With the Galaxy S6 now available for smartphone consumers, Samsung will be turning its attention to the release of the Galaxy Note 5. This is an important device for Samsung, as the Galaxy Note 4 was extremely well received for the corporation last year. The Galaxy Note 5 will be expected to build on this positive reputation, and deliver significant sales for the Korean manufacturer.
This will undoubtedly be one of the mobile highlights of the consumer electronics year, so here is everything that we know or suspect to be true about the Galaxy Note 5 at the time of writing.
Galaxy Note 5 Design
With the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge having featured a glass and metallic design, it seems likely that the Galaxy Note 5 may copy this to a certain extent. Samsung is trying to move away from the plasticky feel of its devices which was criticized in the past, and the Galaxy Note 5 can represent a solidification of this process.
It is also likely that the Galaxy Note Edge variant of the Note 5 will be more prominent than the last time out. The Galaxy Note Edge was the first ever curved screen mobile device produced by Samsung, after its range of high-end television sets established the technology as being popular. This has now become a staple design element for the consumer electronics industry, and murmurings have already indicated that Samsung will very strongly focus on this technology with the release of the Galaxy S7.
Although it may be too early in the day to achieve this with the Galaxy Note 5, it is reasonable to expect a larger proportion of curved devices than during the Galaxy Note 4 release.
Wireless Charging
Another feature recently introduced by the Galaxy S6 which could feature prominently in the Galaxy Note 5 is wireless charging. Although fans of the Samsung Galaxy range may expect this to be automatically ported to the next generation phablet, this is actually a more complex technical undertaking that people perhaps imagine. Nonetheless, Samsung’s engineers will be pulling out all the stops at present to deliver this for the Galaxy Note 5, and we can reasonably expected this be part of the phablet’s feature set.
Edge software update
The curved aspect of the Galaxy Note 5 was not merely a design gimmick. Samsung also ensured that specific features were built into this element of the device, and these could be upgraded still further for the next Galaxy Note Edge release. Naming options for this device are multifarious, but Apple might opt for the rather obvious Galaxy Note 5 Edge.
Samsung Pay
The Galaxy Note 5 will certainly include the Samsung Pay mobile phone payment system which was introduced in the Galaxy S6. This software is intended to compete with the proprietary Apple Pay software in a commercial niche which will become increasingly important in the coming years. The Samsung Pay system, developed by Samsung’s new subsidiary Loop Pay, is credit card and NFC-compatible, and Samsung has high hopes for this software.
Fingerprint sensor
As security related to mobile phones becomes increasingly important, manufacturers are attempting to include unique ways of keeping on top of this issue. With this in mind, the Galaxy Note 5 is expected to include the updated fingerprint sensor featured in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. This has similarities to Apple’s Touch ID, and ensures that devices can be unlocked via a fingerprint-related process.
Exynos Processor
Samsung has recently made the move to base the Galaxy S6 around its own proprietary Exynos technology, and it seems extremely likely that the Galaxy Note 5 will follow suit. This is bad news for Qualcomm and its Snapdragon series, but Samsung is such a large manufacturer of processors and chips that it obviously makes sense for the Korean corporation.
Galaxy Note devices had previously launched in East Asia with Exynos processors, and it seems probably that the Galaxy Note 5 will exclusively feature Exynos chips. Samsung claims that its chipset is around 30 percent more efficient than previous versions which have been included in the Galaxy S series, so there is serious incentive for consumers as well.
4K Resolution
There is still some speculation about the resolution that Samsung will offer with the Galaxy Note 5, but it is possible that this could be the first mass-market 4K resolution device. This would certainly makes sense considering that the previous iteration of the Galaxy Note series was based on Quad HD technology. It is also possible that this could be an Ultra HD phablet which is sandwiched somewhere between the Galaxy Note 4 pixel quantity and 4K resolution.
Removable Back and Micro SD Slot
This has been a contentious element of the Galaxy S6, with some fans of the Samsung range of smartphones unhappy that it does not feature a removable back. However, this is clearly been a very conscious decision by Samsung, and it is one that is highly likely to be replicated when the Galaxy Note 5 is released.
Both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge have sacrificed the removable back and functionality related to it in order to produce devices that are more attractive physically. This could mean that the extra storage capability which is offered by micro SD will not be available for Galaxy Note 5 customers. Samsung will still likely offer the Galaxy Note 5 in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options, which will probably be perfectly acceptable for most consumers.
TouchWiz Upgrades
Finally, it is expected that the Galaxy Note 5 will include upgrades to the TouchWiz user interface. It is expected that these will make the device easier to use and customise. Samsung has also moved to reduce bloatware associated with the Android operating system, and this process could advance further still when the Galaxy Note 5 is released.
