A complete history of the Samsung Galaxy range up to the S10

Brought to you by Samsung

Hard to believe the Samsung Galaxy range is nearly a decade old.

It really doesn't feel like that long ago that the very first cameraphone came out and shocked the world, never mind smartphone. Maybe we're just old, but back then the thought of having most of the functionalities of a laptop on a pocket-sized device didn't seem possible. Fast forward to 2019, and the vast majority of us have phones capable of doing incredible things. At this rate, we give it until 2025 before we'll have phones that can do the dishes.

Samsung Galaxy S

Here it is, the OG. It all started with the Galaxy S in 2010, and its modest 4-inch display probably seemed massive at the time. It was also the thinnest phone on a the market back then as well, which probably played a big part of it selling 25 million units worldwide. We imagine there were more than a few people on these shores getting great use out of the Galaxy S during the Big Freeze that year...

Samsung Galaxy S2

The S2 took everything good about the original, and pretty much brought it to the next level. It was the first time a dual-core CPU came into the equation, which again back then would have been something you'd just see with computers. The display was slightly bigger at 4.3-inches, and the camera's upgrade to 8.0MP would have been a welcome one indeed. After its release in 2011, the S2 won "Smartphone of The Year" at the Mobile World Congress Awards in the following year.

Samsung Galaxy S3

At first glace, you can really see the step up in terms of style with the S3. It was considerably bigger than the first Galaxy as well with a 4.8-inch display, and the phone's design was much more modern than its predecessors. As well as having a bigger screen, everything on it looked much sharper. The S3 also received over 9 million pre-orders in two weeks when it was first launched as well, making it the fastest-selling device ever, at the time.

Samsung Galaxy S4

The design was very similar to the S3 (if it ain't broke), but it was what lay inside the S4 that really mattered. The 13MP camera was on another level, and the 5-inch display made everything look incredibly crisp. Multitasking was a breeze on it as well, as the upgraged CPU was more than capable of handling just about anything you threw at it. The S4 might not have looked like a big jump from the outside, but the Samsung Galaxy series was really starting to mature.

Samsung Galaxy S5

Fingerprint scanner, 4K video recording, water resistance, and a 16MP camera. Those four features say it all really. With small dimples dotted along the back cover, practicality was favoured over the glossy style of the S4. The CPU in the S5 was also a considerable step up, but many felt it was too similar to its predecessor.

Samsung Galaxy S6

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge will likely go down as one of the prettiest phones of all time. For the first time in the series' history, a unibody frame of metal and glass was favoured over plastic. Wireless charging was also introduced, and the Edge's screen was revolutionary at the time.

Samsung Galaxy S7

With the S7, Samsung combined the practicality of the S5 with the gorgeous style of the S6. Water resistance and a micro SD slot were two welcome returns, and the S7 Edge bringing an incredible 5.5-inch display unlike anything else on the market. Little did we know it at the time, but the S7 would be the last time we would see a physical home button.

Samsung Galaxy S8

It didn't take long to notice what was different about the S8. For the first time in the series' history, the phone didn't have a physical home button, leaving more room for that bigger screen and taller aspect ratio. As well as that, the beautiful curved edges that were previously only on the upgraded models were available on all versions of the S8. All in all, it was a gorgeous phone to look at in 2017 and still looks incredibly stylish in 2019.

Samsung Galaxy S9

We doubt many people were calling out for a redesign after the S8, so the next addition to the series looks very similar at first glance. On closer inspection, the redesigned back panel had the addition of a fingerprint scanner, which was much more convenient than where it was on the S8. A better camera, the ability to shoot super slow motion video and a bright display that performs well in any lighting conditions make it a worthy successor to what came before.

Samsung Galaxy S10

The new kid on the block is already making waves. You can read our full review here. Apart from the edge-to-edge screen, a much improved triple-camera and powerful processor, you can actually share battery power between two of the phones. It's clear from the start that the newest addition makes significant steps forward in terms of design, but things only get better once you start to test out how it performs different tasks. The Samsung Galaxy S10 is available from the Samsung store here with prices beginning at €919. Brought to you by Samsung