Samsung and Huawei look set to dramatically raise the bar when it comes to the amount of RAM packed into a smartphone as both manufacturers could potentially include a monstrous 12GB in their next-generation flagship handsets.
According to a recent analyst report from LEI Technology, the Huawei P30 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10 X could both boast 12GB of RAM to keep everything running smoothly. That's a significant set-up from the 6GB inside the Huawei P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, which launched earlier this year.
If the analyst's forecast is accurate, it seems like RAM will be the next battleground for Android smartphone manufacturers to try to differentiate themselves – joining the ongoing battle to add more cameras to the rear of the phones.
To be clear, 12GB is a behemothic amount of RAM to squeeze inside a smartphone. For comparison, that's 4GB more RAM than the entry-level Microsoft Surface Book 2 (£1,499, $1,499) and the latest generation of MacBook Pro (£1,249, $1,299).
The colossal amount of memory tipped for the Huawei P30 Pro and Galaxy S10 X would also put the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL to shame. The latest flagship handsets from Google ship with a comparatively paltry 4GB of RAM.
The latest and greatest offering from Google only launched earlier this month, but already the decision to include 4GB of RAM has been questioned following a devastating result in a Pixel 3 XL vs iPhone XS Max speed test. Given that Google is unlikely to launch a new version of its Pixel range before October 2019, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL might start to look very long in the tooth very soon.
According to a post shared on Chinese social networking platform Weibo, Samsung and Huawei would likely only include 12GB of RAM in their top-end flagship phones. For the latter, that means the Huawei P30 Pro, which will sport an upgraded triple-camera system and could launch worldwide as soon as March 2019.
Meanwhile, Samsung is widely-tipped to launch four separate models of its flagship Galaxy S10 range – Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 Plus, Galaxy S10 X and Galaxy S10 X 5G. While the first two will be simple updates to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus that debuted earlier this year, the Galaxy S10 X and Galaxy S10 X 5G will be the only models to boast an all-new triple-camera set-up.
According to the latest leaks from the supply chain, the Galaxy S10 X line-up will combine a 12MP wide-angle sensor, 16MP ultra-wide-angle and 13MP telephoto sensor. This is set to enable upgraded Live Focus photographs, as well as ultra-wide shots like those taken with the quadruple camera included in Samsung Galaxy A9.
The Galaxy S10 X and its 5G-enabled variant will also be the only models to boast an in-screen fingerprint scanner. It's unclear whether the addition of the triple-camera and optical scanner under the display are the reasons for the 12GB of RAM.
By comparison, the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus will boast 4GB and 6GB of RAM, respectively. The standard Huawei P30 will also forgo the full 12GB, settling for 8GB of RAM, according to the leaked spec sheet.
