Samsung is currently readying itself for the release of the Galaxy Note 5, one of the most important mobile releases of the year. The Galaxy Note 4 was extremely enthusiastically received both critically and commercially when it was released last year, so fans of Android devices are expecting something outstanding from this flagship phablet.
So here is a rundown of everything we know and suspect about the Galaxy Note 5 thus far.
Design
Samsung has always differentiated the Galaxy Note series from its premium Galaxy S smartphones in terms of physical construction. But there has been a suggestion among analysts that this time round the Galaxy Note 5 will be imbued with similar design characteristics as its smartphone predecessor.
As Samsung’s sales figures have declined in recent years, the Korean corporation has begun to understand the importance of altering its design ethos. Apple has always placed a particular emphasis on this aspect of smartphones, and the more metallic design that Samsung has opted for in recent Galaxy S releases reflects this new reality for the corporation.
So we should expect more of the same from the galaxy Note 5, with analysts suggesting that the aluminum and glass-based design that was introduced with the Galaxy S6 should port over to the phablet series. Although the Galaxy Note has always sold well as a plastic-based device, this would be something of a retrograde step for the Galaxy Note 5, so a primarily metallic design is certainly expected.
Galaxy Note 5 Edge
One area where Samsung has particularly excelled in the last couple of years is in introducing the revolutionary curved screen display. This was introduced and then popularized in Samsung’s range of high-end televisions, and it was brought to the smartphone niche for the first time with the Galaxy Note Edge. As this was a successful device for Samsung, and also owing to the fact that the company has come to be associated with the technology, it was naturally assumed that we would see a sequel to this model when the Galaxy Note 5 was released.
However, recent report suggest that Samsung will alter its strategy in this department. Murmurings from Korea have indicated that Samsung will instead brand a phablet-sized version of its mobile technology as Galaxy S7 Edge, and that this model could even see the light of day before the end of 2015. It seems that Samsung intends to brand this particular handset very much as a mainstream smartphone, with the Galaxy Note 5 considered more of a premium device.
But this has yet to be confirmed by the corporation itself, and we certainly could see a curved screen Galaxy Note 5 emerge. Should this be the case, though, there have been suggestions from close to the Samsung supply chain that the curved variant of the mobile won’t quite match the more affordable version of the smartphone in terms of performance and specifications.
Display
In addition to the curved nature of its displays, Samsung has also impressed with the quality of screens in its mobile devices. With 4K resolution becoming a mainstream technology, there is an onus on the Korean electronics company to produce a galaxy Note 5 that is compatible with this ultra high resolution technology.
However, analysts have differing views about whether or not Samsung will be able to implement 4K resolution in the Galaxy Note 5 display. This will certainly be a difficult technical undertaking for the corporation, and with a release expected late in Q3, it could be that this will be too much of a challenge to execute.
Thus, more recent reports on the Galaxy Note 5 suggest that it could feature a quad HD Super AMOLED display (2560x1440p) measuring as much as 5.9-inches. This would still be an excellent display for the phablet, and would be very much competitive with existing marketplace rivals.
Specifications
The hardest aspect of any mobile device to ascertain before its release are the specifications with which the manufacturer has armed it, and the Galaxy Note 5 is no exception to this rule. Interestingly, recent reports have suggested that Samsung could continue with the Snapdragon 808 processor, which would be something of a surprise considering that it opted for its proprietarily Exynos Technology in the Galaxy S6. ValueWalk still believes that the smart money is on Samsung including an Exynos processor in the Galaxy note 5, but the recent reports regarding Qualcomm’s processor should not be dismissed entirely.
Considering that 4K resolution could be included in the Galaxy Note 5, it has also been suggested that the phablet will include a significant quotient of internal RAM. As much as 6 GB of memory have been linked with the Galaxy Note 5, but even if this figure is a little overboard, one should expect to see at least 4 GB included.
There have also been rumors of a possible 4,100 mAh battery, and Samsung may ensure that the bargain basement version of the Galaxy Note 5 features 32 GB of internal storage. Another important aspect of the Galaxy Note 5 that has been linked with the device in recent weeks is the inclusion of a USB-C connector. This would make the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 the first mainstream Android smartphone to feature the latest generation of USB, which would be a real fillip for the handset.
Camera
Finally, the Galaxy Note 5 camera may be improved in terms of megapixel rating over the previous iteration in the series. This could see Samsung improving the resolution to 21-megapixels. However, other reports have suggested that the camera will be frozen at a 16-megapixel shooter, and that optical image stabilization and low-light shooting capabilities will be improved instead.
Reports indicate, though, that an 8-megapixel camera will be featured in the front of the device, providing outstanding selfie-capturing ability for the handset, and attracting the Facebook generation.
