The Galaxy Note 6 will be a massive hardware release for Samsung later this year, and recent news indicates that this massive phablet contender could be arriving sooner than anticipated.
Galaxy Note 5’s Price slash
The Galaxy Note 5 has been discounted by $150 by Walmart, leading to suggestions that this could be indicative of an early release for the Galaxy Note 6. Walmart has introduced a new promotional offer that allows customers to purchase an on-contract Galaxy Note 5 through AT&T, Sprint or Verizon for $150 less than was possible previously, with the offer running all the way through to the end of June.
This large discount has led to speculation that the Galaxy Note 6 release date could be pushed significantly forward, with Samsung having already released the Galaxy S7 earlier in 2016 than in previous calendar years.
It has been usual practice over the last few years for Samsung to launch its latest Galaxy Note phablet at the annual IFA Berlin event, which takes place in September. But 2015 saw a break from this policy, as the Galaxy Note 5 was released in August in order to ensure that it didn’t have to go up directly against the iPhone 6S Plus, released in September 2015.
As the major smartphone manufacturers continue to jockey for position, it is suggested that the Korean corporation could announce the Galaxy Note 6 in July or August of this year. Samsung has not fared particularly well versus the iPhone range over the last few years, and there is now pressure on the Korean manufacturer to establish its own niche in the market away from the iPhone series.
Android indicators
It is also notable that Google has begun its Android N Developer Preview program ahead of the Google I/O event that is scheduled for May. While deadlines for the latest version of Android are not fully available to the public, this information does that suggest that Android N could appear as early as July. This would mean that the latest operating system could appear in the Galaxy Note 6 in July, or August at the very latest.
Samsung will have noted that the initial month of availability is critical to the success of the Galaxy Note 6, with the company having shifted 9 million units in the first month of Galaxy S7 availability. It is believed that the impressive sales figures for the flagship smartphone of the Korean electronics giant can be attributed to the fact that the release date was moved ahead of rival smartphones from China, as well as the new announced four-inch iPhone SE.
Pricing
Early rumors on the pricing of the Galaxy Note 6 suggest that Samsung will largely freeze the price tag of the unit compared to last year’s Galaxy Note 5. It is highly debatable whether Samsung can afford to significantly increase the price of the Galaxy Note 6 in what is an increasingly competitive mobile marketplace. Apple will be releasing a next generation iPhone 7 during 2016, and this could already tempt Android devotees to jump ship to the market-leader.
Galaxy Note 6 Specs
Over the last few years, the Galaxy Note 6 has built up a reputation as being perhaps the most impressive release from the Korean corporation. While the Galaxy S series remains technically the flagship of Samsung, the Korean company has received rave reviews from Galaxy Note releases, and the Galaxy Note 6 is thus expected to cram a significant amount of spec into its framework.
So it is probable that the Galaxy Note 6 will be a significant technical and specification leap over the existing Galaxy S7, and this is reflected in several of the rumors linked with this forthcoming handset.
Display
In particular, it has been widely suggested that Samsung will finally introduce 4K resolution when the Galaxy Note 6 is released. This new screen resolution is becoming increasingly mainstream, as numerous broadcasters have offered support for 4K over the last few months. There are also rumors that Sony is planning a specific console release with the intention of offering 4K compatibility, and there is thus considerable reason for Samsung to follow suit with the Galaxy Note 6.
Samsung has been the largest seller of television set since 2008, and this has contributed to a reputation that the corporation proudly possesses for delivering high quality displays. This has been further enhanced by the extremely well-received curved screen mobiles that the company has produced over the last couple of years, and this could prompt the technology giant to release the first 4K mobile in its history when the Galaxy Note 6 hits the stores.
4K resolution would also help the Galaxy Note 6 tie-in with Samsung’s Gear VR headset, in a year in which virtual reality is set to establish itself as a mainstream technology.
Laptop hybrid
Reports also continue to suggest that the Galaxy Note 6 could form a laptop-smartphone hybrid, following a patent that was found on the US Patent & Trademark Office website. This would necessitate a dual=operating system, with the Galaxy Note 6 coming complete with a stripped-down version of Windows alongside the usual Android OS. This would certainly be a fascinating innovation, and one that would certainly mark out the phablet from its competitors in the market.
Water resistance and iris scanner
The latest rumors are that the Galaxy Note 6 will also launch with improved water resistance and a new iris scanner feature. Certainly durability and security have become increasingly important for mobile releases in recent years, and Samsung is likely to acknowledge this with the Galaxy Note 6.
Jaw-dropping camera
Finally, Samsung is widely expected to migrate the dual-pixel technology that debuted in the Galaxy S7, ensuring that the Galaxy Note 6 camera will also perform superbly in darker conditions. But an extremely high megapixel rating has also been linked with the phablet in some quarters, with a staggering 30-megapixel figure particularly noteworthy. This must be viewed as a dubious rumor, but if Samsung did increase in the megapixel rating of the Galaxy Note 6 while also improving its low-light shooting capabilities, it would be a massively attractive prospect for consumers.
