • You can turn on Auto-rotate so that the apps can change the orientation automatically when you rotate the phone.  When Auto-rotate is on, you can exclude the Galaxy S10 Home screen and Lock screen.
  • You can turn off Auto-rotate (portrait mode) so that the rotation toggle appears when you rotate the screen. So, you can change and lock the screen orientation when you want. You may check this guide on how to use the screen orientation toggle here. When Auto-rotate is off, the rotation toggle will NOT appear on Galaxy S10 lock screen regardless of your lock screen rotation settings.

Please note, some apps may ignore the screen rotation settings. For example, Galaxy S10 camera app will not follow your screen rotation settings. When you rotate the screen, the camera app will always follow your rotation regardless of other settings.

How to enable and use the landscape mode for Galaxy S10 Home screen?

To use the Home screen in the landscape mode, you must enable it first.

You can enable  the landscape mode for the Home screen in two different locations:

  • Galaxy S10 Settings
  • Galaxy S10 Quick settings.

In Galaxy S10 Settings, tap Display.  Then, as shown in the screenshot below,  on the Display settings page, tap Home screen.

Galaxy S10 settings enable rotate to landscape mode

As shown above, in the Home screen settings page, you can enable or disable “Rotate to landscape mode.”

You can also enable or disable Galaxy S10 Home screen landscape mode from Galaxy S10 quick settings.

As shown in the screenshot below, on the Galaxy S10 quick settings panel, tap the text, NOT the button/icon, of Auto Rotate.

If you disabled the auto-rotate, the Auto-rotate text should change to Portrait. In this case, tap the text (not the button) of Portrait.

Please note, the landscape mode for the Home … Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 LED cover (Galaxy S10 LED back cover)?

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Samsung introduced a new back cover for Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e: Galaxy S10 LED cover (LED back cover).

The LED cover is a back cover with some unique LED features including mood lighting, LED emoticons, Picture cue, and camera timer. The old LED wallet cover is now renamed as Galaxy S10 LED View cover in most regions.

This Galaxy S10 accessories guide explains how to set up and use Galaxy S10 LED cover (LED back cover) on Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e, the unique features of this cover and a review of this LED cover.

Unique features of Galaxy S10 LED cover (LED back cover)?

Galaxy S10 LED cover is a new type of official accessories. It is a back cover with some unique LED features.

Compared to other back covers, the LED back cover has the following special features:

  • Mood lighting.  When Galaxy S10 is facing downwards, a light show is presented with the LEDs.  You can only enable or disable the show, not customize the show.
  • LED notification icons. You will get notification icons on the back when a notification comes. But the LED notification icon only works with some Samsung apps, and you cannot customize the LED icons. Please note, in Galaxy S10 LED View cover, you can customize the LED notification icons.
  • Camera timer. If the timer for the rear camera is turned on, the countdown will be shown on both the screen and the cover.
  • Emoticons for the rear cameras. When you open the camera app, and the rear cameras are active, a LED icon you chose will be shown on the back cover.

Unlike the fabric-like material used in Galaxy S10 LED view cover, the exterior of the Galaxy S10 LED back cover is glossy plastic. Therefore it is a fingerprint magnet.

The LED cover provides moderate protection for the glass back of the phone. The raised edges on the top and bottom (over the screen) offers marginal protection for the screen,  The two side edges of the Galaxy S10 LED back cover for Galaxy S10, and S10+ are lower than the screen due to the curved screen in these two models.

Please note, Galaxy Friends, which is available for Galaxy S20 LED back cover,  are not available for Galaxy S10 LED back cover.

How to set up and customize the LED cover (LED back cover)?

Once you snap the LED back cover on to the phone, you will get a notification asking you to set up the cover if you use it the first time.

Actually, Galaxy S10 will automatically add:

  • The LED cover app in the Apps screen, as shown below.
  • An entry in Settings — Advanced features —Accessories — LED cover.

These two items are identical: both are shortcuts for the Galaxy S10 LED cover settings.

For example, in Galaxy S10 Settings, you can tap Advanced features as shown below.

