Android 12

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 Version	One UI version	Top 10 new features
Android 9 (Pie, original)	1.1	1. 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)	2.0/2.1	1. 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)	3.0/3.1	1. 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

simon · 1 Comment

Samsung 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

Galaxy S10 wireless charging guide

simon · Leave a Comment

Galaxy S10 wireless charging allows you to charge Galaxy S10 battery without using a cable on the phone.

But some Galaxy S10 owners still have some questions or concerns about using wireless charging on Galaxy S10 and therefore may haven’t tried this nice feature yet.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide first explains the confusing terms of wireless charging, fast wireless charging, and fast wireless charging 2.0, and why they are relevant when you charge Galaxy S10 wirelessly. Then I will show you how to disable fast wireless charging and answer some questions related to wireless charging on Galaxy S10.

What is wireless charging? What is fast wireless charging? and what is fast charging 2.0?

All smartphones support cable charging. Normally, you can connect the phone to the charger (adapter) through a USB cable (or a proprietary cable) to charge the phone.

The other way to charge a phone battery is wireless charging without using any cables on the phone.

Wireless charging used in the smartphone industry now is all inductive charging, which transfers energy from the charging station to the phone through induction coils.

On the charging station (charging stand, charging base), the induction coil inside the station uses the current from the adapter to create an electromagnetic field. The induction coil in the phone, once paired with the coil in the station, takes power from the electromagnetic field and converts it into charging current for the phone battery.

Wireless charging usually is less efficient than cable charging because energy has to be converted twice: current –> electromagnetic field in the charging station, and electromagnetic field –> current on the phone. So, traditionally, the wireless charging speed is slow. The normal wireless charging can only output charging power up to 5W. Galaxy S6 is the first Samsung phone with wireless charging.

To improve the charging speed, Samsung announced fast wireless charging with Galaxy S7. The maximum charging power output is about 7.5W.

With Galaxy S10, Samsung announced fast wireless charging 2.0, which supports up to a 12W output.

As explained in this guide:

Fast wireless charging 2.0 is based on Qi wireless charging standard set by Wireless Power Consortium. The 2.0 was coined by Samsung to differentiate its implementation from previous fast wireless charging.

So, fast wireless charging 2.0, one of the top 10 new features of Galaxy S10, is not a new industry standard.

The major difference among wireless charging, fast wireless charging, and fast wireless charging 2.0 is the charging power (5W vs 7.5W vs 12W). And therefore, they are backwards compatible.

What do you need to use wireless charging for Galaxy S10 battery?

You need 3 components to use wireless charging:

A phone supports wireless charging.
A wireless charging station.
An adapter that supplies power to the charging station.

Whether you are using normal wireless charging, fast wireless charging, or fast wireless charging 2.0, is determined by the lowerest one among the 3 components.

For example, since Galaxy S10 … Read the rest

How to use app folders on Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen?

simon · 2 Comments

You can use app folders on Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen to organize apps and reduce the number of panels (pages).

Although it is not a new feature, many Galaxy S10 owners may be confused about the differences when managing app folders on the Home screen and Apps screen.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains why you need app folders, the limitation of the app folders, how to create, use, and manage app folders on both Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen.

If your Galaxy S10 has been updated to Android 12, you may check this updated guide on how to use app folders on Galaxy phones with Android 12 (One UI 4).

What are app folders on Galaxy S10? Why do you need them?

App folders are simply a folder of app icons. On Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen, each app folder occupies one slot (grid point), like one app icon.

So, using app folders can help you:

Save screen space. You do not want to scroll 20 home screen panels to find an app.
Organize apps. You can organize similar apps or apps from one developer into one app folder so that you can locate them very quickly.

In fact, when you unboxed your Galaxy S10, you already found the Samsung folder and the Google folder in Galaxy S10 Apps screen.

Please note, although Galaxy S10 lock screen has two spots (bottom left and right) for two apps, you cannot use app folders there.

Galaxy S10 Edge screen supports app pair, and app folders (which are created in the Edge screen) on the Apps edge.

What are the limitations of app folders?

