We all know there are going to be two different Galaxy Note 10 models that go on sale later this year. Samsung switched to making three versions of its Galaxy S flagships with the Galaxy S10, and when we first heard (thanks to our sources) about the company making two Galaxy Note 10s, it didn't really come as a surprise.
But we've seen plenty of comments and opinions about how the Galaxy Note line is supposed to represent the very best of what Samsung has to offer and so it makes little sense to have a cheaper Galaxy Note 10 that doesn't have the best specs. Frankly, I think that logic is flawed, especially here in 2019. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons.
Pricing is a major factor…
Prices for flagship smartphones continue to rise each year, as smartphone makers try to cram more and more tech inside these devices in a bid to set them apart from the rest. The Galaxy Note line finally reached the $999 barrier last year with the Galaxy Note 9, and the Galaxy S10+ was launched for the same price for the base variant. The 1TB version of the S10+ costs a whopping $1,599 (although there are plenty of discounts available now), so if there would be just one Galaxy Note 10 that packs everything Samsung has to offer, you'd have to make a galactically large hole in your pocket to get your hands on the top variant of the latest and greatest Note flagship.
The base variant with 128/256GB storage would be a bit cheaper, of course, with rumors saying the Note 10+ could start at around $1150. That's still a lot of money, and just having a single variant would put the Note 10 out of the reach of many prospective customers. Yes, one could simply get the Galaxy S10+ instead, which has excellent hardware and is sure to see further price drops once the Note 10 hits the shelves. But, let's not forget that the Note line offers something the Galaxy S line probably never will: The S Pen stylus.
… And so is the S Pen
And that's really the most important point, isn't it? You only get the S Pen on a Galaxy Note. By making a cheaper Note 10 priced the same as last year's Note, Samsung is giving consumers the opportunity to get access to the S Pen for less money than they'd have to spend for just one fully-featured Galaxy Note 10. You could say they can buy the Galaxy Note 9 for cheaper if they want a stylus, but the Note 9 doesn't have the newer tech Samsung introduced this year. You know, like a screen with fewer bezels, the latest silicon under the hood, an ultra-wide camera, faster charging speeds, and newer software out of the box.
Sure, the headphone jack is going away, but is that really an important factor for every consumer out there? Wireless earbuds are getting better and better with time, and while they will probably never satisfy the audiophiles, their convenience and adequate sound quality will keep most folks quite happy. I just hope the rumors of the cheaper Note 10 also missing out on a microSD slot aren't true. Two separate reports today have said that will be the case, although Samsung could somewhat compensate for that by putting 256GB of storage on the base Galaxy Note 10 variant.
What do you think? Do you think it's a good thing Samsung is making two Galaxy Note 10 models, or would you prefer the Note lineup remain pure forever and only come in one model that doesn't make any sacrifices?