S10 settings S10 accessories settings

In the Advanced Features page, tap Accessories… Read the rest

How to use the new fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, Note 10, S20, Note 20, S21, and S22?

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use the new fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10eSamsung dramatically changed the fingerprint reader (fingerprint sensor) on Galaxy S10. An in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader is used in Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+.

Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S20 also used identical in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader.

With the removal of the Iris scanner on Galaxy S10, many owners will have to use the fingerprint scanner to quickly unlock Galaxy S10.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how to register fingerprints and use the fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S10+, Note 10, Note 10+, S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Note 20 Ultra, s21, S21+, S21 Ultra, S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra.

What’s new in Galaxy S10 fingerprint reader?

Galaxy S10 (and Galaxy S10+) is the first smartphone with an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader, which is one of the most notable new features of Galaxy S10.

Instead of scanning your fingerprint using capacitive or optical methods, an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor uses sonic pulse waves to find out the 3D structure of your fingerprints.

Similar ultrasonic technology has been used in biomedical imaging in hospitals for decades and saved many lives.

Generally speaking, or technically, the ultrasonic fingerprint reader can get the real 3D info of your fingerprints and therefore it could potentially be far more accurate than the traditional capacitive fingerprint reader.

Do not confuse this in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader with the in-display optical fingerprint ones (as in a few OnePlus and Vivo phones). The optical fingerprint reader is the slowest one. It is even slower than the traditional capacitive fingerprint reader.  And the optical one is the least secure because it is essentially a kind of 2D photo recognition.

For Galaxy S10e, a traditional capacitive fingerprint sensor is mounted on the power button as illustrated in Galaxy S10 layout. The position is at least better than the fingerprint on Galaxy S8 (see Galaxy S8 layout) or S9 (see Galaxy S9 layout).

What are the major limitations of the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader on Galaxy S10 and S10+?

Although the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor sounds cool and is actually the most secure (accurate) fingerprint reader, there are some inherent limitations of this new sensor on Galaxy S10:

  • Many screen protectors will not work nicely with the in-display fingerprint reader. The sonic waves are affected by the air between the screen and screen protector. Therefore the sensor may not function properly even if a small air bubble is trapped by the screen protector.
  • You need to know where to press your finger.
  • The matching sensitivity is not rocket science. If Samsung set the sensitivity too high, you may have to press several times. If it is set too low, it will not be secure.

So, as explained in the top 10 disappointing and missing features of Galaxy S10, I prefer the fingerprint sensor on Galaxy S10e.

You may check this guide to understand the limitations of using the fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10, S20, S21, and S22.

How to register fingerprints for

… Read the rest

Galaxy S10 layout (layout of Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e)

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Galaxy S10 layout (layout of Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e)You need to understand the Galaxy S10 layout to properly use your Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e.

The 4 models of Galaxy S10: S10, S10+ (S10 Plus), S10e, and S10 5G, share similar, but not identical design. The layout of these 4 Galaxy S10 phones is slightly different.

Because S10 5G has not been released yet, this Galaxy S10 guide will explain the layout of Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.

Why do you need to know about Galaxy S10 layout?

Galaxy S10 is not a revolutionary product. So, you can find some similarity between the Galaxy S10 layout and Galaxy S9 layout.

But the difference is also obvious.

Exploring the Galaxy S10 layout allows you to:

  • Locate the buttons: Power button, Bixby button, and volume buttons.
  • Locate the ports including multifunction (USB Type C) port and headphone jack.
  • Locate the SIM card tray.
  • Locate the antennas.
  • Locate the cameras and sensors.
  • Locate the wireless charging coil.
  • Locate the speaker and microphones.
  • Locate the fingerprint sensor.

Anyway, you should spend a few mins on understanding the Galaxy S10 layout. It will pay off immediately when you avoid some mistakes (e.g., piercing the microphone on the top with the SIM card ejection pin) or learn to use some special features or tricks.

The major differences among Galaxy S10 layout, Galaxy S10+ layout, and Galaxy S10e layout

The differences in specifications of Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e are reflected in the device layout.

