Samsung has recognised that a large number of screen protectors on the market won't work with the Galaxy S10‘s ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint reader, so it's installed one on the device that will. But it's nothing to write home about, because it's plastic and will no doubt scratch over time — so it's more of a stop-gap to keep your device safe until you have the chance to pick up something better.
That said, if you find yourself liking Samsung's plastic offering more than, let's say, the forthcoming, more durable tempered glass counterpart of that of a competitor, the firm will be selling replacements on its website and in select brick-and-mortar stores for when it's all scratched and tarnished. They'll come at a premium, though — $29.99, to be precise.
The budget Galaxy S10e, unlike the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+, won't come with a screen protector installed out of the box, and that's because it doesn't tout a fancy ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor. For that reason, customers shouldn't have any trouble heading over to their local Best Buy when their handset arrives to choose from one of the many off-the-shelf options.
This isn't the first time that Samsung has thrown a freebie in with one of its latest devices. It first started bundling a protective case with the Galaxy Note 8 in a handful of markets, including India, later moving that same scheme over to the Galaxy A8+ (2018), Galaxy On7 Prime, Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, and, most recently, the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e.
SamsungGalaxy S10
SamsungGalaxy S10+
