Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has launched globally at a special event in New York. The smartphone will go on sale on August 19 globally, and pre-orders starts today in the US. The Korean smartphone maker calls Galaxy Note 7 as the intelligent smartphone that thinks big. “The Galaxy Note7 combines productivity and entertainment, with strong security features. Powering a robust ecosystem, it is the ideal device for those who want to achieve more in life,” said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics in a press statement.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launches with a host of new features. For starters, it sports an Iris scanner as well as fingerprint scanner for security. The smartphone is water and dust resistant as is the S Pen on the Note 7. Samsung has introduced a Secure Folder protected by the company’s Knox security. There’s also Samsung Cloud with up to 15GB free space, although the company didn’t talk much about this during the launch.
In terms of specifications, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 features a 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) dual edge Super AMOLED display. Samsung Galaxy Note7 has IP68 rating, which tests submersion up to 5 feet for 30 minutes. It runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with TouchWiz UI. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is powered by an Exynos octa-core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad) processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal memory. The US version of the phone, however has, a Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor.
The new Note 7 is backed by a 3,500 mAh battery with fast charging technology and comes with wireless charging support. The new phone also has a Type-C USB charging port, making it the first in the Galaxy series to ditch the micro-USB port. However, Samsung is promising to include Type-C to micro-USB adapters in the box. Here are the top five features of Samsung Galaxy Note 7:
S-Pen
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 comes with a new S Pen that can be used on the smartphone without unlocking the screen. The Screen off memo works by simply pinning the memo to the Always On Display. Users can create and share GIF animations more quickly with the new S Pen using the Smart Select feature. There are new Air Command functions, including Magnify and Translate, that allow users to zoom in on the screen or convert languages with a hover of the S Pen.
The new S Pen has a smaller 0.7 mm tip. Samsung claims there’s improved pressure sensitivity that provides a real pen-like experience and is IP68 water resistant. It allows users to jot down notes on their phone even when the screen gets wet.
Iris scanner
Iris scanner is the newest addition to Samsung smartphones, and Galaxy Note 7 is the first one to feature it. The iris scanner comes coupled with Samsung Knox to provide better security and privacy. There’s also a fingerprint scanner. Samsung claims the new Iris scanner is safer than fingerprint sensors found on most Android smartphones. We can expect more Samsung smartphones in future to sport Iris scanner.
The iris recognition technology can be used with Samsung Pay for authenticating purchases. The Galaxy Note 7 also supports Samsung Pass feature, that can be used to authenticate more apps and services using iris recognition technology and fingerprint scanner.
Secure Folder
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 comes with a Secure Folder to keep private information safe. It is a separate folder, which allows users to store their personal information at one place. The folder is protected by Samsung’s KNOX security. There’s additional level of security, and the folder can be accessed using fingerprint scanner, iris scanner or a passcode.
Ecosystem and Samsung Cloud
Just like other top-end Galaxy devices, the Note 7 can be used as a connection point to Samsung’s ecosystem of devices, software and services including fitness trackers like Gear Fit2, Gear Icon X. The new S Health allows users to share fitness updates with their friends and also put up challenges for them.
The Smart Switch feature for Galaxy Note 7 now supports continuous backup and easy transfer of content between devices. Samsung is giving away 15GB of free space to store information on Samsung Cloud.
Samsung Gear VR
Samsung is selling Gear VR, powered by Oculus separately. Samsung claims that Galaxy Note 7’s incredible Super AMOLED screen and powerful processor delivers an ultra-immersive experience. Samsung Gear VR now comes with a USB Type-C port as well as micro USB port for compatibility with other Galaxy devices. The design has slightly changed and the field of view is now wider at 101 degrees. The dimensions of the Gear VR are 207.8(W) x 122.5(L) x 98.6(H)mm. It weighs 345 gm.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specifications
OS: Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
Network: LTE Cat.12 / LTE Cat.10 / LTE Cat.9
Dimension: 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9mm, 169g
AP: Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad), 64 bit, 14 nm process
Memory: 4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.0)
Display: 5.7” Quad HD Dual edge Super AMOLED 2560 x 1440 (518ppi)
Camera
Rear: Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 5MP (F1.7)
Battery: 3,500 mAh, Fast Charging on wired and wireless Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA
Payment: NFC, MST
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), MIMO(2×2) 620Mbps, Bluetooth® v 4.2 LE, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Glonass, Beidou)
Sensors: Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, HR Sensor, Iris Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor
Audio: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA
Video: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI , FLV, MKV, WEBM