There are a few limitations when you use app folders on Galaxy S10, including

Galaxy S10 does not support nested app folders. You are not allowed to put an app folder under another app folder.
You cannot customize the screen grid for the app folders. In Galaxy S10 Home screen settings, you can customize the screen grid from 4×5 to 4×6 to 5×5 or to 5×6. But the layout of app icons inside the app folder is always 4×4. If you put more than 16 apps in one app folder, a new panel inside the folder will be added automatically.
On Galaxy S10 App screen, one app icon can appear only in one app folder. All app icons on the Apps screen can only be shown once. When you put an app into an app folder in the Apps screen, this app icon will only appear in the app folder. You cannot find it elsewhere on the Apps screen. Please note, Galaxy S10 Home screen does not have this limitation. In other words, one app icon can appear multiple times, including multiple app folders on the Home screen.
You can only use app folders on Galaxy S10 Home screen and Apps screen. You cannot use them on the

… Read the rest

How to use Galaxy S10 night mode?

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Galaxy 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.

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 quick setting buttons?

simon · 2 Comments

You can use Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons to quickly turn on or turn off some features without opening Galaxy S10 Settings, or any apps.

The first a few quick setting buttons are also available in the notification panel, like in other Android phones.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains how Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons may improve your productivity, the two ways to access quick setting buttons, how to use quick setting buttons, and how to manage quick setting buttons on Galaxy S10, S10e, S10+, and S10 5G.

What are the Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons?

Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons allow you to turn on and turn off some frequently used features quickly without opening the Galaxy S10 Settings page.

By default, on the top of the Galaxy S10 notification panel, there is one row of quick setting buttons. They are the first a few of the quick setting buttons.

You can access more quick setting buttons in a dedicated panel.

Since Android Pie, Google removed the dialogue options for quick setting buttons.

So in Galaxy s10, the quick setting buttons are simple to enable or to disable specific features/functions. Of course, if you long tap the button, you will be directed to the corresponding Galaxy S10 Settings page.

In Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons panel, you can also change the display brightness settings.

Samsung may also add new buttons into the quick setting buttons when some new features are added. For example, in Galaxy S10 September 2019 update, the Link to Windows button was added.

How to access Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons?

As mentioned, you can access part (first a few) of quick setting buttons in the Galaxy S10 notification panel.

If you want to access all quick setting buttons, there are two ways to access them:

Swipe down twice from the status bar (swipe down from the notification panel).
Swipe down once with two fingers from the status bar.

The result of these two methods are identical: they will bring you to the dedicated Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons page so that you can use all quick setting buttons and manage them.

As illustrated below, you can swipe down from the status bar to open the notification panel.

Then, you can swipe down again to access the quick setting buttons as shown below.

The second method requires you to swipe down from the status bar with two fingers as illustrated below.

When using some apps, the status bar may be hidden. In these cases, you can just swipe down from the top of the screen without seeing the status bar.

How to use Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons?

Quick setting buttons accept two touchscreen gestures:

Tap (single tap) to turn on or turn off the corresponding feature.
Tap and hold (long tap) to open the corresponding Galaxy S10 Settings page.

Please note, some buttons do not have a settings page. If you tap and hold (long tap) these buttons, … Read the rest

How to use and customize Galaxy S10 lock screen?

simon · 2 Comments

Galaxy S10 lock screen can help you keep your data from prying eyes.

Samsung also allows you to tweak and customize the lock screen to match your personal preferences and needs.

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the components of the Galaxy S10 lock screen, shows you how to customize the lock screen, and addresses some questions you may have with the Galaxy S10 lock screen.

What is the Galaxy S10 lock screen?

When you power on or reboot Galaxy S10, it will stop at Galaxy S10 lock screen until you unlock the phone. This is similar to other Android phones.

You can imagine the Galaxy S10 lock screen is the door of your Galaxy S10 (S10, S10+, S10e, or S1o 5G).

If someone crosses the door, he can then access everything you saved on the phone: your contacts, messages, call log, files, emails, photos, app data, and many more.

For this reason, you should keep the lock screen secured. In other words, you should set up a PIN or password to lock the phone so that all people except you can only access up to the lock screen.

If you leave the phone unattended, or your phone is stolen, a secured lock screen may save your life.

