As we enter the second half of 2016, the next big thing would be the new Galaxy Note series. Just like last year, the new model will be announced ahead of IFA and it should hit shelves before the next iPhone is revealed.
So what’s new for the next productivity phablet? Here’s what we know so far from the recent leaks.
There is no Galaxy Note 6
Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/jo1EF3Mp3J
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 25, 2016
The new Galaxy will be called the Note7. Yes, it is 2 numbers after the current Note5 and they are probably doing this to streamline the naming convention with its current Galaxy S7. The Galaxy Note7 name has been rumoured for quite awhile and it appears to be confirmed by serial leakster @evleaks.
A larger screen with dual-curve display
The Samsung Galaxy Note series has been using a 5.7″ display since the Galaxy Note III. The Galaxy Note7 is said to have a larger 5.8″ Quad HD display but it won’t feel any bigger as the display curves on both sides.
UPDATE: According to @evleaks, the Note7 will retain a similar 5.7″ display as the previous version with Quad HD resolution.
Last year, the Galaxy Note5 was launched alongside with the Galaxy S6 edge+. Both are practically the same device but you have to choose between having an S-Pen or a dual-curved display. Since there’s already an S7 edge with a bigger 5.5″ screen, it looks like Samsung would be focusing on a single Galaxy Note7 model.
More refinement
Based on renders from @onleaks, the new Note7 would look like the current S7 edge. The corners of the glass are more rounded and it gets that distinctive 3D curve glass appearance at the back.
Even the camera bump has been reduced and that’s partly due to its larger battery capacity. The new Galaxy Note7 is reported to have a larger 4,000mAh battery which is 1,000mAh more than the current Note5.
Better hardware with 6GB of RAM
In the processor department, Samsung is said to be using the same Exynos unit as the Galaxy S7 but clocked at a higher speed. There’s also a possibility that Samsung may introduce a Snapdragon 823 variant for selected markets.
To be on par with newer flagships, it will also come with a whopping 6GB of RAM for better multitasking. For taking pictures, it will retain the same incredible 12MP dual-pixel cameras from its current Galaxy S7/S7 edge along with a fast f/1.7 lens. It also appears that the Note7 might come with a minimum of 64GB of on-board storage.
Water resistance and USB Type C
Just like the S7, the new Galaxy Note will get IP68 water and dust resistance while having a cap-less design. The Galaxy Note7 is expected to be Samsung’s first smartphone to use USB Type-C which should provide faster data transfer and charging. If you need more storage, it will get a microSD slot and it’s likely to use a hybrid dual-SIM tray.
Iris Scanner
Also confirmed: iris scanner
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 25, 2016
Oh, one more thing. The new Galaxy Note7 will get an iris scanner. We’ve seen that before on the ZTE Axon. It was slow to unlock and it is quite gimmicky when compared to a fingerprint scanner. Can Samsung do better? We’ll find out in the next Unpacked event. Tentatively the launch is rumoured to be on 2nd August and we can safely expect it to go on sale in Malaysia within a month’s time.
Are you looking forward to the Note7?
