Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) is widely expected to unveil its next-gen flagship Galaxy Note 4 phablet this September at IFA in Berlin. That means the Korean company’s new device will be competing against Apple’s iPhone 6, which is also expected to be announced around the same time.
After the lukewarm response to the Galaxy S5, experts believe that the Galaxy Note 4 is Samsung’s last chance to establish itself in the premium smartphone market. The device is expected to bring several upgrades over its predecessor. Samsung will leave no stone unturned to make its upcoming phablet a massive success. Here is the list of features that are likely to appear in the Galaxy Note 4.
1- Galaxy Note 4 display
Supply chain leaks have confirmed that the phablet will come with a quad HD 5.7-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution. Besides media reports, Samsung itself has confirmed that the upcoming Galaxy Note model will have a resolution of 2560 x 1440, also called 2K.
2- Galaxy Note 4 processor
The Korean electronics giant is expected to launch two versions of the new device. The version that will be sold in North America will sport 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 chipsets. Another model that will sell in Asia and Europe is likely to feature Exynos 5433 processor. Samsung recently teased the new Exynos SoC. It’s still unclear whether Exynos will have a 64-bit architecture.
3- Memory and Storage
The Galaxy Note 3 came with 3GB LPDDR3 RAM. Many reports suggest that the Galaxy Note 4 is likely to have a 3GB RAM, while other rumors point to a 4GB RAM. Samsung usually increases RAM with new Note models. So, we won’t be surprised if the Galaxy Note 4 comes with 4GB RAM. The device is expected to have 32GB built-in storage.
4- Operating system
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced Android Lollipop at the I/O conference, which will be launched this fall. However, the Galaxy Note 4 may have Android KitKat rather than Lollipop. Recently, a source at Google revealed that the company will launch Android Lollipop with a new device, most likely Nexus 6. The next-gen Nexus would arrive in October at the earliest, while the Galaxy Note 4 is likely to be announced in September.
5- Eye Scanner
Samsung recently teased the eye scanner technology in an official tweet. The Korean company said that it could improve security “using features unique to us.” Previously, there were speculations the Samsung may include the iris eye scanner in the Galaxy S5, which didn’t happen. But the company has fueled speculations that the retina scanner may feature in the Galaxy Note 4. The tweet suggests that the eye scanner could be used to unlock the phone and process payments. In January, Samsung EVP for mobile business, Lee Young Hee told Bloomberg that the company was “studying the possibility” to add the iris scanner in te upcoming devices.
6- Galaxy Note 4 camera
Rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 4 will have 16MP main snapper and 2MP front camera. It will have 4K video recording capabilities. However, another report from GforGames claims that Samsung may downgrade the camera. It says that the new device may come with 12MP main camera with optical image stabilization. That’s a bit hard to believe as Samsung has a history of upgrading the camera with each new generation. The Galaxy Note 3 comes with 13MP camera.
7- Galaxy Note 4 design
According to the Korean Times, Samsung will launch two models of the phablet, one with flat OLED display and another with curved OLED display. In May, Samsung EVP for mobile business told The Wall Street Journal that the company is considering to add flexible display technology for the next-gen device.
8- Ultrasound S-pen stylus
There have long been rumors that the Galaxy Note 4 will have S-pen stylus with air command and improved gestures. Earlier this week, Galaxy Club found that Samsung has filed a patent application for S-pen stylus with ultrasound technology. Ultrasound-based stylus is no new offering. But the Korean company hasn’t used it in the Galaxy Note series yet. Earlier this year, Qualcomm showcased a tablet with the ultrasound technology.
WE are just about ten weeks away from the official release of the Galaxy Note 4 (assuming September launch). Reports suggest that the device will enter mass production this month for September release.
