Samsung confirms details on Note9 at Unpacked

SAMSUNG has finally released official information on their latest flagship smartphone in a live streaming event from Galaxy Unpacked event in Brooklyn, New York. In conjunction with the event, Samsung Malaysia Electronics hosted a live viewing and experiential event for the media at the Onyx Cinema LED Screen hall at GSC, Mid Valley.
Last year Samsung kicked off the show with apologies and humility. This year DJ Koh, President and CEO at Samsung Electronics who is also the head of IT and mobile communications division strides onto the centre stage with confidence.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 was the star of the show and Unpacked confirmed many of the information that we have gathered from information leaks so far.
A 6.4in Super Amoled display with 1440 by 2960 will adorn the face of the Note9 making it the biggest screen we have ever seen on a Note series smartphone.
Inside the Note9 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 for the American market and a Samsung's Exynos 9810 for the rest of us. It is also said that the Note9 has been optimised for these processors so we should see better performance.
For storage, the Note9 will come with two different storage options: 128GB, and 512GB. Both of them are expandable using a micro SD card.
The memory on the Note9 stays at 6GB. Although some would like to see it with 8GB of RAM instead, Samsung promises better performance here thanks to their optimisations.
Another feature that we have seen before on a Samsung flagship phone is the stereo sound by AKG. This, combined with the large screen makes the Note9 a desirable device for media consumption.
Cameras on the Note9 looks to be similar to the ones on the S9 series. The primary camera is a dual camera system with two 12MP sensors and an 8MP selfie camera. Here Samsung again said that it had been optimised for the Note9. Expect features like AI scene recognition and flaw detection which will notify you if someone blinking in a shot or the camera is smudged to be a part of the new package.
Powering the Note9 is a 4,000mAh battery. It is undoubtedly the most significant battery we have seen in a Samsung Note series phone. However, only time and some testing will tell if this extra capacity would translate into more screen time.
What makes a Samsung Galaxy Note a Note is the S Pen. Here is where we saw the most significant upgrade to the Note9. The S Pen which is now Bluetooth low-energy-enabled. This means that the S Pen can be used as a remote control. The most obvious use for this feature is as a remote shutter control. However, once the feature is open to everyone else to use, the possibilities are amazing.
This feature also means that it is battery powered. According to Samsung, the new S Pen can be used for up to 30 minutes with only a 40 seconds charge. Also, you do not need to charge the S Pen to use it as a stylus.
The Note9 is also Samsung Dex compatible. The feature turns the smartphone into a desktop experience with an external display. However, all you need this time is an HDMI adapter, and not a dock. Additionally, you can still work on the phone separately while using the Samsung Dex feature. This connectivity also works with the new Samsung Tab S4.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 will be Available on Aug 24. Although four colours were announced, in Malaysia, the Note9 will be available in Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, and Metallic Copper. The 128GB version of the Note9 is priced at RM3,699 while the 512GB version of the smartphone (Midnight Black only) will retail for RM4,599.
Pre-orders will open from Aug 10 to 19. Those who preorder the 512Gb model will receive a Samsung Gear Sport, an additional Gear Sport Strap, and a Samsung Wireless Charger Pad worth RM1,531. Those who preorder the 128GB model will receive a Gear Sport worth 1,219.