14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung’s Galaxy S10 is now official with a lot of major upgrades, including completely new display technology that avoids implementing the notch by using front-facing camera cutouts in the glass.
And because Samsung wanted to increase the available screen estate as much as possible, some features had to go, and one of them is none other than the classic notification LED.
Originally a top BlackBerry feature, the notification LED quickly evolved to become a must-have option on all Android smartphones, allowing users to configure different colors for the apps they installed.
And after using it on many Galaxy S generations, Samsung kills off the classic notification LED and replaces it with a much modern approach.
New LED notifications
The front-facing camera cutout comes with a clever ring of light that animates in several scenarios, such as when enabling the selfie camera. Furthermore, users will be allowed to change the color of the ring depending on the notification they receive, just like on the traditional LED.
Without a doubt, this is a neat and modern approach that Samsung has found in order to go forward with its focus on increasing the screen estate without killing off too many features.
At the same time, the company continues to offer the Always-On display, which allows you to peek at the time and the available notifications. This mode is offered with several options, including a permanent setting that keeps the clock and the notifications on the screen all the time.
Additionally, the Always-On Display feature can be configured to be triggered with a double-tap on the screen and then automatically turn off after 30 seconds in order to improve battery life.
Edge lighting remains available as well for those who want to receive notifications with an extra touch of style, though I’ve never been a fan of this feature and always preferred AOD despite the impact on battery.
