Everything you need to know about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Ahead of tomorrow's Samsung Galaxy Note 4 release date, the black rendition of the phone has sold out, despite the handset's lofty price tag.Having been the subject of countless leaks and endless rumours prior to its unveiling, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 finally took a formal bow during IFA 2014. Introduced with a 5.7-inch QHD display, the Galaxy Note 3 follow-on is not only a powerhouse of the phablet space, but a true leader of the smartphone market. On paper, at least.
Wrapping up a few remaining unknowns surrounding the iPhone 6 Plus rival, Samsung recently confirmed that the Note 4 price has been set at a lofty £629. The phone will go on sale in the UK tomorrow, October 17. Despite being yet to hit retailers' shelves a pre-releases patch recently boosted the Note 4 battery life.
Here's everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 right now.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Video
We've already had an early play with the Galaxy Note 4. Check out the video below for our first reactions to the stylus-hosting handset.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Release Date: When will it come out?
As expected, Samsung formally unveiled the Galaxy Note 4 during a pre-IFA 2014 press conference in Berlin on September 3. Now, a UK Note 4 release date has been confirmed for October 17.
Having previously pegged the phone to hit the UK during 'early October', Samsung has now narrowed down this window to a precise date.
Preceding the phone's in-store release, Note 4 pre-orders have let wananbe owners secure their device for the past couple of weeks.
"The Galaxy Note 4 will be available to pre-order from Samsung Experience Stores across the country, including the Samsung Store at Westfield Stratford City, from Friday 19th September, followed by other selected online and high street retailers including Three and CPW from Friday 26th September, before it goes on general sale on Friday 17th October," an official Samsung spokesperson announced recently.
A number of UK networks and retailers are already letting you pre-order and register your interest in the Galaxy S5's big brother. You can check out all the best Samsung Galaxy Note 4 deals simply by clicking the link,
While Samsung is known for being a bit slow to get handsets to market following their formal unveilings, it appears things are changing. The October 17 release is a little over a month after the phone's announcement.
According to reports out of the company's native Korea, the Note 4 is being rushed to retailers in an effort to better compete with the iPhone 6.
With October also seeing the likes of the Sony Xperia Z3 and the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 go on sale, it is in Samsung's interest to get the Note 4 in shops as quickly as possible.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 News
Ahead of launch, the Note 4's battery has been boosted.
Samsung has outed a pre-release firmware update for the device in a bid to further enhance the phone’s staying power.
Although the benefits of these battery-boosting updates are currently unclear, any enhancement to the QHD phone’s longevity on a single charge is a welcome one.
The firmware patch, which is circling under the moniker XXU1ANJ4, also brings a range of bug fixes and stability improvements to the phone.
Despite the Note 4's flagship status, it will not have the launch platform all to itself.
Having been unveiled alongside a throng of addition mobile products, it is expected that the Note 4 could be released alongside a couple of wearables. While the Samsung Gear S is a new, oversized Android Wear smartwatch, the Samsung Gear VR is a Note 4-utilising headset which sits on your face to provide virtual reality experiences, gaming and video playback.
Not only could the Note 4 hit retailers on the same day as these two devices, it has been suggested that special bundle deals could see the smartphone packaged alongside the VR or Gear S. Samsung has yet to confirm any such plans.
Now known to feature a premium, metal-edged design, similar to that of the Galaxy Alpha, Samsung has claimed the Note 4's finish could help set it out from the competition.
“Our ultimate goal is to make products that consumers really aspire to have. This is how we are trying to find a breakthrough in the stagnant premium market,” Yoon Han-kil, Senior Vice President of Samsung’s Product Strategy Team stated recently.
Bizarrely, Samsung has provided the Note 4 its own competition. Launched alongside the phablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge has been announced with an identical specs sheet. The only differentiator between the two devices is the Edge's side encompassing curved screen. Although a direct rival of sorts, it is not believed that the Galaxy Edge will land until later in the year. This should give the Note 4 time to stretch its legs.
"The bent device is the first step towards testing the market and gauging how it would react to its foldable smartphones that are to be unveiled in the second half of next year," KDB Daewoo Securities analyst Song Jong-ho has said.
He added: “The foldable phone would be the next Samsung flagship phone.”
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Specs
As expected, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a beast.
The phone has retained the Note 3's 5.7-inch form factor, but that's where the similarities end. The Note 4 has traded in a 1080p, Full HD display for a 2560 x 1440 pixel QHD panel which will have the LG G3 hot under the collar. What's more, this is a Super AMOLED panel so colours are insanely rich and content exquisetly detailed.
It's not all about the visuals though. Samsung has given the Note 4 a power boost too. The phone now features the latest 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor. As such it is the first Snapdragon 805 device to be confirmed for a global release.
If this market-leading CPU wasn't enough, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage have also been included. As has microSD expansion.
All of this power shouldn't mean the death of the phone's battery though. The Snapdragon chipset boasts impressive battery management skills. As such, the Note 4's 3200mAh Lithium-Ion battery should see you through a full day's use with ease, despite the jump to a QHD display. On top of this, quick charge capabilities mean a 50 per cent charge can be achieved in just 30 minutes.
Camera-wise the Note 4 has again made strides. A 16-megapixel camera sits around back, with a secondary, 3.7-megapixel secondary snapper up front. These updates are about more than megapixels, however. The phone’s primary camera has been enhanced by the addition of optical-image-stabilisation, while the selfie snapper has a new wide-angle lens – ideal for group shots.
The Note 4 benefits from premium, metal frame. This high-end design shows a serious mark of intent from the Korean manufacturer to rectify one of its longstanding shortcomings. The phone lines up at 8.5mm thick and features a metal edge.
There will be four Samsung Galaxy Note 4 colours at launch - black, white, gold and ‘blossom pink’. The handset also feature the same fingerprint sensor and heart rate monitor as found on the Samsung Galaxy S5.
As much about substance as style, the Note 4 has been handed some serious S-Pen improvements too. Doubling the sensitivity of its stylus, the Note 4 S-Pen now offers 2048dps. New software features have been introduced to make use of this, with improved note taking and annotation options joining the fray.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Price: How much will you have to pay?
When it comes to price, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is not going to be cheap, not by a long shot. The Korean manufacturer has now confirmed the phone will set wannabe owners back a staggering £629 SIM-free.
Although expensive, with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 having cost £649 at launch, and with new features inbound, Samsung has done well to offer the Note 4 at a marginally lower price.
UK networks have confirmed their own Note 4 prices and tariffs.
EE, the first to open up its Note 4 pre-orders, revealed those looking to snap up the Galaxy Note 4 on a £40.99 per month, 24 month contract will still have to fork out a £110 upfront handset fee.
This costly tariff will come with just a 2GB monthly 4G data allowance alongside unlimited calls and unlimited texts.
Rival seller Carphone Warehouse will offer the handset for free on a £43.50 per month, 24 month contract.
Next, read all the latest on the Samsung Galaxy S6