Evolution of Samsung Galaxy Timeline

Introduction

It’s hard to believe it, but it has been over 10 years since Samsung introduced us to the “Smart Life”. 10 years ago, Samsung introduced us to the Samsung Galaxy S, which was one of those pioneering smartphones that changed the way that we interact with smartphones in our daily lives. The Samsung Galaxy S was among one of the first phones that made it normal to have a smartphone and it did so in style (at the time), with its 4-inch display and 5MP camera.

Fast forward to 2020, and now the Samsung Galaxy S20 has 3 cameras and a 3.3-inch display. How did we even get here? Let’s find out! Take a trip down memory lane with us. Let’s look at the evolution of Samsung Galaxy Timeline.

Samsung Galaxy Release Timeline

Below, we’ll give you a rundown of the timeline of the release of the various Samsung Galaxy S models. We’ll focus on the main version of the phone and not on the variants to avoid going down a rabbit hole.

2010: Samsung Galaxy S

We’ve come a long way since the Samsung Galaxy S. The Galaxy S must have looked like if it was from outer space when it was released. However, with this device only having 512MB of RAM and running Android 2.1 at the time of its release, it makes you marvel at the progress the Samsung Galaxy S line has made over the years. Back then, phones even had removable batteries!

• Price: $600
• Number of units sold: 25 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 4.0″ 480 X 800 pixels
  • Rear Camera(s): 5MP (AF): 720p @ 30fps
  • Front Camera: VGA
  • Processor: 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8
  • GPU: PowerVR SGX540
  • RAM: 512MB RAM
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, compass

2011: Samsung Galaxy S2

After the success of the Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung continued their successful run with the Samsung Galaxy S2. This iteration of the Galaxy S line featured an LED flash, smile and blink detection, as well as 1GB of RAM. In addition, it of course featured a faster dual-core processor which would have no doubt led to a smoother usage experience.

• Price: $599
• Number of units sold: 40 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 4.3″ 480 X 800 pixels
  • Rear Camera(s): 8 MP, f/2.6, 1/3.2″, AF, LED flash, 1080p@30fps
  • Front Camera: 2 MP
  • Processor: Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9
  • GPU: Mali-400MP4
  • RAM: 1GB RAM
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass

2012: Samsung Galaxy S3

With the Samsung Galaxy S3, the S line was really able to shine and continued to push towards higher heights. It definitely had the specs sheet to back this up. It sported a quad-core processor, a 720p AMOLED screen, and great battery life. One of the biggest issues people had with the Galaxy S line at this point was that they were made of plastic. That just lets you know how good these phones were in terms of performance if one of the biggest complaints was that minor.

• Price: $599
• Number of units sold: 70 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 4.8 inches 720 x 1280 pixels
  • Rear Camera(s): 8 MP, f/2.6, 1/3″, AF, LED flash, 1080p @ 30fps
  • Front Camera: 1.9 MP, f/2.6, 720p @ 30fps
  • Processor: Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A9
  • GPU: Mali-400MP4
  • RAM: 1GB RAM
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass

2013: Samsung Galaxy S4

By the time the Samsung Galaxy S4 came out, people still using older models were definitely motivated to sell their old phones for the new and improved flagship. The S4 brought along with it a 5.0″ screen, an IR sensor for detecting gestures, and the powerful legacy of its predecessors. It did not disappoint and performed quite well as can be seen from its sales numbers.

• Price: $579
• Number of units sold: 80 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 5.0″ 1080 X 1920 pixels
  • Rear Camera(s): 13 MP, f/2.2, 31mm (standard), 1/3.1″, 1.14µm, AF, LED flash, HDR
  • Front Camera: 2 MP, f/2.4, 31mm (standard), Dual video call, 1080p @ 30fps
  • Processor: Octa-core (4×1.6 GHz Cortex-A15 & 4×1.2 GHz Cortex-A7)
  • GPU: PowerVR SGX544MP3
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass

2014: Samsung Galaxy S5

The Samsung Galaxy S5 came out of the blocks with a big 5.1″ screen, smart gestures, 4K video recording, and a big battery. The perforated leather back also helped it out in the looks department, making it stand out from the previous Galaxy S iterations.

• Price: $645
• Number of units sold: 48 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 5.1″ 1080 X 1920 pixels
  • Rear Camera(s): 16 MP, f/2.2, 31mm (standard), 1/2.6″, 1.12µm, PDAF, LED flash, panorama, HDR, 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR
  • Front Camera: 2 MP, f/2.4, 22mm (wide), Dual video call, 1080p@30fps
  • Processor: Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400
  • GPU: Adreno 330
  • RAM: 2GB RAM
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture, heart rate ANT+, S-Voice natural language commands and dictation, Air gestures

2015: Samsung Galaxy S6

This was the first member of the Samsung Galaxy S family to not use a plastic frame. Also missing is a removable battery! This device featured an octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM, resulting in quite a powerful device for its time. The QHD display also helped to set this device apart from its competitors.

