Concerned the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be a little too small for your hands? Want a smartphone that borders on the comically large? The Galaxy Note range is for you, and the Galaxy Note 9 is likely to be the next model released. The phone isn’t official yet, but there is plenty of talk about its design, specs, and features already. Here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy Note 9.
Fingerprint sensor
The Galaxy Note 8 has both a finger and a face unlock system, so how will Samsung improve on this for the Note 9? Don’t expect an under-display fingerprint sensor, despite repeated rumors Samsung has been working on the technology for some time. Technical difficulties are being cited by sources speaking to The Bell, as the reason Samsung won’t be hiding the fingerprint sensor under the screen on the Note 9.
The same industry source said the fingerprint sensor will be on the back of the phone, like the Note 8, and samples are being spotted with this feature. Samsung has apparently been trying to implement the under-display sensor with its large Infinity Display for two years, but hasn’t successfully completed the task to the satisfaction of the engineers, due to problems related to manufacturing, quantity, and accuracy. Another anonymous source in the industry said under-display sensors are difficult to commercialize at this stage, but thinks Samsung will solve the problem in 2019.
Name and release date
As sure as the Galaxy Note 8 followed the Galaxy Note 7, the Galaxy Note 9 will follow on from 2017’s flagship big-screen phone. But when will it arrive, and will the naming convention continue? Samsung said it began work on the Galaxy Note 9 immediately after completing the Galaxy Note 8, and was, “considering how to approach the development of the next Note by evaluating the latest model and looking for ways to improve upon signature features like the S Pen.” This suggests the Note 9 will be an evolution of the Note 8, rather than a reinvention.
If a name change is coming, it has not been rumored, but a leak did hint at the code name: Crown. Rumors from the end of 2017 suggested Samsung may launch the Galaxy Note 9 in August, around the same time as it did with the Galaxy Note 8, and production was set to begin during the first three months of 2018.
A leak related to the Snapdragon 845 processor put the Galaxy Note 9’s release down as September 2018, which may refer to when sales start, fitting in with an August announcement.
Design
We know the Galaxy Note 9 will be big, but will it be much different to the Note 8? In a surprising statement, Samsung’s president of mobile, D.J. Koh, said the 2018 Note phone may have a foldable design, provided it could overcome various technical hurdles. He didn’t elaborate further. Samsung’s foldable phone, often referred to as Project Valley or Galaxy X, has always been viewed as a separate device to the Note range.
Since this statement was made, no other rumors about a foldable Note 9 have spread, and like the fingerprint sensor it may have been put on hold for the 2018 phone. Another report from The Bell says the Note 9 will have a 6.3-inch OLED screen, making it the same size as the Galaxy Note 8.
Specification
The Galaxy Note is Samsung’s productivity powerhouse phone, and we’d expect the Note 9 to have specs to match this remit. What will make the Note 9 special? Samsung said it’s investigating “signature Note features” to upgrade on the Note 9, including the S Pen stylus. However, the statement was made early in the phone’s development, so plans may change by the time the phone reaches store shelves.
Qualcomm is likely to supply the processor for the Note 9 in some regions. The phone was listed on a leak of the devices using the Snapdragon 845 in 2018. While this will probably apply to phones released in the United States, other regions may have a Note 9 powered by a Samsung-designed Exynos chip.
That’s all we know about the Galaxy Note 9 at the moment, but we will update here with more rumors, news, and hints about the big-screen Samsung phone.