Here is the list of major differences among Galaxy S10 layout, Galaxy S10+ layout, and Galaxy S10e layout:

  • Size.  Galaxy S10+ is the largest and Galaxy S10e is the smallest. Galaxy S10 lies in between.
  • The front camera and the hole.   Galaxy S10+ has two front-facing cameras. The hole in the infinity O display is elongated and larger than that in the other two siblings.  Galaxy S10 and S10e only have one front-facing camera. If you want, you can use Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the front camera cutout as explained in this guide.
  • Rear cameras. Both Galaxy s10 and S10+ have 3 rear cameras. Galaxy S10e only gets one.
  • Fingerprint scanner. Both Galaxy S10 and S10+ have an in-display fingerprint ultrasonic scanner. The fingerprint scanner in Galaxy S10e is mounted on the power button.

The relative locations of the buttons, sensors, antennas, ports, speaker and microphones, SIM card tray are almost identical.

The layout of Galaxy s10+ (Galaxy S10+ layout)

The front view of Samsung Galaxy S10+ layout is shown below.

In the front, you can find:

  • Touch screen in Galaxy S10+ layout

The touch screen occupies about 90% of the front side of Galaxy S10+.

You can use various Galaxy S10 touchscreen gestures to interact with the phone.

By default, in the bottom part of the screen, Galaxy S10 navigation bar with 3 navigation buttons can be found. Of course, you can also use navigation gestures, instead of navigation buttons.

On the top of the screen, you … Read the rest

Top 10 disappointing or missing features of Galaxy S10

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Top 10 disappointing or missing features of Galaxy S10Galaxy S10, S10e, S10+, and S10 5G set the standard for the flagship smartphones in 2019. There are many new features and improvements in both hardware and software. But we also noticed some missing features of Galaxy S10.

Galaxy S10 (all 4 models) are far from perfect. There are some missing features in all 4 Galaxy S10 phones. Some features may also be very disappointing.

This post summarizes the top 10 disappointing and missing features of Galaxy S10.

#1. Iris scanner is gone: the most disappointing and missing feature of Galaxy S10

Iris scanner was first introduced in the explosive Galaxy Note 7. Most owners did not get the chance to try it before the phone was recalled, and re-recalled.

In Galaxy S8 (and S8+), the iris scanner works reasonably well. Many Galaxy S8 owners actually used the iris scanner because of the awkward location of the fingerprint scanner.

Obviously, the iris scanner was improved dramatically in Galaxy S9. It is faster than all other unlocking methods including the fingerprint scanner because of the less-ideal location and smaller size of the fingerprint scanner. If you are using a case or cover for Galaxy S9 or S9, it is not easy to reach the fingerprint scanner.

When more and more owners realized and started to enjoy this unlock feature, Samsung removed it from Galaxy S10. You have to use your face (face recognition) or fingerprint reader to unlock Galaxy S10 if you do not want to type the PIN/password.

None of the 4 Galaxy S10 models has the iris scanner.

The reason given by Samsung is the lack of bezel space for the iris scanner.

But if they can punch a hole for the front-facing camera(s), why cannot punch another hole for the iris scanner? Here is the Galaxy S1o layout.

Also, if you do not like the cutout (hole) for the front camera, you can use Galaxy S10 virtual bezel to hide the cutout.

#2. Freely remapping Bixby button (key): The most demanded but missing feature of Galaxy S10:

Bixby is quite good if you compare it to Siri.  But if you compare it to Google Assistant, which is shipped with all Android Pie phones, Bixby is far behind.

But Samsung pushed Bixby so hard that a dedicated hardware Bixby key was introduced in Galaxy S8 and S8+, and all subsequent Galaxy phones get the button below the volume keys.

The most annoying part is that you cannot remap the button for other more useful features. e..g. Launching the Galaxy S10 camera app or using it as a camera shutter button, if you have no intention to use Bixby, or have no intention to use the Bixby button.

In Galaxy S8 and S9, you can disable the Bixby key by letting it do nothing when pressed. If you turn off Bixby Voice in Bixby settings, the long press gesture of the Bixby key will also be deactivated and do nothing.

