New Galaxy Note 5 Edge Concept Images Emerge

Updated on

As Samsung continues to work on the forthcoming Galaxy Note 5 Edge behind closed doors, a new set of concept images have given us an idea of what to expect. This phablet will be a critical release for Samsung, as the Galaxy Note 4 was a highly critically acclaimed device in what was something of a baron 2014 for the Korean consumer electronics giant.

Galaxy Note 5 Edge critical for Samsung

As Samsung profits plummeted by 60 percent, Apple went from strength to strength during the calendar year. Particularly galling for the Korean manufacturer would be the fact that Gartner has recently acknowledged that Apple is outselling Samsung in pure volume terms. While Apple has been the more profitable mobile manufacturer for quite some time, Samsung has always been able to rely on shifting large numbers of units in affordable marketplaces. It seems that the tide is turning.

Of course, this should be put into some perspective. Samsung remains an absolutely mammoth corporation, and one of the most profitable and successful businesses on the planet. It is the only manufacturer of consumer electronics, specifically in the mobile niche, which is even remotely close to challenging Apple, and it remains a hugely successful company and brand. The Samsung Galaxy series is by some distance the second most successful mobile range in the world, and if the Apple iPhone is ever to be displaced as the world number one, it will surely be by Samsung.

Galaxy Note 5 Edge and Galaxy Gear A

So things are not as gloomy as some of the recent figures related to the Korean company might suggest. But there is no doubt that Samsung will be looking to gain some momentum with their release of the Galaxy Note 5. Its recent public pronouncements have been less bullish than its proclamation that it intended it to overtake Apple that was issued in early 2014. Of course, the complete opposite has happened since then, so Samsung will be hoping to get things back on the right track.

The Galaxy Note 5 could be even more important to Samsung than would otherwise be the case, as there are already reports emanating which suggest that Samsung will reboot the Galaxy Gears smartwatch as a companion device. With the Apple Watch having enjoyed a successful launch, and with analysts suggesting that it will shift 20 million units during 2015, Samsung must close the gap at some point soon. This is particularly important as the wearables niche is expected to play a critical role in the development of mobile payments, with Samsung having already invested a significant amount of time, effort and hope in Samsung Pay.

Galaxy Note 5 Edge concept images

So the concept images come at an interesting juncture in the future of Samsung, and it is interesting to see this artistic impression of the Galaxy Note 5 Edge. The artist we have to thank for these particular images it goes by the name of Ivo Maric, and the product of his labor showcase a Galaxy Note 5 Edge release which is notable for its angular design in particular.

Another interesting aspect of the Galaxy Note 5 Edge as imagined by Maric is that it features a completely different camera assembly to previous versions of the device. This may be seen as a natural response to the iPhone 7, with a range of rumours already suggesting that Apple will significantly upgrade the iPhone camera in the next iteration of the device.

In Maric’s vision, the Galaxy Note 5 will also be a luminous and shiny device, which seems to be somewhat sleeker than the previous releases in the Galaxy Note series. However, as much as there are physical differences in this set of concept images, it is also clear that Maric doesn’t envisage any significant design innovations or changes to the Galaxy Note ethos, at least in build terms.

This would seem to be logical, as Samsung had a big job on its hands to completely redesign the Galaxy S6. This smartphone was, of course, only released this year, so to ask for Samsung to completely reboot its two flagship mobile ranges seems to be a little excessive and unreasonable. Some practicality will come into the way that the Galaxy Note 5 page is presented, and significant changes could be internal rather than external on this occasion.

Samsung to ramp up Galaxy Note 5 Edge production

It will be interesting to see what strategy Samsung adopts for the Galaxy Note 5 Edge, as there is already significant evidence to suggest that this will be more of a mainstream handset. The Galaxy Note Edge which released last year was a companion device to the Galaxy Note 4, and was the first ever device release by Samsung which featured a curved screen; thus its launch was pretty tentative. Samsung was not sure how the market would react to this new concept, and the production and manufacturing cost involved naturally necessitated a relatively low-key release, at least in terms of device numbers.

These considerations are considerably less prominent for Samsung this time out, and so the company is free to ramp up the number of Galaxy Note 5 Edge units being produced. Already reports are emerging from Samsung’s native Korea which suggest that Samsung will be significantly increasing the number of curved screen devices available when it releases the Galaxy S7 next year. This will ensure that the Galaxy S7 Edge becomes a mainstream device, as it becomes increasingly obvious that this curved technology represents the zeitgeist.

Although we are unlikely to see quite the same level of units of the Galaxy Note 5 Edge being produced, it is certainly possible that Samsung will step up the number of curved screen devices produced as a stepping stone to a larger Galaxy S7 Edge release.

When the Galaxy Note 5 Edge does make its debut, it is expected that it will feature a 5.8-inch display, which could be capable of 4K resolution. Other possible specifications include an Exynos SoC processor, improved storage increased to 256 GB, and a sizeable 4,100 mAh battery. It certainly looks like a handset worth waiting for.

Leave a Comment