On the other hand, you want to access some info very quickly on Galaxy S10. For example, you may want to pause the music playing without unlocking the phone or peek the notifications.

So, some features were added to Galaxy S10 lock screen to improve your productivity without sacrificing security and privacy.

What are the components of the lock screen?

Typically, there are up to 7 components on the Galaxy S10 lock screen, as shown in the screenshot below.

Status bar. Due to the cutout of the front camera, notification icons on the right side are not aligned to the right edge of the screen. Please check this guide on the meaning of the status icons and notification icons on Galaxy S10. You may customize and even disable notification icons in Galaxy S10 status bar as explained in this guide.
Clock and FaceWidgets. You can swipe left and right to switch to other FaceWidgets.
Contact info.
Notifications.
Charging status (when charging Galaxy S10 battery)
The in-display fingerprint scanner location indicator (for Galaxy S10, S10+, and S1o 5G).
App shortcuts (up to two).

You can hide some of them including contact info, notifications, and app shortcuts. But others will be always shown.

If you swipe down from the status bar, you will then access the Galaxy S10 quick setting buttons panel. There is no dedicated notification panel in the lock screen.

How to customize Galaxy S10 lock screen wallpaper?

If you want to change the wallpaper for the Galaxy S10 lock screen, you can go to the edit mode for Galaxy S10 Home screen.

On Galaxy S10 Home screen, you can enter the edit mode with either of the two touchscreen … Read the rest

How to charge Galaxy S10 battery?

simon · 30 Comments

You need to charge Galaxy S10 battery properly to maximize the battery life without sacrificing your usage.

There are many so-called expert recommendations and rules on how to charge Galaxy S10 battery. Some of them are outdated (e.g., you need to drain Galaxy S10 battery completely every few weeks). Some are ridiculously wrong (e.g., you should not charge Galaxy S10 battery to full).

This Galaxy S10 how-to guide explains the proper way to charge Galaxy S10 battery with a wall charger (USB charging) or a wireless charger (wireless charging). Quick charge 2.0 and fast wireless charging 2.0 are also discussed.

How long should I charge Galaxy S10 battery the first time?

The old textbook may tell you that you should charge the new battery for at least 6-8 hours for the first time.

This is outdated. It does not apply to the Galaxy S10 battery.

When you charge Galaxy S10 battery the first time, you just need to charge it to “charged.” Then you can disconnect it from the charger (wall charger or wireless charger) and start to use it.

In fact, when Galaxy S10 left the factory, the battery was charged to about 60%. You can immediately use the phone when you get it. It is unnecessary to charge a new Galaxy S10 for 6 hours.

In some regions, Samsung does not offer a 1-to-1 exchange for hardware defects. You have to check the phone in the store.

Anyway, there are no special requirements when you charge the Galaxy S10 battery the first time.

Please note, there is no notification LED in Galaxy S10 (including S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G). As discussed on this page, you have to wake up the screen to check whether the battery is fully charged or not.

What are the two ways to charge the Galaxy S10 battery?

Galaxy S10 supports charging through the USB-C port and the wireless charging coil. You may refer to Galaxy S10 layout to check the location of the USB-C port and wireless charging coils.

So, you can charge Galaxy S10 battery in two ways:

Through a USB cable (USB charging). Normally, you will use a wall charger. But you can also charge Galaxy S10 battery with a power bank, PC, or another mobile device with USB-C port.
Wireless charging.

In Galaxy S10 box, a wall charger is included.

The wireless charging pad is not included in Galaxy S10 box. You may have to buy one.

What are fast charging and fast wireless charging for Galaxy S10, S10+, and s10e?

Galaxy S10, S10+, and 10e support quick charge 2.0 when charging through the USB-C port (USB charging). Of course, this requires a wall charger with quick charge support.

In the Galaxy S10 box, you can find the included 15W wall charger, which is a quick charge 2.0 compliant charger.

Samsung named the fast charge technology as adaptive fast charging. As mentioned in the top 10 disappointing and missing features of Galaxy S10… Read the rest

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

simon · 3 Comments

Although 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, t~~There ~~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.

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