But … Read the rest

Top 10 new features of Galaxy S10

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top 10 new features of Galaxy S10As Samsung’s flagship smartphones in 2019, Galaxy S10 (include Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10 5G) packs the latest technology Samsung has or can access. So, you can expect some exciting new features of the Galaxy S10.

It is impractical to discuss all new features of Galaxy S10 in one post because of the long list of the new features of Galaxy S10. For the hardware specifications, you may check this post. For Galaxy S10 layout, you may check this guide.

In this post, we will explain the top 10 most exciting new features of Galaxy S10 most owners will enjoy: Dynamic AMOLED with HDR 10+, Infinity O display, ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner, Bixby Routine, ultrawide camera, wireless PowerShare, Android Pie and One UI, Digital wellbeing, recording 4K UHD video with HDR 10+, and fast wireless charging 2.0.

Of course, Galaxy S10 is far from perfect. There are also some disappointing and missing features of Galaxy S10 as discussed here.

The most exciting new feature of Galaxy S10: Dynamic AMOLED with HDR10+

Samsung flagship phones traditionally have the best display.  No other smartphone makers can match Samsung when the display is discussed.

In Galaxy S10, Samsung updates its Super AMOLED to Dynamic AMOLED.

So, All four Galaxy S10 devices (Galaxy s10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy s10+, and Galaxy S1o 5G) all have a Dynamic AMOLED screen.

This AMOLED is somewhat different (and better) from the screen in Galaxy S9 and other Galaxy phones.

In a nutshell, the Dynamic AMOLED on Galaxy S10 supports:

  • Higher brightness (up to 1200 nits peak luminance). You can use the screen even directly under the sunlight.
  • Larger dynamic range.  From black to white, you can see more “colors”.
  • HDR10+.  In addition to static dynamic metadata, HDR10+ also supports dynamic metadata. Therefore the brightness boundaries can be set and changed on a frame-by-frame basis. Galaxy S10 (all models) is the only smartphone certified with HDR10+ up to now (February 2019).
  • Lower blue light emission.  You will feel more comfortable to use the screen in all lighting conditions. Galaxy S10 screen (all models) was certified by TÜV Rheinland.

Dynamic AMOLED is probably the most exciting new features of Galaxy S10. It is available in all four models: Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10 5G.

The most innovative workaround of Galaxy S10: Infinity O display

All smartphone manufacturers are working hard to reducing the bezels.

But there is a limit because of the front-facing cameras.

So far, to solve this problem, other smartphone manufacturers follow iPhone X: using a notch, which can be quite ugly (subjective).

Samsung finds an innovative workaround for this issue: punch a hole for the front-facing cameras.  It looks far better than the notches.

And in Galaxy S10, Samsung calls it infinity O display. All 4 Galaxy s10 models use infinity O display. Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10 5G get a bigger (and elongated) “hole”.

If you are not a fan of the punched hole, … Read the rest

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, S10e, and S10 5G

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pecifications of Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus and S10eAlthough software plays a more and more important role in today’s smartphones,  many potential Galaxy S10 buyers are still eager to know what are the specifications of Samsung Galaxy S10.

Based on early leaks and rumours, the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S10 are almost certain in most aspects.

This post summarizes the key specifications of Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, S10e, and S10 5G.

Update: From April 2023, Samsung stopped releasing security updates for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e after  3 major OS updates (Android 10/One UI 2 update, Android 11/One UI 3 update, and Android 12/One UI 4 update) and 4-year security updates.

How many models of Galaxy S10 will be?

Almost certain, tThere will be 3 are 4 Galaxy S10 models with slightly different specifications:

  • Galaxy S10.
  • Galaxy S10+ (Plus).
  • Galaxy S10e.
  • Galaxy S10 5G (in selected markets only).

Galaxy S10 is targeting mainstream users. S10+ (S1o Plus) is targeting hardware enthusiasts who want to get everything available. Galaxy S10e is targeting buyers who want a smaller phone.  All these 3 Galaxy S10 models will be available globally on March 8, 2019.

