Report: Samsung to Launch “Ultra Sonic” Case Alongside Galaxy Note 4

Samsung is well known for launching a ton of accessories alongside their flagship devices. If the newest leak pans out, then it appears that the company is looking to improve the lives of select Galaxy Note 4 owners, as an Ultra Sonic case is reportedly in development.

With the Ultra Sonic case, the device sends out a burst of ultra sonic signals, and can then relay an audible alert of nearby objects to visually impaired users of the device. According to sources, the case features three range modes – short, middle, and long range. As the range is increased, the signal is narrowed, allowing for a further reach and return of data.

While exact use cases might be limited, Samsung will most certainly show off such ability at IFA in September if in fact the case gets released alongside the Galaxy Note 4.

Thanks to SamMobile, a detailed description of the case has been posted online, so we have pasted it here in an attempt to better understand what exactly Samsung has in store.

Report: Snapdragon 805 Processor to Power Galaxy Note 4

The Galaxy Note 4, confirmed to be introduced on September 3 in Berlin during IFA 2014, is reported to be powered by one of Qualcomm’s heavy duty mobile processors, the Snapdragon 805. This should make a few of you happy, as many people (DL staff included), had initially hoped that LG would feature the Snapdragon 805 in this year’s G3 flagship, but instead got the Snapdragon 801.

While the Snapdragon 801 is no slouch, the Snapdragon 805 showcases the new Adreno 420 GPU and up to a 2.7GHz clock speed. If swiping through home screens and multitasking concerns you, then have no fear with the 805.

Sources from Korea, first attributed to ZDNet, but a link to their report has since vanished, claim Samsung and Qualcomm worked out a special deal to lower the price of the silicon, enabling Samsung to save a pretty penny to use the chip maker’s newest processor in the Galaxy Note 4. While the price of the processor makes little difference to the end consumer, it will be interesting to see if other deals are made between silicon makers and OEMs like Samsung, LG, and Motorola.

September 3 is right around the corner. Besides a beefy Snapdragon 805, what else would you like to see in the Note 4? QHD? 16MP rear-facing shooter? Shoot us your wishlist.

It’s iPhone 6 vs Galaxy Note 4: September date for the big Apple-Samsung fight

September is going to be a big month for all technology enthusiasts as both Apple and Samsung will gear up for big launches. With Samsung, it’s going to be the Galaxy Note 4 at the Berlin IFA show on 3 September, while Apple will launch the iPhone 6 on 9 September.

With the iPhone 6, we are going to see a big change from iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c as Apple is expected to launch two new versions of the device, with rumour mills indicating a 4.7-inch device and a 5.5-inch phablet. Where Note 4 is concerned, Samsung could give it a 2K display.

So what should we expect from these two devices? Let’s take a quick look at the differences between the two. Of course a lot of this could be different when the actual devices launch.

Screen: As we’ve noted for Apple, the iPhone 6 will mark a big change as it will finally launch a smartphone with a bigger screen. Given the popularity of phablets, Apple’s iPhone 6 will have a 4.7-inch version and 5.5-inch version. According to reports, Apple supplier Foxconn has already gone into mass production and the company has asked for 70-80 million iPhone screens to be kept ready.

A report on 9to5Mac had shown that iPhone 6 may get a ‘curved’ display just like Samsung’s Galaxy S3. The slightly curved display glass could be included to accommodate the rounded edges, which means the display may not be convex on the top. With an increase in display size, it remains to be seen what Apple will do with the ‘Retina Display’ and whether the pixel density will go higher than the current 326 pixels per inch for iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 6 is also likely to feature haptic technology that emits minor vibrations depending on the touchscreen area you’ve pressed. This means developers can take advantage of the technology for building intuitive games and apps. Reports also claim that the new haptic motor to be employed in the next-gen iPhone would be two to three times more expensive.

As far as the Galaxy Note 4 is concerned, a report at CMNO had stated that the Note 4 would come with 2K display, and the screen size could increase from Note 3’s 5.7-inch although if that happens we’re wondering what will will happen to the Samsung Mega range of smartphones.

The Galaxy Note 4 is also expected to be waterproof and will have an eye-scanner technology as well, which could scan the eye to pay bills at the grocery store, electricity bills, mobile bills etc. There are also reports that the Note 4’s screen could use Samsung bent screen technology which was showcased at the CES 2013 in Las Vegas.

Processor, RAM, Space: As far as the iPhone 6 processor chip goes it will be the A8 chip and should support 64-bit like the iPhone 5s. Apple’s next set of devices will also most probably come with the next level of the M7-co-motion processor chip. Whether A8 will be dual-core processor or quad-core processor remains to be seen, but Apple has largely ducked the quad-core trend for now. With RAM, it’s likely that Apple will stick to 1GB RAM, although 2GB RAM would really make a lot specs-obsessed people happy. The iPhone 6 will of course stick with Apple’s 16, 32, 64 GB models and is unlikely to support microSD slots.

As far as the Note 4 is concerned, rumours indicate that it will come with an octa-core Exynos CPU or a Snapdragon 800-series SoC, coupled with 4GB RAM (Note 3 has 3GB RAM). The company might as well build both variants, and as seen earlier. Speculation is that the Note 4 will have global LTE coverage. The rumoured features list also includes 128GB onboard storage, and it should support a microSD slot as well.

Camera: Once again with iPhone 6, Apple is expected to stick to the 8 megapixel camera and avoid the megapixel wars. But given that it is ditching the 4-inch screen, we could be in for a surprise here as well. Supply chain speculation however says that such a surprise is unlikely.

