Samsung’s upcoming flagship series might just have a new name. While logic would dictate that the successor to last year’s S10 would be the S11, a few well-known leakers gave suggested that Samsung’s 2020 lineup will instead use “S20” as a base.
(Image credit: CashKaro/OnLeaks)
Considering recent trends, this isn’t a surprising or particularly novel move. For example, the successor to Huawei’s Honor 10 was the Huawei Honor 20, while the P20 succeeded the P10. Not long ago, Apple also made a radical change to its naming scheme with the introduction of the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.
The primary source of this information is the leaker Ice universe, who has historically been pretty accurate with their predictions about Samsung devices and had previously leaked the sizes of the new S phones. According to them, it’s quite possible that this new name is related to the phone line’s 2020 release date, and a “new beginning” for Samsung’s flagship series.
Tweets from Ice universe and Harmless Karl
The first to break the news about the new names was the aforementioned Ice universe, which was later corroborated by case-maker and fellow leakster Harmless Karl.
In addition to the new S20 series name, it seems that Samsung will also be reorganizing the series in a manner very similar to Apple. The S10 edge series, once the cheaper alternative to the S10, is gone. In its place will be the “S20,” a 6.2-inch phone that will serve as the baseline model. The basic S10 is now the 6.7-inch S20+, while the S10+ is now the 6.9-inch S20 Ultra (with this name being less confirmed than the others).
In such a saturated market, the buzz generated by this name change could be a not-insignificant edge for Samsung. The timing for this rebrand, if it will even happen, is perfect, and it remains to be seen whether or not this will carry over to other product lines. For example, will the Note10 be followed up by a Note20? We’re sure to learn more after Samsung’s Unpacked launch event on February 18th.
Keeping up with Apple?
The similarities between Samsung’s latest move and those of its long-time arch-rival Apple cannot be ignored. Knowing the development cycle of a smartphone, the S20 was in development far before the iPhone 11 was released. That said, moving the basic model from the middle to the bottom is a pretty interesting move from a marketing perspective, as it creates two high-end options rather than just one. Although the S20 will be the cheapest option, eliminating the “e” means that it may not feel that way for consumers (for better or for worse). Is this just Samsung trying to copy its biggest competitor? Or is it a sign of things to come for the industry as a whole?
A new Galaxy Fold?
Suprisingly, the S20 may not be the next Samsung phone to be released. South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency has reported that the Galaxy Fold 2 may be released either around the same time (mid-February) or earlier, even.
Leaked pictures suggest that the new Fold 2 will have a “clamshell” (i.e. flip phone) design similar to this year’s Motorola RAZR. It will also reportedly be significantly cheaper than the Fold 1. Time will tell if it manages to iron out the kinks that plagued the original Fold. While it’s a bit early to release a successor to a phone that’s only been out for a few months, considering Samsung’s aggressive goals for folding phones in 2020 it may make sense to rush out a cheaper, more accessible alternative.
Conclusion
New names are always fun, but it’s important to remember their implications. Does the elimination of a cheaper variant, first with the iPhone and now with the Galaxy, indicate that smartphones are only going to get more expensive from here on out? Or is it just a new name for the same old thing? As we learn more about the supposed S20, we’ll be sure to let you iknow.
