The coming months will seemingly see Samsung release the Galaxy Note 7, ahead of its most obvious rival the iPhone 7 Plus. The branding of this Galaxy Note device may surprise many, but it is now fairly well established that Samsung will indeed opt to name this phablet the Galaxy Note 7, skipping the Galaxy Note 6 completely.
This decision is seen as being essential to clear up confusion caused by the consecutive release of the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5. Branding the phablet as the Galaxy Note 7 will also help keep marketing in line with the existing Galaxy S7 range. It also sets up something of a seventh generation battle between the Galaxy Note 7 and the forthcoming iPhone 7.
With the clock ticking towards the expected release date of this device, a wealth of media rumors have emerged outlining possible features to be included in this phablet. So here is a rundown of all the latest leaks, rumors and information regarding the Galaxy Note 7.
Galaxy Note 7 – Curved edges and USB-C concept hints
A concept design released on YouTube by Techconfigurations offers an intriguing 3D-rendered image of how the Galaxy Note 7 may appear once it is released. And the designers believe that the curved aspects of the Galaxy Note 7 will come to the fore in this generation, with the design somewhat resembling a stretched version of its existing Edge flagship. Another notable aspect of the design is that it features a small slot on the bottom of the device which houses a retractable stylus.
Certainly it would be logical for the Galaxy Note 7 to prominently feature a curved version of the phablet, as Samsung is becoming intrinsically associated with this technology.
Aside from this, the concept design also suggest that the Galaxy Note 7 will embrace USB-C. This relatively new USB technology would enable the Galaxy Note 7 to be compatible with the existing GearVR system, meaning that Samsung would firmly throw its hat into the virtual reality ring. It would also open up the likelihood that the battery pack included in the device will support QuickCharge 3.0 and fast wireless charging.
Processor and RAM
The video produced by Techconfigurations suggest that the Galaxy Note 7 will be armed with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, 6GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage space. This would represent a serious upgrade to the power of the Galaxy Note 7, and would almost certainly result in the phablet being the most powerful mobile device available on the market.
It is also stated by Techconfigurations that the Galaxy Note 7 will be powered by a Snapdragon 823 processor. This would mean Samsung steering away from its own proprietary Exynos technology. At present, not too much is known about the potential of this new Snapdragon unit, but what is certain is that it will have a significantly higher clock speed than the existing Galaxy Note 5 system.
However, there are rumors that the SoC will be manufactured on a 10nm process and that it will feature second-generation Kryo application cores. This gives us a clue regarding how the Galaxy Note 7 will run when it is released, but nothing has been officially announced on the subject by its manufacturer Qualcomm. Some people have doubted this particular claim as well, suggesting that the 823 will in fact be similar to the existing 820, the main difference being higher clock speeds.
Waterproofing and dustproofing
It is widely believed that Samsung will include IP68 water and dust-resistance, in accordance with the exiting Galaxy S7 series. The durability of smartphones is becoming increasingly important, with Apple stepping up the capabilities of the iPhone in this department as well. If Samsung does enact the IP68 rating, it will ensure that the Galaxy Note 7 is safe in up to 5 feet of water for a maximum of half an hour.
Iris scanner
It has been widely reported in the tech-following media that Samsung has trademarked the terms “Galaxy Iris” and “Galaxy Eyeprint,” strongly suggesting that some form of iris scanner could be on the way in the Galaxy Note 7 generation. Whether this would feature in the phablet in addition to the existing fingerprint scanner, or in place of it, remains to be seen.
This feature would enable users to unlock their Galaxy Note 7 screens by simply gazing at the front-facing camera included in the unit. This would obviously be a massive breakthrough in terms of convenience, and seems plausible considering the history that Samsung already has with eye-tracking technology and the latest tablet release that it has made in the Asian subcontinent.
Some Samsung blogs have also noted that the Korean corporation has ordered the parts required in order to implement the technology. However, it should be emphasized that this doesn’t really prove anything, as Apple has already brought up industrial quantities of sapphire glass, but has yet to utilize it in the iPhone range, despite numerous predictions of this occurring.
Price and release date
There has been no confirmation from Samsung regarding when this phablet will ultimately hit the market, but it is believed that we could see a Galaxy Note 7 release early in August. Certainly, the timeframe is becoming rather short for a July release, and it is expected that Samsung will continue its policy of creating a release date demarcation between its products and those of Apple. With the iPhone 7 expected in September, August would seem to be the most logical date for this next Samsung phablet.
In terms of pricing, it is anticipated that the device will retail in the region of $900 in the United States. However, while the recent EU referendum in the UK may not seem to have a direct influence on the US, the financial markets are currently rather turbulent, and this could have a knock-on effect on retail pricing in the foreseeable future. There is no doubt that consumer electronics companies will presently be assessing the pricing and status of various currencies before finalizing product prices.
