Have you been desperately waiting for the Galaxy Note 9? Thanks to all the leaks in recent weeks, you probably have a fair idea of what the phablet will look like and what new features it would offer. If you want to be among the first buyers, you should reserve your Galaxy Note 9 right now. Samsung will unveil the device on August 9 at an Unpacked event in New York City. But the company has started accepting reservations for the handset.
Here’s how to reserve your Galaxy Note 9
The Korean electronics behemoth is confident that a lot of fans who haven’t even seen the device would reserve their Note 9 units ahead of launch. If you reserve your Galaxy Note 9 ahead of the August 9 Unpacked event, you’ll get “guaranteed delivery” by August 24. Past reports have indicated that the phablet would go on sale on August 24 but there is a good chance people placing the reservation (and then pre-ordering when pre-orders go live) will get it before August 24.
To reserve your Galaxy Note 9 unit, head over to this new page on Samsung’s website or download the Shop Samsung app on your device. You have to fill in the basic details such as your name, email, ZIP code and then select the carrier to reserve the device. You’ll not have to pay any amount for reservation. People who have reserved the device will get early access to pre-orders, which are expected to go live on August 10th.
Since reservation is not technically a pre-order and you haven’t paid anything, you can choose not to buy the device if you change your mind for some reason. You are under no obligation to pre-order or purchase the device. The reservations have gone live only in the US. The company doesn’t list the price, color options, or storage variants.
Samsung is sweetening the deal for early customers
Samsung is giving you a special offer if you reserve your Galaxy Note 9 on its website or through the app. It is offering up to $450 off the price of the upcoming phablet if you trade-in an eligible device. The exact trade-in discount will depend on your current phone’s model, age, and condition. Samsung doesn’t mention which devices will be eligible for trade-in, but the device must power on, have an uncracked screen, and hold a chance.
If you are worried that the Galaxy Note 9 might be way too expensive for you, its price is unlikely to be higher than last year’s Galaxy Note 8. You see, Samsung is facing fierce competition from Apple, Huawei, and OnePlus in the premium segment. Sales of the Galaxy S9 fell way short of expectations in the April-June quarter. Samsung said during its latest quarterly earnings call that it would be “offering the Note 9 at reasonable prices in order to maximize sales.”
Poor sales of Galaxy S9 are also the reason Samsung is launching Galaxy Note 9 earlier than usual. Last year’s Galaxy Note 8 was unveiled on August 23, and sales began on September 15. The Korean company told investors that it would “strengthen price competitiveness and actively adopt advanced technology” to “aggressively respond to market condition.”
Earlier this week, ETNews found a promotional poster for the Note 9 made by Korean carrier KT. The promotional poster confirmed that the device would go on sale on August 24th. It also indicated that Samsung would offer a lot of free goodies to pre-order customers. Buyers will be able to choose from a screen protector, a transparent case, a car charger, a USB Type-C convert, a smart ring, and a wireless charger.
Expected Galaxy Note 9 specs
According to leaked images, the Galaxy Note 9 will look similar to the Galaxy S9 Plus, albeit with slimmer top and bottom bezels. The new phone will have a horizontally-aligned dual camera setup on the back to make room for a bigger battery. The fingerprint scanner will be placed right below the rear camera module. Supply chain leaks suggest it would pack a huge 3,850mAh or 4,000mAh battery.
Depending on the market, the Note 9 would run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 or Samsung’s Exynos 9810 chips. It would offer up to 8GB RAM and up to 512GB storage, though the base model is said to have only 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. Samsung is expected to introduce a new Crown UX skin on top of Android Oreo to replace the Samsung Experience skin.
The phone will also get wireless charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an improved S Pen stylus with Bluetooth connectivity, and an upgraded Bixby 2.0 AI assistant. According to the rumor mill, the phablet will be available in multiple color options such as Copper, Lavender, Black, Blue, and Gray. However, a Twitter tipster claims Samsung has canceled the “Grey/Silver version” of the phablet.
