The Samsung Galaxy S series: 10 years of pushing smartphone boundaries

In 1938, entrepreneur Lee Byung-Chul opened a small grocery trading business in Su-dong, Korea. Now, Samsung is one of the biggest tech players in the world, delivering cutting-edge consumer products that continue to push boundaries.

Look at the Samsung Galaxy phones, for example. Debuting in March 2010, the company’s flagship series have helped to revolutionize the way people use and think about their phones. With the 10th anniversary coming up, we think it’d be fitting to retrace the deep footprints they have left in the smartphone sand this past decade.

A 10-Year Primer

2010: Samsung releases the first Galaxy S model. Featuring a powerful GPU for its time, a 4-inch Super AMOLED display and a 5-megapixel camera, it symbolized the company’s first steps into the smartphone age.

2011: Introduction of the “phablet” and “large-screen smartphone” concepts, as well as the Galaxy S’s successor, the Galaxy SII. Sporting one of the slimmest bodies for its time at 8.49mm thick, it also outclassed many rivals with its speedy dual-core Samsung Exynos processor.

2012: The Galaxy SIII brings with it the S-voice assistive functionality, along with a plethora of upgrades from the SII. Improved software, hardware and a redesigned physique set it apart from the Galaxy S and SII, with critics dubbing it the “iPhone killer”.

2013: The Galaxy S4 enters the ring as one of the first smartphones to use the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and ushered in many convenience features in its user interface. It quickly became Samsung’s fastest selling product, with over 20 million units sold within the first two months.

2014: The Galaxy S5 takes the stage, featuring the first in-built heartbeat sensor, simultaneously expanding the smartphone concept beyond “mere convenience” into “daily essential”.  It’s also their first flagship phone to factor water and dust resistance into the phone’s design while still maintaining a removable battery.

2015: The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge make their debut. The former receives immense praise for its improved performance, build quality and camera. Meanwhile, the latter brings some much-appreciated overkill with it in the form of the Dual-Edge Display, setting a new benchmark for the degree of visual quality achievable on a smartphone.

2016: Showcasing the company’s Dual Pixel technology, the Galaxy S7 delivers near-unparalleled clarity and functionality with its 12-megapixel rear camera onto the market.

2017: Refusing to stagnate, Samsung’s Edge Display technology continued to evolve, culminating in the immersive and still-uncontested Infinity Display on 2017’s Galaxy S8. Pushing bezels to the absolute edge, it formed the basis for Samsung to create the ultimate, uninterrupted viewing experience.

2018: Samsung introduced the critically acclaimed Galaxy S9, as well as the unveiling of the Infinity Flex Display at the Samsung Developer Conference. Going above and beyond the call of duty, the S9 streamlined access and control of Samsung’s other smart home appliances all on its own.

What’s next?

Throughout its decade-long journey, the Galaxy series is a trailblazer through and through, bringing plenty of change as it evolves.

Looking forward, Samsung has no intention of resting on its laurels. The series, as an embodiment of Samsung’s ideals: constant innovation and the pursuit of a more immersive experience with each successive model, looks set to challenge the status quo for many years to come.

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