Instead, the company will introduce functional improvements including in the optical image stabilization (OIS) module in the 8 megapixel camera. The dual-flash is expected to continue. In addition to this Pacific Crest Securities analysts John Vinh and Kevin Chen reported that  optical image stabilization may be a feature just for the larger 5.5-inch iPhone.

Apple has also got patents for interchangeable mobile camera lenses. The patent mentions a camera add-on that connects using a physical locking mechanism like a DSLR lens, as well as a magnetic component for quicker attachment. Of course, seeing this feature in iPhone 6 seems highly unlikely for now.

As far as Note 4 is concerned, Samsung will give it a bigger camera and rumours indicate a 20.1 megapixel shooter in the rear. The Front camera is reported to be 4 megapixel. However a report on trusted Samsung source Sammobile says that it will be 16 megapixel camera in the rear along OIS and a 3.7 megapixel front camera.

Other big rumours: Apple is reportedly going to introduce Sapphire crystal display protection, which is already there on iPhone 5s’ fingerprint scanner, will now be extended to the iPhone 6’s screen. It is speculated that the next-gen iPhone will have a sapphire crystal display protection to ward off scratches.

A report on 9to5Mac had said that Apple had already set up a plant in Arizona for a new critical component and patented a technology for the sapphire crystal display as well.

Ultraviolet Sensor and eye-scanner are supposed to be the next big changes in the Note 4. According to reports, Note 4 is said to come with an ultraviolet sensor, which can measure UV radiation and alert users about possible precautions via the S Health app. A report on Sammobile said that “ sensor will be used to measure the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation and prevent users from damaging their skin, ageing it prematurely, and increasing their risk of skin cancer by giving recommended guidance based on the current UV index level”

It’s clear that both Apple and Samsung have a lot riding on these next two-releases given that smartphone market is seeing in a decline in demand for premium devices and the rise of the sub$100 category. We’ll have to wait and see how they live up to expectations and how many of the rumours come true.

What to expect from the Galaxy Note 4

Samsung is inevitably set to announce the Galaxy Note 4 in the next few months, with the rumour mill working overtime.

What can we expect from Samsung's new phablet though? We swifted through reports and ridiculous rumours to bring you the more credible information.

Power

It's almost a given that all top-flight Android phones launching in the second half of the year will come with Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon 805 processor. And the Note 4 looks set to be no different.

The Snapdragon 805 offers a big performance boost across the board, but it was only slated for release after June. This release date forced the likes of LG, Samsung and Sony to launch with the stopgap Snapdragon 801 processor instead.

Further proof of the Note 4/Snapdragon 805 connection comes in the form of the Korea-only Galaxy S5 LTE-A phone, which offers a Snapdragon 805 and super-fast LTE-A connectivity.

It wouldn't be the first time that a Samsung LTE-A smartphone served as a sign of things to come, with last year's S4 LTE-A offering a Snapdragon 800. And what did the Note III have? Yep...

Still, it's all but guaranteed that Samsung will offer a second Note 4 model with its own octacore processor as well - possibly following in Apple's steps by being a 64-bit design.

Several websites point to 4GBs of RAM, citing the fact that each new Note phablet has offered a bump in RAM (the Note III offers 3GBs, the Note II has 2GBs and the Note has 1GB).

But there've been few smartphones with 3GBs of RAM since then, the Xperia Z2 being the only other major handset. And the Galaxy S5 stuck with 2GBs of RAM as well, if that's anything to go by.

Lending further credence to the 3GB RAM claim is an alleged screenshot of an Antutubenchmark, showing a device with 3GBs of RAM.

Design

The exact design of the Note 4 is unknown at this point, but all signs point to a plastic build.

However, it's expected that the Note 4 will follow in the S5's footsteps by being water-resistant, Tech Times reported.

Display

Some people seem to think that the Note 4 will have a 5.9-inch or even 6-inch display, reasoning that the Note's screen size constantly increases over the years, moving from 5.3-inches to 5.5-inches and then 5.7-inches with the Note III.

And there is a precedent for 6-inch phablets, such as the Lumia 1520 (review) and Huawei Ascend Mate (review). 

However, websites are reporting that the screen size is set to stay the same but with a 2560x1440 resolution, much like the S5-LTE-A.

It wouldn't be the first major handset to feature a 2560x1440 screen either, with LG's G3 and the Oppo Find 7 beating it to the punch. 

Camera

Samsung's phablets tend to pack a great camera too, with last year's Note III featuring a rather fantastic 13MP shooter, complete with 4K recording (with the LTE version).

Our gut feeling tells us that the Note 4 will possess a 16MP camera, much like the S5 - there is some reasoning behind this, though.

The Note phablets tend to follow the S range when it comes to cameras; the SII and Note having an eight-megapixel sensor, the SIII and Note II sharing an 8MP camera too and the S4 and Note III sharing a 13MP camera.

However, the latest rumours suggest that Samsung could pop a 12MP camera into the Note 4, along with optical image stabilisation, in order to keep the device thin.

Other websites reported a camera with a resolution of around 20MPs - not unheard of, owing to the Xperia Z1, Z2 and Nokia Lumia 1520 devices. 

In the video department, expect all the S5 improvements and features to be present, such as real-time HDR, HDR video, 4K video, full HD 60FPS video and possibly 120FPS full HD slow-motion video.

Android

It seems like a no-brainer for the Note 4 to launch with Android L, the latest update for Google's mobile platform. 

Don't be surprised however, if the new update is a bit too late to be preinstalled on the Note 4, coming in the form of an over-the-air (OTA) update instead.

As for Samsung's TouchWiz UI, it seems likely that the S5's lighter take on Android will make its way to the Note 4 - after all, the S5 changes were essentially mandated by Google. But that doesn't mean that we won't see any new Samsung-specific features, inevitably making use of the S-Pen.