Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Release Date, Specs, Screen And Features; What Could The Phablet Inherit From The Galaxy S6?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will be coming to the market at a time when the Korean manufacturer is still trying to pull itself out of the sales slump it has suffered for the last year. While the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge have been received well, sales have been modest and analysts expect the smartphones to sell about 45 million handsets by the end of the year. Prior to their launch, estimates suggested the smartphones could sell up to 70 million handsets.

But the Galaxy Note line has always somewhat of a secret weapon for Samsung. It is where the manufacturer often tests new technology before implementing on to the Galaxy S smartphones. The Galaxy Note line also remains the original phablet. While many smartphone makers are now also producing large-sized phones to compete, the Galaxy Note smartphones are among the few high-end devices with features like a built in stylus.

Several rumors are circulating for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Many are anxious to see what’s in store for the phablet line, especially with the many changes Samsung brought with the Galaxy S6. Here’s what we know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 so far.

Display

One of the most prominent features of any Galaxy Note smartphone is its display, and rumors suggest Samsung will at least maintain the high-resolution displays to which users are accustom. The Galaxy Note 5 is being called “Project Noble” internally and is expected to feature a 5.89-inch Super AMOLED display with either 2K (2048 x 1080) or 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution.

Smartphone manufacturers have rapidly increased display resolution over several years. Currently, many high-end smartphones feature a Quad HD display with a (1440 x 2560) resolution. Many mid-range and low end smartphones now feature a Full HD display with a (1920 x 1080) resolution.

Keep in mind that the 2K display resolution rumor has circulated for many Samsung devices. A 2K resolution is actually lower than the Quad HD resolutions on devices like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4. A recent rumor from Slash Gear suggests the Galaxy Note 5 may have a Quad HD display as opposed to a 2K or 4K screen.

There are also rumors circulating about the Galaxy Note 5 featuring a foldable display, which could make is similar to a video game console. Recently, a patent filing showed Samsung’s idea for a device that looks much like a Nintendo 3DS. However, technology detailed in recently filed patents often does not show up on devices right away.

Design

Design leaks for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 are new and suggest the phablet may borrow elements from its Galaxy S6 cousin. Images shared by the French tech website Nowhereelse, show the Galaxy Note 5 looking very large and boxy as usual, but with a glass and metal design like the Galaxy S6. The render particularly shows the reflective gold color option, which has been popular on the Galaxy S6. The Galaxy Note 5 may also adopt bottom facing speakers, which is similar to the Galaxy S6 design.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is also expected to be quite thin at just 7.9mm, in comparison to the 8.5mm thickness of the Galaxy Note 4. Recent leaks of cases supposedly belonging to the Galaxy Note 5 show the device may in fact be thin.

Specifications

One major change in the Galaxy S6 is that Samsung opted to use its own Exynos chip on all handsets instead of using Qualcomm Snapdragon chips on certain handsets, as it has done with older Galaxy models. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is expected to feature an Exynos chip, likely the octa-core Exynos 7442. However, now that Qualcomm has announced its Snapdragon 820 chip, there are murmurs about whether Samsung will opt for the outside processor instead.

Samsung originally decided to use its own chip after the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip, featured on many early 2015 high-end smartphones, suffered from heating issues. The Korean manufacturer also wanted to differentiate itself in the market with its own chip, similar to how Apple differentiates with it's A-series chips.

There have been murmurs that the Galaxy Note 5 might include 4G of RAM, an increase from the 3G of RAM on the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S6. Notably, Samsung began developing 4GB RAM modules in 2013, but has yet to implement them into smartphones. Since 3GB RAM capacity is still relatively new, there is also a chance Samsung could continue to use that specification. The Galaxy Note 5 will likely have the same 32GB, 64GB and 128GB internal storage options as the Galaxy S6, especially if Samsung opts out of a removable back panel once again.

