Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy edge+ to get early release

15 Jul 2015

Samsung’s newest phablet devices, the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy edge+, are expected to drop earlier than expected, according to Samsung-dedicated news site SamMobile.

While Samsung devices are usually launched at September’s IFA event in Berlin, reports suggest that the Note 5 and edge+ will be unveiled on 12 August, going on sale as early as 21 August.

Samsung Pay will be announced at the same time, going live – at least in the US – in line with the devices’ launch.

The inclusion of Samsung Pay in the launch suggests that Samsung may be trying to take on Apple, releasing devices early and announcing their own contactless payment system to try to circumvent Apple’s dominance.

In terms of design, the Note 5 will feature an extremely thin screen bezel and a new metal and glass design. According to the SamMobile report, it will not sport a MicroSD slot, meaning that expandable storage will not be an option.

The Note’s stylus – a popular feature on earlier models – will be benefitting from an updated look, matching the device’s colour scheme (both phablets will be available in gold, silver, black and white) and generally looking more pen-like.

Details are a little thinner on the ground when it comes to the edge+, although few changes are expected beyond the switch from Snapdragon 808 to an Exynos 7420 chip.

The edge+ will ship with 3GB of RAM, while the Note 5 will be the first Samsung mobile device to sport 4GB of RAM.

Samsung image, via Shutterstock

Kirsty Tobin was careers editor at Silicon Republic

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