Galaxy Note 9: Price, release date and all the specs we know for Samsung's new smartphone
There’s not many surprises left to reveal about the Samsung Galaxy Note 9
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Your support makes all the difference.Samsung is still two days away from officially unveiling its new Galaxy device, but a series of leaks surrounding the Note 9 in recent weeks means there’s not much left to unveil.
The 9 August “Unpacked” event has been preceded by numerous images and specs sheets revealing key features and details about the premium smartphone, including a possible price.
Depending on the variant, the Galaxy Note 9 will cost between £899 (128GB version) and £1,099 (512GB version), according to the latest leak from Roland Quandt. So what can customers expect to get for this price?
Unchanged design
Leaked images from various reputable sources – including Samsung itself – reveal the South Korean electronics giant has settled on a design for its Note devices and is sticking with it.
Side by side with Galaxy Note 8, the Galaxy Note 9 is nearly indistinguishable from its predecessor. This is perhaps not a surprise, considering the uniformity of modern smartphone design, but it signals that Samsung is instead focussing on the internals of the high-end handset.
This design decision means Samsung is stubbornly sticking to its refusal to follow the lead of Apple in introducing a notch at the top of the display. This is despite other manufacturers, including Huawei and OnePlus, recognising the utility of the design.
Better battery life, camera and storage
Inside the Note 9 are where the biggest upgrades are to be found. One of the biggest improvements will be with the battery capacity, which is expected to be boosted to 4,000mAh – up from 3,300mAh with the Note 8.
How this translates into real-world usage won't be clear until we get a chance to test it, but the ever-increasing processing power demands of apps means it probably won't last 20 per cent longer than its predecessor, as the specs suggest.
Leaked marketing material has also revealed an improved camera that "adapts like the human eye" in order to take better pictures.
The so-called Intelligent Camera will feature dual aperture lenses, according to the material, which states: "New revolutionary features make it nearly impossible to take a bad shot."
Bluetooth S Pen
The same marketing materials boast of a bluetooth-enabled S Pen stylus, which appears in a garish yellow.
Bluetooth functionality lets users "press a button to take control of your camera, presentations, and apps without touching your phone".
The technology also means "drawing, taking notes, and sending Live messages with the S Pen is as intuitive and natural as pen and paper, thanks to the fine tip and 4,096 pressure levels".
Fortnite for Android
With a lack of any ground-breaking upgrades, one of the biggest draws to the Galaxy Note 9 could be a deal it has made with Epic Games to bring the wildly popular Fortnite exclusively to the device.
Android is the last major platform to not support the game, with rumours suggesting Samsung has secured the rights for a 30-day period following the launch of the Note 9.
Reports in blogs 9to5Google and XDA Developers claim Fortnite will come pre-installed on the handset, before being released through Epic Games' website for all Android devices in September.
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