Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is official, introduces unique Edge Screen form factor
While the rumors leading up to today’s Samsung Unpacked event centered on the newly announced Galaxy Note 4, it wasn’t the only smartphone to debut on stage. Samsung surprised us with a second Note handset, the Galaxy Note Edge.
The Note Edge is Samsung’s second smartphone to utilize their curved AMOLED technology, following the proof-of-concept Galaxy Round and taking advantage of a unique new form factor. The Note Edge presents users with a side view created by a display that curves down toward one edge (get it?). If the Edge looks familiar, it bares a striking resemblance to a Samsung prototype handset we saw back at CES 2013.
The crux of the Note Edge is Edge Screen, the name for both the actual secondary portion of the display as well as the ecosystem that makes it a reality. The Note Edge and its Edge Screen are comprised of a Super AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution, and offer added functionality on top of what the normal Note 4 can do. Shortcuts are housed with Edge Screen to free up more space on the main display, plus this secondary display offers a plethora of functions including acting as a notification display without waking the entire screen and more. Samsung is also making an SDK available to developers to add third-party functionality to Edge Screen.
The Note Edge is being touted as a special edition version of the Galaxy Note 4, and likewise features all the same features you can expect from the standard version of the handset. This includes 2.7GHz quad-core processing, 3GB RAM, a 16MP camera, and 3220mAh battery. The Note Edge also takes advantage of the S Pen stylus and software multitasking capabilities.
Both the Note 4 and Note Edge will be coming to US carriers including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile later this fall. Specific details on pricing and release date are forthcoming.