It’s here, and Samsung delivered. Whether you’re a Samsung enthusiast, a fan of the competition or you just like technology, it’s easy to get excited about the Samsung UNPACKED event. Especially when the box of announcements is packed so tightly.
Episode one of UNPACKED 2014 brought us the sleek and sexy Samsung Galaxy S5, and – as it had been rumoured – episode two brings us the premium Note-related devices.
This time around, however, Samsung isn’t only announcing one phone, but instead they have announced two brand new mobile devices: the Note 4 and the Note Edge.
The Note 4 remains Samsung’s premium smartphone, while the Note Edge aims to fill the gap between the S5 and the Note 4.
The Note 4 also makes a stand as an improved photo device, and is packed with a whopping 16MP rear camera with optical image stabilization technology, and a 3.7MP front camera that Samsung claims is designed specifically for selfies.
The Note also comes equipped with a new design inside and out, taking advantage of the visually upgraded operating system first demonstrated with the S5, and the body of the device includes more curves to create a sleeker look.
The display on the Note 4 is also crisper, as the phone includes a whopping 2560×1440 Super AMOLED display. That means that the Note 4 now has a higher resolution than conventional HDTV’s. Samsung also says that the device includes a 2.5D glass screen that will provide greater durability when accidentally dropping the phone.
Inside, the Note 4 comes equipped with a 2.7GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM. Battery wise, Samsung says the Note 4 uses next-generation fast charging which allows it to charge from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes.
Because of software tweaks, Samsung says that the battery life has improved when compared to the Note 3 while only adding a minimal amount of space to the battery.
On the flip side, the Note Edge comes equipped with many of the features found in the Note 4, but inside of a smaller package.
The Note Edge also takes Samsung into new territory by using an extended curved display. Where other smartphones use a bezel on the outer edge of the screen, the Note Edge extends the screen around the right side.
Samsung uses this extra screen space as an app-launcher, which gives users the ability to quickly load up commonly used applications or tools.
The mobile giant also announced two complimentary devices to the Note series of phones: the Galaxy Gear S smartwatch and the Gear VR headset.
Where previous Galaxy smartwatches need to be paired to a smartphone in order to receive messages and make calls, the Gear S comes equipped with its own SIM card so it can be used on the go. The Gear S can also be used a GPS device, to the extent that it can even help the user track their car in a crowded parking lot.
Finally, the Gear VR is a virtual reality headset developed alongside the Oculus Rift. The technology runs off of the Note 4, but also includes its own dedicated hardware. In their presentation, Samsung demonstrated the technology in a 360-degree virtual theatre where the wearer was immersed inside of a Cirque du Soleil act.
Currently, Samsung plans to use the technology with third-parties such as Marvel and IMAX to create exclusive content that extends the movie experience. Other uses of the technology could include gaming.
More details about the four announced Samsung devices are likely to be released as the launch-dates get closer. Samsung’s devices could be released as soon as October.
