Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Will Still Have Physical Buttons, Report Says

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 10 device will reportedly retain its physical buttons save for one, a report said.

Previous reports described the Galaxy Note 10 as lacking a dedicated Bixby key but still having physical buttons for power and volume controls. This is confirmed by one report that had to correct itself after receiving more information from anonymous sources knowledgeable about the matter.

Android Police reported earlier that Samsung planned to do away with the physical buttons on the Galaxy Note 10, instead opting to put capacitive or pressure-sensitive areas that can be used to switch the device on/off and control the volume levels. This information, the report said, came from “a source familiar with [Samsung’s] plans.”

According to the report, these capacitive areas will be marked by some sort of distinguishing characteristic like a faux button or a certain texture. When users place their fingers on these areas and apply some pressure on them, they will respond by working the same way as traditional physical buttons do, minus the “clicking” sound and feel.

Android Police explained that by doing away with traditional physical buttons, Samsung will be able to do a lot of things to the Galaxy Note 10. First, it will be able to strengthen the device as the cutouts used for physical buttons won’t be there anymore, and will help to create a more durable unibody.

Second, the Galaxy Note 10 will have fewer entry points for dust and water to seep in. This will also help make for a more durable smartphone.

Corrected

Within the same day, Android Police issued an update saying that a “reliable source” reached out to say that Samsung has “halted” its plans to do away with physical buttons on the Galaxy Note 10. The report said Samsung really intended to do away with the buttons, but changed its plans without any explanation.

This simply means that the Galaxy Note 10 will still have the previously reported physical buttons for power and volume control. The Bixby key, on the other hand, is still nowhere to be found.

While some might consider this as a non-issue, one thing about the Galaxy Note 10 is that earlier reports said it doesn’t have the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack that many users want.

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 10 in Aug. 7 this year.