Samsung's newest pair of flagship phones, the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus, will come with screen protectors preinstalled on the display, the company confirmed on Monday. This is a shift compared to past S-phone launches, which did not come with screen protectors. And because the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus start at $900 (£799, AU$1,349) and $1,000 (£899, AU$1,499), respectively, having an extra layer of protection for the display would be useful for interested buyers.
The company reported that it also added the screen protector to ensure the "full functionality of the Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor" on the phones. The S10 and S10 Plus' fingerprint scanners are embedded within their displays and using a third-party screen protector may render the readers to work incorrectly. The ones that come preinstalled are made directly by Samsung.Â
The screen protectors aren't protected by the one-year warranty that apply to the other accessories in the box (the charger, USB connector, etc.) and retail for $29.99 if you want to buy a replacement. Samsung isn't the only company to do this. OnePlus have preinstalled screen protectors on its phones, like the OnePlus 6T, for years.Â
Preorders for the Galaxy S10 started Thursday, Feb. 21. Orders ship out on March 8, the same day retail and carrier availability begins.