Samsung Electronics Co.’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S10 expected to hit the market early next year would support the fifth-generation (5G) network, but the much-awaited foldable phone will be backed by existing LTE technology,

A source from a local wireless carrier said on Monday that the company has been working with the South Korean tech giant to apply an application processor (AP) supporting 5G network for the first time to the new Galaxy series that usually are released in March. Korean wireless carriers are readying to complete commercialization of 5G network by March next year.

Industry watchers speculate that Samsung Electronics is expected to unveil the Galaxy S10 in the domestic market or at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) to be held in Spain in February 2019. The company would launch long-term evolution (LTE)-powered Galaxy S10 first and later release an upgrade version running on 5G upon the full distribution of the network across the nation, because 5G would only be available in some parts of the country in its early stage, according to industry sources.

Foreign media sources also found that Samsung is in talks with the U.S. wireless carrier Verizon to launch the Galaxy S10 equipped with 5G chipset in the country next year. Koh Dong-jin, president of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics, confirmed at a press conference held after the release of the Galaxy Note 9 in August that the company aims to launch 5G-powered smartphone around March or April next year.

Samsung Electronics’ foldable phone is expected be backed by LTE. The company recently confirmed that it will officially launch its first foldable smartphone in the first half with an initial shipment of 1 million units. The device has a 4.6-inch cover display that opens up to a wider 7.3-inch screen.

The company expects the twin breakthroughs in hardware design and wireless technology would serve as traction to its stagnant phone sales.

By Lee Sun-hee and Choi Mira

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]