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Might wanna take this one with a grain of salt, but if this latest rumor pans out, we could be looking at 4 different models of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launching later this year. According to the Korean website ETNews, Samsung will be doing what they do best and release the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in a variety of hardware configurations, but not in the way you might think.
Unlike the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 Mini, the processor will largely remain the same across the 4 different models — it’s the display, camera and build materials that are the main components changing across these skus.
The highest-of-end Galaxy Note 3’s is said to feature Samsung’s flexible display technology, along with a 13MP camera and premium metal body that will offer a 30% reduction in thickness over the previous Galaxy Note 2. Another model will feature a Sharp-made LCD display, 8MP camera, less accurate digitizer pen, and plastic body. The display size will fluctuate across devices, but not by much. Expect the screen size to hover around 5.68-5.7-inches. No word on the other variants, but we suspect a more water resistant version, ala the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, could also be in the works.
All 4 devices are said to be releasing simultaneously this year, so you wont have to wait too long for your model of choice to release after another. Although an exact launch date wasn’t given, an unveiling at this year’s IFA 2013 is to be expected. What do you guys think, is Samsung on the right track with multiple hardware configurations of one of its most popular devices?
i could see samsung building a phone with an all metal body but a less than accurate pen doesn’t not make sense.
By less accurate, perhaps ETNews meant NO pen? That could help bring the cost down nicely and wouldn’t matter for those like myself who never used the thing.
If it was without a pen, it wouldn’t be called a note.
Yeah, I guess you’re right. Then it’d just be the Mega. Less accurate pen it is.
I suspect the Note 3’s pen would be more accurate than the Note 2’s, so the “less accurate” pen could be a direct port of the 2
If I had to guess it’s probably the same type of Wacom pen as the Note 2 but maybe not as many levels of sensitivity or something to that effect. “Less Accurate” doesn’t make sense and is probably a poor choice of words. Unless it’s technically less accurate because the resolution is lower and the pixels are larger? Either way the release date can’t come soon enough, I’ll be buying the premium if it’s available in Canada. Fingers crossed!
The cheapest version of Note 3 DOES have “less accurate” digitizer pen. According to Korean ‘MK News’, for price competitiveness, the digitizer pen of the cheapest version will be manufactured from a cheaper material than other Note digitizer pen, which makes its accuracy relatively lower than other Note versions.
Source: http://news.mk.co.kr/newsRead.php?year=2013&no=559598 (In Korean)
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Active Google Play edition – if so, then i’m in!
GOOGLE PLAY EDITION! I almost forgot :O
Clearly, you DID forget!
Platinum Director’s Cut Blu-ray Digital 7.1 LTE…edition
16gb…I forgot to add
Without S-Pen and TouchWiz the Note 3 wouldn’t be a Note.
what Eva explained I’m impressed that a student can earn $7283 in 4 weeks on the computer. have you seen this web page www.KEP2.com
Well crap, this is unexpectedly bad news. I was really hoping that Samsung was going to stick with the objectively better PLASTIC builds and buck all the iPhone-loving snobs who think that aluminum is somehow more “premium”.
I there isn’t a polycarb configuration that ALSO includes the flexible display, 13MP cam, and good wacom digitizer, then I may just *GASP* be skipping the Note3. I blame all you “premium metal” tards for this! (half-seriously)
Using metal construction, can make for thinner phones, in case you were not aware. It has nothing to do with iPhone, because Apple did not invent aluminum. Aluminum phones were around LONG before the iPhone…..
Metal CAN be thinner, sure, but not by much to make a difference I care about. Phones are already too thin. (btw – the S4 is thinner than the HTC One, AND fits a bigger battery in there)
The ONLY plus-side to metal construction is that some people associate the heavy, rigid, coldness with “premium feel” for whatever reason.
Polycarbonate is objectively better in every other way:
* It’s cheaper
* It’s easier & faster to manufacture
* It’s lighter
* It’s more flexible (so it survives drops better)
* It’s simpler to provide battery access
* It provides better radio reception, unlike metal’s faraday cage which requires special design consideration
I don’t give two SCHTAKOS about “premium-feel metal” to begin with, and even if I did, I always put a protective plastic case over it anyway.
To each his own, but I wonder if you’d be on the other side of the fence, if the GS3 and GS4 had aluminum construction……
I don’t know. In another universe a more superficial me may have settled for metal just for the FEEL, even knowing plastic was superior. And in yet another universe, I may have not known or cared which was superior, and just went with… OOO SHINY :)
Superior? That’s overdoing it. It largely depends on the application. For impact resistance, metals are better. Yes the metal will show the damage more, but it will protect guts better than plastic can. The plastic Samsung uses is definitely flexible, but they gotta stop using the glossy paint, and use a gel coat of sorts.
I agree there: The HTC One X’s textured plastic definitely felt better in-hand than my slippy & glossy S3 or S1, but, again… I’ve got a grippy incipio case on my phone 99.9% of the time.
I’ve always liked Motorola’s non-slip coating they put on most of their devices.
“To each his own”?? but you have to have an objective reason for that.. RIGHT?
Like saying, I love my wife because “My wife is beautiful” yet most/some people thinks she’s ugly. But saying, I love my wife because “She has 1 million dollars” .. then yeah, people can’t argue with that.
??
LOL!!!!! I signed in just to reply to and up vote this comment! That scenario depicts the most honest man in the world, love it!
Samsung wave series were full metal, though not unibody. Wave 3 design was good, with sliding battery. If the note 3 is using the full metal just like wave series, with the sliding battery, all other note 3 types could be ignored.
