There is no shortage of Galaxy Note 9 rumors on the Internet. We know that the Note 8 successor is just around the corner. The Note 8 was unveiled on August 23 last year. Bloomberg claims the Note 9 would arrive a bit earlier as Samsung was planning to unveil the new flagship on August 9th at an Unpacked event in New York City. However, fresh Galaxy Note 9 rumors suggest the phablet could launch even sooner.
Galaxy Note 9 gets FCC approval
Ahead of its official unveiling, the Note 9 has received certification from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The regulator has certified a device with ID A3LSMN960F (model number SM-N960F). The Note 8’s FCC ID was A3LSMN950F (model number SM-N950F). The FCC listing also confirms Samsung Electronics as the applicant.
Notably, the Note 9 has received certification much earlier than its predecessor did last year, sparking speculations that the phone could be unveiled even before August 9th. The FCC signed the Note 8’s authorization letter on June 2, 2017. By comparison, the authorization letter for the Note 9 was signed on April 26th, 2018. The FCC filing doesn’t reveal much about the phablet, except that it will offer wireless charging and LTE support.
The regulator also approved two other variants of the Note 9 with model numbers SM-N960F/DS and SM-N960X. The former is the dual-SIM version of the device while the latter is the Asian variant. The dual-SIM version is unlikely to be sold in the US due to resistance from the US wireless carriers.
The FCC has also approved Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Tab S4, which could be unveiled later this summer. The Tab S3 was released more than a year ago.
Galaxy Note 9 camera to use ISOCELL Plus technology
Previous Galaxy Note 9 rumors have indicated that it would feature an upgraded, horizontally aligned camera. It is expected to borrow the Super Slo-mo video and dual aperture features from the Galaxy S9 Plus. SamMobile reports the upcoming flagship could feature Samsung’s new ISOCELL Plus sensor that is set to be unveiled this week at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai. The ISOCELL Plus is set to enter mass production in the second half of this year.
The ISOCELL Plus sensors will bring improved light sensitivity and color accuracy to take clearer pictures even in low-light environments by capturing more light. Samsung claims the new technology will improve light sensitivity by up to 15% without any performance loss. The Note 9 could be the first smartphone to feature the ISOCELL Plus technology.
Galaxy Note 9 rumors hint at a major S Pen upgrade
Most of the Note users love the S Pen stylus. Last year, Samsung introduced tons of new features with the Note 8’s S Pen, such as Live Messages, Pen Up, Screen Off Memo, and 4,096 pressure levels. Twitter leaker Ice Universe has learned from supply chain sources that the Note 9’s stylus will also get a major upgrade. It will be “worth the wait,” says Ice Universe in a tweet.
It is unclear how Samsung plans to improve the stylus. The rumor mill claims it could feature Bluetooth support, which means the stylus should also have a battery to make it work. Other ways to upgrade the stylus include a click button that would launch note-taking apps on the Note 9. These are mere speculations at this point. We will know in a few weeks what the S Pen would bring.
Other rumors specs
Past leaks indicate that the Note 9 will offer only minor design changes compared to its predecessor. It will have a horizontally-aligned dual camera setup and a fingerprint sensor on the back. The phablet is said to sport a giant 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. It will come with an upgraded Bixby 2.0 AI assistant that would facilitate a more natural communication between the device and the user.
The Galaxy Note 9 will, in all likelihood, be powered by the Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 chips depending on the market. It is expected to pack up to 8GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The device will retain the microSD card slot and the 3.5mm audio jack. Ice Universe reports it will house a huge 3,850mAh battery, which is 15% bigger than the Note 8’s 3,300mAh.
