We're only a few days away from
Samsung's next Unpacked event. And while we never know
exactly what events will hold, multiple leaks have combined to paint a pretty clear picture of what to expect at this one.
The centerpiece should, of course, be the Galaxy Note 5,
the next version of Samsung's stylus-laden phablet. Every other Galaxy
Note was announced at IFA in early September, but Samsung is bumping the
launch up this year, reportedly to create some distance from the iPhone
6s launch (
expected on or around September 9).
According to
SamMobile, the Galaxy Note 5 will keep the same key display specs from the
Note 4:
5.7-inches, Super AMOLED, with Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution. The
Note 4 was already doing great in that department, so we shouldn't have
any complaints there.
The Galaxy S6's glass back and aluminum frame
The new phablet will, however, get a new premium build that basically matches the
Galaxy S6,
including aluminum edges and glass back. The last two versions of the
Note lineup had faux leather backs with either aluminum (Galaxy Note 4)
or plastic (
Note 3) frames, so this will make for a higher-end feel.
The Note 5's S Pen (stylus) will also reportedly be
easier to yank out of the phone. Expect an auto-eject feature, where it
pops (partially) out of the handset when you press against its top. One
of the top items on our Note 5 wish list was a metallic S Pen, but we
don't yet know whether the company will do that or stick with plastic.
The Galaxy Note 4's S Pen
Other alleged Note 5 specs include 4 GB of RAM, an
entry-level 32 GB internal storage and a 64-bit octa-core Exynos
processor. The handset will also reportedly have a 16 MP rear camera and
5 MP front sensor, along with wireless charging like in the GS6.
Samsung's second big announcement should be the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus (try saying that ten times in a row). Unlike last year's
Galaxy Note Edge, the new phablet reportedly
won't have a stylus, instead settling for being a plus-sized
Galaxy S6 edge. Or, if you prefer, a more direct rival to the
iPhone 6 Plus.
Expect the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus to be a larger version of the curved Galaxy S6 Edge (pictured)
Otherwise leaks point to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus' specs
lining up almost identically with the Note 5's, apart from 3 GB of RAM
in place of the Note's 4 GB. Your choice should then come down to stylus
and flat screen vs. no stylus and curved screen.
Samsung should have at least a couple of wearables
arriving in 2015, but we aren't sure if we'll see those on Thursday. The
company is working on a round-faced smartwatch (reportedly called the
Gear A) that improves on the company's Tizen software, but the
relatively few or significant leaks we've seen about it could point to a
later-in-2015 announcement.
The Gear VR for S6
We also still expect the the first
full consumer version of the
Gear VR virtual reality headset
sometime in 2015 (despite being sold in Best Buy stores, the previous
versions were branded as "Innovator Editions" for developers and early
adopters). We'd bet on this announcement also coming later in the year,
but it's always possible we'll hear something this week.
Despite the positive critical reception to the Galaxy S6
and S6 edge, Samsung's flagship sales this year haven't quite lived up
to its (or investors') expectations. The Korean company is hoping its
new phablets, and their extra time in the spotlight before the new
iPhones steal their thunder, will buck that trend.
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