Galaxy S10 5G is the only 5G capable phone in the market now. It will be available in Q2 2019. Because the 5G network is only available in very limited regions and carriers, Galaxy S10 5G will be available in selected regions. 5G features (e.g., 5G NR, 5G NSA, 5G sub-6, and 5G mmWave) are explained in this guide.

The specifications of Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G  are slightly different.

Of course, Galaxy S10+ will be the most expensive one among the three (the pricing of S10 5G is still not available now). S10e will be the cheapest.

Key features in specifications of Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e

Samsung Galaxy 10 is the 1oth generation of Galaxy S series phones.  Samsung needs to use this historical device to showcase its leadership in the oversaturated smartphone market.

In addition to the annual upgrade of CPU, there are some interesting and major changes in Galaxy S10 specifications.

The infinity display will be pushed to the limit: the top bezel is not enough for the camera lens and a hole in the display has to be punched.  So, Samsung just named it Infinity O display. You may hide the hole (cutout) using a black bar (Galaxy S10 virtual bezel) if you do not like the hole. But this will reduce the usable screen area.

So, instead of a notch, you will see the punched area for the front cameras as shown below.

Key features in specifications of Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e

The fingerprint scanner will now be embedded under the screen in Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10 5G. And it uses an ultrasonic 3D scanning technique.  There is no button or cutout for the fingerprint scanner.  Please check this guide on how to use Galaxy S1o in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader.

On Galaxy S10e, the fingerprint scanner will be embedded in … Read the rest

About Galaxy S10 Guides

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Galaxy S10 Guides communityGalaxy S10 guides community is part of the GadgetGuideOnline network featuring detailed how-to guides for the latest gadgets.

This post explains what the Galaxy S10 Guides community does and how the Galaxy S9 guides are organized.

What does the Galaxy S10 Guides community do?

Galaxy S10 guides @GadgetGuideOnline is an online community for Galaxy S10 owners and by Galaxy S10 owners.

It is an owner-help-owner community for owners of Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e. Galaxy S10 5G will be also covered.

For many Galaxy S10 owners, access to the “official” support can be:

  • Inconvenient. There may be very limited Samsung support centers in some regions. You do not want to drive a few hours to the support center, wait a few hours in the queue if you can get the answer or solution through a community like Galaxy S10 Guides here. Also, most support centers only open in office hours when you may have to work.
  • Ineffective. In the support centers, the standard procedures have to be followed. Very often, you have to reset the phone and have to wait a long time.
  • Costy. If your Galaxy S10 is out of warranty (e.g., you bought it from other regions), the cost of the visit to the support center can be quite expensive.
  • Inadequate. In most regions, the support for your Galaxy S10, S10+, S1oe, and S10 5G is limited to hardware and pre-installed apps.

Of course, for hardware related issues, you have to visit the local service center because they have all the tools software to test the hardware.

But for software related issues or feature related questions, you can find the solution or answer without wasting time in the service center.

Galaxy S10 Guides offer many high-quality how-to style guides explaining the features of Galaxy S10, showing you how to use your Galaxy S10, helping you find and use proper accessories for your Galaxy S10.

The comments section in Galaxy S10 guides lets you ask questions or share your solutions.

Galaxy S10 Guides do NOT cover the following: rooting Galaxy S10, DIY hacking the S10 hardware, flashing the firmware for Galaxy S10…

Galaxy S10 Guide is a free community: all contents are free to read. You are free to ask questions related to Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G.

How are Galaxy S10 Guides organized?

Detailed how-to guides on using Galaxy S10 or solving problems on Galaxy S10 are the starting point. Many owners can learn to use some features of Galaxy S10 through these guides. Owners can also share their solution or recommendations for a similar problem.

Discussions are moderated in the comments section so that meaningful contributions from fellow Galaxy S10 owners will benefit other members in the community.

There are 5 sections in Galaxy S10 Guides.

Galaxy S10 new features guides

This section hosts detailed guides explaining the new features of the Galaxy S10 and showing you how to use them.

For example, many owners want to know how … Read the rest