29 July
Samsung's next big smartphone is just around the corner – a launch event for the Galaxy Note 7 is scheduled to take place in London on Tuesday 2 August at 4pm.
Rumoured specifications for the device have been floating around on the web for some weeks, though a thorough and detailed rundown of exactly what's coming on the device has now been posted by 9 to 5 Google.
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The site claims that an anonymous source – whose legitimacy has been confirmed – has provided juicy details on the upcoming smartphone, as well as new services Samsung plans to roll out alongside it.
With the release of the Note 7, Samsung will introduce a new cloud based storage feature called Samsung Cloud, which 9 to 5 Mac says is assumedly Samsung's iCloud competitor.
Much like Apple's iCloud, it will be a system for backing up your data across various devices, storing information and backups in the cloud. The Note 7 is the launch vehicle for the service, and those who pluck for Samsung's new phablet will get 5GB of storage space for free.
In terms of the actual device, it's now confirmed that there will be no flat screened version of the Note 7, and the phablet will be offered using Samsung's trademark curved OLED display form factor only. It should be one of the most durable displays you can buy on a smartphone, considering it will be made with all new Gorilla Glass 5.
Also confirmed are new waterproofing capabilities, beyond what was initially expected. The Note 7 will come with IP68 water and dust resistance, and the waterproofing applies to the S-Pen stylus used to draw and write on the device too, so it can take notes when the device is wet or even when it's completely underwater.
A full rundown of the specifications reveal a 12-megapixel camera – likely to be the exact same hardware you'll find on the Galaxy S7 – a five-megapixel front facing camera for selfies, a large 3,500mAh battery, both a fingerprint scanner and an iris scanner, alongside USB type C compatibility. A Micro USB adaptor is set to ship in the box alongside though, for use with older accessories. Lastly, the phone won't debut Android N, and will release with Android 6.0.1 instead.
Galaxy Note 7: August launch date confirmed
13 July
The Galaxy Note 7 will be revealed at a Samsung Unpacked event in New York on 2 August.
Issuing an official press release on its website, the South Korean company confirmed its next phablet will skip over the "6" title in order to unify it alongside this year's Galaxy S7 smartphones.
While the message doesn’t outline any of the Note's specifications, numerous leaks have already all-but spelt out what to expect.
The Note 7 is expected to get a curved OLED display measuring 5.8ins, aping the screen on the Galaxy S7 Edge. If pictures leaked by notorious smartphone tipster Evan Blass are accurate, Samsung's flagship design cue will be standard on the next Note.
Running through the specs powering the device, Know Your Mobile says the phablet should, at the very least, have a Snapdragon 820 chipset mated to 6GB RAM, although many rumours have pegged the Note as coming with the recently unveiled 821 chip or even the upcoming 823. Regardless, it should be a high performance handset, ideal for power users.
Camera hardware is set to be overhauled and many expect Samsung will give the Note 7 the same 12-megapixel, dual-pixel lens fitted to the Galaxy S7. This would represent a drop in megapixels, but it's a trick that seems to have worked on Samsung's other devices – the new camera tech has led to "loads of improvements" on the S7, Trusted Reviews says.
The Note 7 should also boast an iris scanner, as well as huge storage options thanks to expandable Micro SD card slots. A S-Pen stylus feeds into the bottom of the case and big improvements over how you use it with the phone have been tipped.
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