If you're a Verizon customer and have been holding out for the chance to get a Galaxy Note 3 Developer Edition, Samsung has listed it as "coming soon" on its support page.
When Verizon launches a new popular Android smartphone, the carrier likes to completely lock it down to make hacking the handset a major undertaking. It is an issue that has come up many times, with customers asking the carrier to please allow them to unlock the bootloader so they can tinker with the smartphone they have paid for. In an attempt to appease its customers, the carrier has launched Developer Editions of popular smartphones that ship with an unlocked bootloader, which makes it easier for users to install custom ROMs and make the device do things that can't be done with a locked bootloader.
The carrier launched a Samsung Galaxy S4 Developer Edition in June and Samsung's own support site now lists a Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Developer Edition as "coming soon." The phablet is listed with a model number of SM-N900VMKEVZW. The Developer Edition will come with all of the same specs and software as the standard Verizon Galaxy Note 3, but with a higher price tag since the carrier does not offer it for a subsidized price.
The Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 features a 5.7-inch 1080p Full HD Super AMOLED display with a pixel density of 386 pixels per inch (ppi) and runs Android 4.3 with Samsung's TouchWiz UI on top. It is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, an Adreno 330 graphics processing unit (GPU) and 3GB of RAM.
Its camera capabilities include a 13-megapixel illuminated rear camera with "smart stabilization" and a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter, with both cameras able to record 1080p HD video. It will include 32GB of internal storage and have a microSD expansion slot that will support up to 64GB microSD cards. Its wireless connectivity options consist of 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 Note 3 into a universal remote control and it also features a dedicated program guide. Samsung has packed a large 3,200 mAh removable battery and enhanced S Pen functionality.
There's no word on when we can expect to see the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Developer Edition or at what price. It's possible the carrier could charge the off-contract Note 3 price of $699.00, but for now we'll have to wait for an official word. The good news it it's definitely coming for all you hackers and developers.