• Price: $600
• Number of units sold: 45 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 5.1″ 1440 X 2560 pixels
  • Rear Camera(s): 16 MP, f/2.2, 31mm (standard), 1/2.6″, 1.12µm, PDAF, LED flash, panorama, HDR, 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR
  • Front Camera: 5 MP, f/1.9, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1″, 1.34µm, Dual video call, Auto-HDR, 1440p@30fps
  • Processor: Octa-core (4×2.1 GHz Cortex-A57 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)
  • GPU: Mali-T760MP8
  • RAM: 3GB RAM
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 ANT+, S-Voice natural language commands and dictation

2016: Samsung Galaxy S7

The Samsung Galaxy S6 ditched microSD storage with the Galaxy S6, but that made a return with the Galaxy S7. In addition to the continuation of the glass and aluminum body, the S7 also featured better battery life. While the S7 features a camera with 4 fewer megapixels, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The S7 camera’s pixels are larger and result in better images. Overall, this was an impressive refinement over the previous model.

• Price: $669
• Number of units sold: 55 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 5.1″ 1440 X 2560 pixel
  • Rear Camera(s): 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama, 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec.
  • Front Camera: 5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1″, 1.34µm, Dual video call, Auto-HDR, 1440p
  • Processor: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Mongoose & 4×1.6 GHz Cortex-A53)
  • GPU: Mali-T880 MP12
  • RAM: 4GB RAM
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2, ANT+, S-Voice natural language commands and dictation

2017: Samsung Galaxy S8

The Samsung Galaxy S8 featured a curved screen which took up most of the phone. This was probably strange to begin with, but is quite common these days. In that sense, the S8 was really a pioneer. The S8 also featured an 8MP front-facing camera, which was a notable bump up from the previous 5MP camera.

• Price: $720
• Number of units sold: 41 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 5.8″ 1440 X 2960 pixel
  • Rear Camera(s): 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama, 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS, OIS
  • Front Camera: 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6″, 1.22µm, AF, 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera), Dual video call, Auto-HDR, 1440p@30fps
  • Processor: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Mongoose M2 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) – EMEA / Octa-core (4×2.35 GHz Kryo & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo) – USA & China
  • GPU: Mali-G71 MP20 – EMEA / Adreno 540 – USA & China
  • RAM: 4GB RAM
  • Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 Samsung DeX (desktop experience support), ANT+, Bixby natural language commands and dictation

2018: Samsung Galaxy S9

With a variable rear camera aperture and 4K video recording capabilities at 60fps, Samsung pushed the margin with its camera in the S9. In addition, the S9 featured a combination of fingerprint, iris, and face recognition for unlocking. This gave users flexible unlocking options and improved the overall security of the device.

• Price: $719
• Number of units sold: 32 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 5.8″ 1440X2960
  • Rear Camera(s): 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS (30fps)
  • Front Camera: 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6″, 1.22µm, AF, 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera)
  • Processor: Octa-core (4×2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) – EMEA / Octa-core (4×2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4×1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) – USA, LATAM, China
  • GPU: Mali-G72 MP18 – EMEA / Adreno 630 – USA, LATAM, China
  • RAM: 4GB RAM
  • Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 Samsung DeX (desktop experience support), ANT+, Bixby natural language commands and dictation

2019: Samsung Galaxy S10

While the Galaxy S9 featured just 1 rear camera, the S10 took things to a new level and introduced a triple camera setup. This setup even includes an ultra-wide module. This device also featured a fingerprint sensor under the display which was quite unique at the time. In terms of design, the S10 was quite similar to the S9, however, the S10 featured exciting color choices such as Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, and Flamingo Pink. The S10 screen also boasts a 120Hz display which results in an extremely smooth and snappy display.

• Price: $799
• Number of units sold: 36 million
• Key features:
  • Display: 6.1″ 1440X3040
  • Rear Camera(s): 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6″, 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.0µm, Super Steady video, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama, 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS
  • Front Camera: 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Dual video call, Auto-HDR, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
  • Processor: Octa-core (2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2×2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4×1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) – EMEA/LATAM / Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4×1.78 GHz Kryo 485) – USA/China
  • GPU: Mali-G76 MP12 – EMEA/LATAM / Adreno 640 – USA, China
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 ANT+, Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)

2020: Samsung Galaxy S20

It’s 2020 now and having multiple cameras on phones is now normal. How did we get here? The S20 is a powerhouse with a 4000mAh battery to back it up. One thing to note, however, is that the S20 no longer features a headphone jack. This shouldn’t be a surprise though, because this allows for thinner phones and more space for batteries. The camera setup is capable of recording video at a staggering resolution of 8K and the screen is excellent as usual. This is truly the pinnacle of the Samsung Galaxy line to date and we can’t wait to see what Samsung hits us with next year!

• Price: $1000
• Number of units sold: N/A
• Key features:
  • Display: 6.2″ 1440X3200
  • Rear Camera(s): 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 64MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom; 12MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.4µm, Super Steady video, LED flash, auto-HDR, panoramaVideo 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS
  • Front Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 64MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom; 12MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.4µm, Super Steady video, LED flash, auto-HDR, panoramaVideo 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS
  • Processor: Octa-core (2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2×2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) – Global / Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585) – USA
  • GPU: Mali-G77 MP11 – Global / Adreno 650 – USA
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support)ANT+Bixby natural language commands and dictation