After months of speculation, rumored specs and leaked images, Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 3 phablet at is Unpacked event in Berlin.
Ever since the Galaxy Note 2 was launched in September 2012, smartphone fans have been wondering what they could expect from Samsung with the Galaxy Note 3. Its next-generation phablet dominated headlines and proved to be one of the most highly-anticipated smartphones to be released this year. The wait is finally over, as Samsung took to the stage and presented the Galaxy Note 3 to the world. It picks up where the Galaxy Note 2 left off and packs high-end specs, a new design, and innovative features.
"We introduced the original GALAXY Note in 2011 and launched a whole new smart device category. The undeniable success of the GALAXY Note strengthened our conviction that consumers want higher quality features for smart devices and they want those new features to make their lives better," said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics.
"Samsung GALAXY Note 3 is a powerful, original approach that enables users to tell the stories of their lives through dynamic and seamless expressions of their passions across work, play and life experiences. With a simple click of the S Pen button, users can unlock opportunities for self-expression, features that transform everyday activities into extraordinary events and access to new experiences delivered to them on Note 3's larger screen."
The Samsung GALAXY Note 3 comes with a wider (5.7-inch) full HD Super AMOLED display, yet slimmer (8.3mm) and lighter (168g) hardware design, and more powerful and longer-lasting battery (3,200 mAh). Also, equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with Smart Stabilization and high CRI LED flash, the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 enables users to crisply capture every visual story in their lives, even in low-light and active situations. The Samsung GALAXY Note 3 offers the latest LTE technologies - CAT4 Carrier Aggregation and supports the greatest number of multiple frequencies. Incorporating the industry's largest 3GB RAM, the GALAXY Note 3 also provides faster and more powerful performance.
The Galaxy Note 3 will be making its way to AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular in the U.S. In terms of specs, the new phablet features a 5.7-inch 1080p Full HD Super AMOLED display with a pixel density of 386 pixels per inch (ppi). Just like the Galaxy S4, it will be offered in two variants with different processors, depending on region. The U.S. will be receiving the Galaxy Note 3 with a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and an Adreno 330 graphics processing unit (GPU), while the international variant will use an Exynos 5420 Octa-Core CPU with a clock speed of 1.3GHz and 6-core Mali graphics processing unit (GPU); both models will also pack 3GB of RAM. It will run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box and Samsung's TouchWiz UI.
Its camera capabilities include a 13-megapixel backside-illuminated rear camera with "smart stabilization" and a 2-megapixel front facing camera, both able to record 1080p HD video. The Galaxy Note 3 will come in two storage capacities, 32GB and 64GB and include a microSD expansion slot that will support up to 64GB microSD cards. Its wireless connectivity options include a 4G LTE radio, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC, and an IR blaster to turn the device into a universal remote control. It will have excellent battery life thanks to its removable 3,200 mAh battery.
The Galaxy Note 3 will be offered in choice of black, white, or pink and has a more premium feel since Samsung ditched its plastic back case for a faux-leather case that feels great in the hand. The new Galaxy Note phablet will launch globally on Sept. 25.
We'll keep you updated on exact release dates as individual carriers make their announcements.
