Reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the Galaxy S10 pre-order demand is high which has led him to increase the shipment forecast for the series by 30 percent. He credits the strong performance of the Galaxy S10 series to the “spec differentiation from iPhone models” which includes features like a triple-camera setup, in-display fingerprint scanner, and reverse wireless charging.

The analyst also notes strong demand of the Galaxy S10 series in China and trade-in programs which have made it easier and cheaper for customers to upgrade to the Galaxy S10. Kuo’s original estimate for the Galaxy S10 shipment was around 30-35 million units for 2019. He has now increased that by 30 percent to 40-45 million units.

Pre-order demand for the S10 series is better than expected. Worldwide pre-order demand for the S10 series grows by 30-40% YoY compared to that for the S9 series based on our survey. Therefore, we will increase shipment estimates of the S10 series in 2019 by 30% from 30-35mn to 40-45 units. S10+ and S10 account for 85% or more of total shipments.

We believe that the better-than-expected shipment momentum of S10 series is due to (1) the market’s bearish view on high-end smartphone growth, (2) spec differentiation from iPhone models, including an ultrasonic fingerprint on display (FOD), rear triple-camera, and bilateral wireless charging, (3) much better-than-expected demand in China market, and (4) trade-in programs.

The Galaxy S10 series comes with a new punch-hole display, a versatile triple-camera setup, oodles of RAM and storage, a massively improved front camera, and more. It also features an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner that’s more secure than the optical in-display fingerprint scanners we have seen the likes of OnePlus and Vivo use in their phones.

Our Take

Samsung is not the first to the market with a triple-camera setup, in-display fingerprint scanner, or reverse wireless charging. Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro from last year already has these features, though Samsung’s marketing prowess and brand name are strong enough to make most consumers forget that and drool over the S10.