Galaxy Note 9 Leak Shows Samsung Will Never Go With A Notch

A render of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9, according to Android Headline"s sources.Android Headlines

What you see above is a rendering of what the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 will likely look like, according to Android Headlines, citing "reliable sources." This render is in-line with previously leaked images of Note 9 screen protectors that hinted at the phone"s face.

If you"re thinking "That"s it?", know that you"re not alone.

This is arguably the most boring leak in the history of smartphone leaks. The Galaxy Note 9"s face looks identical to the Galaxy Note 8"s face. The only notable thing about it is that, unlike almost all other phonemakers, Samsung will not jump on the notch bandwagon.

That"s to be expected. As I--and many others--have assumed, Samsung is too direct a rival to Apple, and has painted itself too much into a corner with its series of public disses of the notch, to follow down that same route now. If Samsung had gone with a notch, it would (rightfully) be laughed at by everyone from Apple fans to tech writers.

A still from a Samsung commercial that poked fun at the iPhone X"s notch.Samsung

But back to the Note 9. Anyone who"s watched Samsung"s releases through the years knew not to expect any big changes. The Galaxy S9 this year was an iterative upgrade, so it"s natural that the Note 9 follows the same path. There will be a new Snapdragon 845 processor, the shifting aperture from the S9 will almost certainly make the jump over, and new tricks with the S-Pen, as teased by Samsung"s recent press invite to the Note 9 launch. I"m certain the Note 9 will be an excellent phone, as is the case with Samsung"s last few releases, it will just feel very familiar.

It appears that Samsung, like Apple did with the iPhone 7, is holding back major design overhauls or innovations for its "tenth edition" phone. The Galaxy S10, set for release in spring of 2019, is rumored to pack five cameras--two front-facing lens, with three cameras on the back like Huawei"s P20 Pro.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Expect the Note 9 to look just like this.Ben Sin

I"d bet good money Samsung will skip the notch there too. For the S10, Samsung will either have to come up with some quirky and ingenious way of dealing with the front-facing camera problem--a pop-up mechanism like the Vivo Nex, perhaps--or stick with a traditional top bezel.

The Galaxy Note 9 is set to be unveiled on August 9 in Brooklyn, New York.