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| Samsung Galaxy Note 4 |
built up. In fact, we're only months away from greeting the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which is shaping up as a beast of a smartphone. How do we know? Well, Samsung's J.K. Shin already hinted that a new Galaxy Note phone is in the works. He did not elaborate on the matter, of course, but hey, that's what we have the rumor mill for! So here's what is known about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 so far, based on all the recent leaks and rumors.
1. Design
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 4 |
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (rumored model SM-N910) will be a relatively large smartphone, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. What exactly it is going to look like, however, is far from clear at this point in time as no real-world photos or renders have been leaked yet. Still, we can assume that size-wise, it will come really close to the current Galaxy Note 3 model since the screen size is expected to stay at 5.7 inches. Also, it seems safe to expect for the Galaxy Note 4 to be a plastic-made phone with a perforated design à la Samsung Galaxy S5, although rumors have yet to deny or confirm these design characteristics.
Resistance to the elements is said to be in the cards for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. To be more specific, the smartphone is expected to be protected against dust and water damage. This one should be taken with a grain of salt, however, as it comes from a source that claimed the same for the LG G3. Yet on the other hand, since the Galaxy S5 has an IP67 rating, it won't be surprising to see a liquid-resistant Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
Several new sensors are expected to make an appearance on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Rumor has it that the phone will sport a fingerprint scanner, presumably embedded in the home key, and a heart-rate monitor, just like the Galaxy S5. The use for these should be self-explanatory. In addition, Samsung might add a sensor detecting ultra-violet radiation. This could allow for better automatic brightness adjustments and could help to warn you if you are at risk for a sun burn when you're outside.
Of
course, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will come with an S Pen resting in
its dedicated slot. It is believed that the S Pen will come in an
improved form, but what kind of improvements these might be is not yet
known.
2. Display
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 4 |
One of the more peculiar rumors out there states that we should be expecting multiple Samsung Galaxy Note 4 variants – one with a typical, flat display, and another with a curved display. Actually, this one is not too hard to believe given that last year's Samsung Galaxy Round was basically a Galaxy Note 3 with a curved AMOLED touchscreen and without an S Pen. What's worth pointing out, however, is that the "curved" Galaxy Note 4 may have a Samsung-made YOUM screen that would extend around the edges in a "wraparound" fashion. The practical benefits of this design feature are anyone's guess at this time. If this curved Note 4 variant does turn out to be real, it will probably be available solely in niche markets.
Either way, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is rumored to sport a 5.7-inch
display, just like the Galaxy Note 3. The resolution, however, will get a bump to 1440 to 2560 pixels
(QHD) for a pixel density rivaling that of the LG G3's awesome screen.
True to Samsung's traditions, the Note 4's display will most likely be
of the Super AMOLED kind. Rumors are mum on whether the flat and curved
Galaxy Note 3 variants will both have the same display specifications,
or factors like size and resolution will differ.
3. Interface and functionality
Whatever version of Android ends up running on the Samsung Galaxy
Note 4, it will most likely come in a heavily modified form. Samsung's
TouchWiz interface in its latest variation – the one that we know from
the Galaxy S5 – should be on board the device, along with goodies like
Multi Window and whatever S Pen optimized features Samsung comes up
with.
Furthermore, it is rumored that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will get swipe gestures
of some kind. These could be used for waking up the device and possibly
for launching the camera from stand-by. Another feature that Samsung is
allegedly testing could be Smart Fingerprint. Basically, it could be a
shortcut for accessing certain functions with a swipe on the fingerprint
scanner. Features found on the Galaxy S5 are also coming to the Note 4,
it seems. Download Booster is expected to be one of them, allowing
users to download large files using the combined bandwidth of a Wi-Fi
and an LTE network.
Naturally, modes and
features that appeared on the Galaxy S5 should be pre-loaded on the
Samsung galaxy Note 4, including the Ultra Power Saving mode. And if the
phone does get a heart-rate monitor, then it will most likely ship with
the newest release of S Health for all your fitness monitoring needs.
4. Processor and memory
As the case is with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will be available in two different processor flavors.
According to rumors, that is. North America, South Korea, China, and
Japan are expected to get a variant powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805
SoC, while the rest of the world should be using Samsung's own Exynos
chip, presumably the Exynos 5433. Both are probably going to pack at
least 3GB of RAM, as that is what the Note 3 is rocking under the hood.
No hints of storage space have been passed along so far, but we're
inclined to believe that at least 32 gigs will be on board, with the
option to add a microSD card for extra storage.
UPDATE: Model names for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4
have been leaked. It appears that all major US carriers will be
offering the device with 32GB of native storage. Also, the white variant
might be a Verizon exclusive, at least at launch. Here's what we know
so far:
- Samsung SM-N910A - 32GB, AT&T, Black
- Samsung SM-N910V - 32GB, Verizon, Black/White
- Samsung SM-N910P - 32GB, Sprint, Black
- Samsung SM-N910T - 32GB, Black
5. Camera
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 4 |
Black According to what's making the rounds, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4
will be packing a 16-megapixel camera, just like the Samsung Galaxy S5.
But unlike the latter, the Note 4 will be utilizing optical image
stabilization for steadier videos and blur-free photos. Sony is said to
be the supplier for the camera unit, which, if true, could mean that the
Note 4 won't be boasting phase-detection auto-focus. Note that the the
Samsung Galaxy S5, which owes its super-fast focusing abilities to the
said technology, uses an ISOCELL sensor by Samsung, and special pixel
pairs on the sensor's surface are what make phase-detection AF work. As
for the handset's front-facing camera, we're not expecting any
surprises. It is said that Samsung will stick with the S5's 2MP
front-facing camera for the Galaxy Note 4.
UPDATE: According to Korean media, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 might come with a 12MP camera
instead of a 16MP one. Sounds strange given the fact that the Note 3
uses a 13MP one, but we wouldn't label this rumor as bogus right away.
The choice to go with a lower-resolution sensor might have been made to
allow for optical image stabilization gear to be implemented.
Interestingly, benchmark results seem to detect a 3.7MP front-facing
camera on the device.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is expected to be announced on or around September 3 – days before the start of the IFA in Berlin. This rumor is most likely on the right track as the Note 3 and the Note II were introduced around the same time and showcased during the same expo. Details on the phone's availability are expected to be made official at its announcement, but our guess is that the phone will launch within weeks after it is made official. As for its pricing, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is not going to be cheap, if our intuition is to be trusted. Last year's Note 3 was offered for $299 on a 2-year contract with a major US carrier, and the Note 4 is probably going to be about as costly. But if the phone is indeed bundled with a Samsung Gear 3 smartwatch, then the offer might sound quite tempting
6. Price and release date
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is expected to be announced on or around September 3 – days before the start of the IFA in Berlin. This rumor is most likely on the right track as the Note 3 and the Note II were introduced around the same time and showcased during the same expo. Details on the phone's availability are expected to be made official at its announcement, but our guess is that the phone will launch within weeks after it is made official. As for its pricing, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is not going to be cheap, if our intuition is to be trusted. Last year's Note 3 was offered for $299 on a 2-year contract with a major US carrier, and the Note 4 is probably going to be about as costly. But if the phone is indeed bundled with a Samsung Gear 3 smartwatch, then the offer might sound quite tempting
UPDATE: It is rumored that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is ready to go into mass production.
Allegedly, Samsung is aiming to launch the device only days after its
official announcement – during the second week of September.
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