Mehhh I’ll hold out for HTC’s t6 or max whatever they want to call it , hopefully the wait will be worth it after my S2. And S3 I needed a change so I got the One , very happy , looking forward to what HTC does in the future , Touchwiz is just so dated anymore , not to mention all there device’s look the same……..
Enjoy that POS HTC T6 coming from that POS OEM, HTC, just an enlarged HTC One but just HTC’s way of catching up with Samsung. HTC are already becoming stale and irrelevant.
And if he does enjoy the T6…. then what? O_o
Fake!
OMG SO FAKE! FAKE! I’LL JUST KEEP BLURTING FAKE!
What use do I have with a flexible display if it is housed in a rigid metal (or plastic) phone casing?
well, the mainboard won’t be flexible and the electronics soldered on won’t be either…
yea but when a phone is dropped it is usually the glass on the screen that breaks not the motherboard. This would be awesome if it is true.
I think it’s moreso going to be a screen that is nearly unbreakable, last I recall. Huge marketing opportunity there.
Doesn’t a flexible display mean it’s unbreakable?
Samsung’s control of the supply chain gives them the flexibility to release multiple versions of their hardware that other OEM’s simply cannot accomplish. In addition, high number runs of machined metal bodies are hard to pull off, so mixing the option in with molded plastic lets them get the quantities they need without the massive capital investment required for detailed machining of millions of parts.
Really hoping this is not true. I really hate having so many configurations. Especially if the plastic doesn’t have the same specs as aluminum. I hate the aluminum feel.
great…so a reason to charge more than $299 now?
Will it have a removable back cover
I hope the note 3 has an removable back for expandable storage and swapping batteries capabilities
I really hope to God that all these idiots praising f*cking scrap metal phones with non-removable batteries haven’t ruined my “Notes”…
Owner for 15 months of the OG Note and from 6 of the Note II, nothing else interests me at the moment. Best smartphones EVER.
I completely agree. Whenever someone with an iPhone complains about their 6 hour battery life, I show them my Note 2 with its replaceable battery.
Samsung wave 3 was full metal with sliding battery cover.
I call boolah, if for no other reason, it was my understanding that the flexible displays were not going to be ready for mass production this year.
I pray to God that never happens
I believe there will be 4 variants. My thoughts on what they will be?
16gb, 32gb, 64gb, and the Google edition. hardware will be the same
Will the galaxy note 3 have a removable back cover
5.7 is a disapointment, not really any different from the Note 2. Xperia Z Ultra will definatly be a big contender for my money come October.
I’m flexible, is the note 3?
Well I just think thats all that other versions are unnecessary I mean the note 3 should just bein one vversion I mean its a prime handset not an experimental one..do that with the S versions leave the note as it is one type of note for all.
come on samsung go big with it or go home at least deliver on the rumour of 5.99inches
Is anyone else a bit confused as to how it would rock a flexible display yet have a solid metal body??? What would be the point?
From what I understand (which isn’t much), having a flexible screen in a rigid device would make the screen that much more unbreakable. You see all these cracked screens around? Can’t crack something that is flexible. Not sure you can scratch something of that material either.
Why buy a slightly and I mean slightly larger phone that has a few minor up grades. Your just wasting your money. I am not sold.( I own a Note 2 and It’s great.) Better be a phone that has some major overhaul done to it. Something that will blow the competition right out of the water.(having the competition saying crap, now why didn’t I think of that?) So far as i see, Samsung is going to need some major help in achieving this. They are definitely lacking if these specs are in fact true. It’s really too bad because they were on the right track and as far as I can see, Sony Just took the lead.
If it doesn’t have a a bigger display than 5.7′, I’m out.
I bet Verizon will figure out a way to delay the release of each model and then figure out a way to cripple each of the devices.
My biggest wish for the Note 3 is 1080P and retaining the removable battery and SD card slot.
I would like to see the 13mp camera as well, not an 8mp! I would want all the high end specs along (screen, processor, camera, etc) with the removable/replaceable battery, expandable sd, etc.
I don’t think I like this. I was under the impression that one of the most important elements of the Galaxy SIII was that it was offered on multiple US carriers in relatively similar configurations. While I am looking forward to upgrading to a larger display, I still think this it’s a niche market, and with multiple hardware configurations, I don’t expect to see all configurations on all carriers. If there’s a high end version, a standard version, and an active version, I’d expect most carriers to opt for either the high end or the standard, and maybe one carrier to carry the “active” in any given market. And I just know that whichever one isn’t available from my carrier is going to be the one I suddenly want the most.
Flexable 6 inch 1080p screen, 3gb of ram, 8 core cpu at 2ghz, 12-14 hr battery life with normal use, 16mp camera (not just a copy of the S4’s camera) sign me up. Time to upgrade my Note 1.
I think it may be a good idea but just hope it doesn’t end up like the 16/32/64GB situation where you can only find the base spec.
WE WANT 32GB AND 64GB PHONES SAMSUNG!!! :-)
Google Play Edition with a metal body? <3
As Much as I hate to say this (having had and loved the SIII, Note II, and SIV) if the Note III doesn’t keep with the amazing designs they have had in the past, I will end up getting the Xperia Z Ultra.
I like the idea of metal/flex display for durability, and I like the thinness (especially if it beats the Z Ultra’s 6.5mm) but I do not like the idea of making so many different designs of “the same” phone.
The S IV and S IV Active were enough but the Mini and ZOOM were too much. Now we’re going to have a Metal/Felx, Plastic, maybe an Active, and who knows what else??? I sincerely hope this is false, but if not, I have an alternate.