Samsung has reportedly set the date for the release of the Galaxy Note 9, its flagship phablet for 2018. According to people familiar with the matter, the South Korean tech giant is planning on releasing the premium large-screened device on August 9, 2018, two weeks earlier than the release date of its direct predecessor, the Galaxy Note 8.
According to a Bloomberg report, the upcoming device, which is likely to be called the Galaxy Note 9, would feature an upgraded processor from Qualcomm Inc. for some markets. This is rather expected, considering that Samsung has adopted the same strategy for its flagship smartphones over the past years. The S-series, for one, has always had versions that are equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors, and variants that are fitted with its homegrown Exynos SoCs.
Bloomberg further notes that the upcoming device would be unveiled during Samsung’s “Unpacked” event, which would be held in New York. Apart from the early release date, the publication’s sources also noted that the Galaxy Note 9 could be released as early as the end of August, which would place it far ahead of Apple’s 2019 iPhone series. Bloomberg ‘s insiders, however, noted that the August 9 unveiling and the rollout by the end of August is still tentative, considering that Samsung’s plans for the flagship phablet could still change.
As noted in a report from The Verge , the Galaxy Note 9 is almost as good as finalized, though the device could still undergo a number of minor revisions. Some of these changes appear to have happened recently, considering that Samsung reportedly planned to release the flagship phablet as early as July, but last-minute modifications to the phablet ultimately forced Samsung to delay the release date of the smartphone to August 9.
#GalaxyNote9 (Concept Render) pic.twitter.com/QR6rIdV3af
— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) June 3, 2018
One of these changes could lie in the device’s cameras, which are rumored to feature a notable upgrade from its direct predecessor. According to the most recent speculations about the mobile device, the Galaxy Note 9 would have the same dual-aperture trick as its 2018 sibling, the Galaxy S9. Rumors suggest that the device would still retain a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, however, as the in-screen scanner, a well as a three-camera setup, will reportedly be saved for 2019’s Galaxy S10.
The Galaxy Note 9 is expected to be a device that can help Samsung establish its lead further in the smartphone market. During Q1 2018, Samsung commanded a dominant 23 percent in the industry, whereas its biggest rival, Apple, took 16 percent. It should be noted, however, that Samsung has far more smartphones in the market than Apple, which only sells a handful of iPhone variants.