The Galaxy Note 5 is expected to have a hefty 4,100mAh battery battery and will likely have all of the standard smartphone connectivity, including the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocols.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will likely launch with software, which may be considered a little outdated. As Google’s Android M operating system likely won’t launch until October (though there have been rumors to the contrary), the Galaxy Note 5 will likely launch with Android 5.1.1 or a further updated version of Lollipop on board. Luckily, the Note 5 would be one of the first Samsung smartphones to update to Android M once it's on the market.

The Galaxy Note 5 will likely feature Samsung’s updated version of TouchWiz, which it introduced on the Galaxy S6. The user interface is cleaner and easier to use than older TouchWiz versions and contains less bloatware. It also allows users to disable apps and services they don’t wish to use. Users should also be able to set themes on the Galaxy Note 5 as they are on the Galaxy S6. Themes allow users to alter the look and feel of their device with similarly designed wallpaper, icons and notification menus.

In accordance with Samsung’s partnership with BlackBerry, the Galaxy Note 5 likely include integration of BlackBerry’s business-focused services like WorkLife and SecuSUITE into Samsung’s Knox software. Samsung introduced this collaboration on the Galaxy S6.

Camera

Rumors for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 camera have been inconclusive, but some suggest it may have a main camera lens that is 13, 16 or 21-megapixels and a front camera between 5 and 8-megapixels.

Regardless of the camera capacity, the Galaxy Note 5 could also inherit some of the camera features from the Galaxy S6. The Galaxy Note 5 camera lens could have a lower aperture of f/1.9, like the Galaxy S6. The aperture, lowered from the standard f/2.2 allows the lense to let in more light to create sharper photos. Samsung could also add the Real-time HDR and low-light shot features to the Galaxy Note 5, which it introduced on the Galaxy S6.

New Features

Samsung could potentially stuff a host of new features on to the Galaxy Note 5. First, there is rumor circulating about the phablet featuring an auto-eject S-Pen stylus. A Samsung patent for the feature suggests an S-Pen, which could eject automatically with a voice command.

If true, this would be one of the biggest S-Pen enhancements since its inception. For several generations, Samsung has simply improved the speed and accuracy of the stylus’ point. Currently, users must remove the S-Pen manually with either a fingernail or the tip of the finger. While this function is not cumbersome, Galaxy Note fans are sure to appreciate updates to the unique S-Pen feature.

There are also rumors Samsung may implement a USB Type-C port on the Galaxy Note 5. USB Type-C appears to be the new technology trend among major manufacturers. Apple introduced the drive on its new MacBooks, while OnePlus and Xiaomi are expecting to use USB Type-C ports on upcoming smartphones.

Reports also indicate that Samsung will launch its Samsung Pay mobile payment system on the Galaxy Note 5. The manufacturer introduced Samsung Pay in March with the Galaxy S6 and the service was supposed to launch in the summer. However, Samsung executives say Samsung Pay will launch in September with its next flagship, which is the Galaxy Note 5.

With Samsung Pay, users should expect to see the same fingerprint scanner updates on the Galaxy Note 5 that Samsung introduced on the Galaxy S6. The updates allow users to register their fingerprint by just placing a finger on the home button rather than using a swipe motion on the home button.

Price

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will likely have a similar price to older Galaxy Note models and may sell starting at $299.99 with a two year contract. Prices will depend on the amount of internal memory the Galaxy Note 5 model contains. If Samsung makes 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models available, the prices may increase in intervals of $100. The Galaxy Note 5 will likely sell starting at about $749.99 off contract.

Release Date

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will likely be announced in September at a Samsung Unpacked event during the IFA Expo in Berlin. Samsung has announced several Galaxy Note models at the IFA Expo, including the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note 3.

After that the Galaxy Note 5 could hit markets sometime between September and October. The Galaxy Note 4 released in select markets like Korea and China in late September 2014, while the device launched in other major markets like the U.S. and U.K. in mid-October.