Samsung Note 5 rumors/hype thread

[mnewsham]

Shrinking battery is the biggest WTF to me. I just don't understand how you get rid of all the extra hardware needed to make the battery removable but not put a larger one in its place.

*sigh* I should be taking much better care of my Note 4

I think it was in favor of integrated wireless charging and the wireless fast charging.

Honestly I am at my desk for most of the day, give me a smallish pad charger i can fit on my desk and keeps it charged and 3000mah is more than enough for me.

Where do you see 7422? It's the same 7420 mentioned everywhere.

7422 and a 4100 battery would have made it a worthy model.

my fault, some outlets were reporting 7422 before correcting it to 7420, either way, the additional GB of RAM and larger screen size make it just fine for me, coming from an LG G2.

 

[KentState]

So after some thought - if there is a promotion like last year where I can get $200 back trading in any phone, I'll do the normal thing I do and pickup a Tmobile version off-contract to use on AT&T.

Unfortunately it looks like only Best Buy and Sprint are offering a $200 promo right now (BB doesn't carry TMO) and TMO is offering a year of Netflix.

While it was a bit underwhelming, after some thought I don't know if there is a better phone out there.

- At $700 for the 32GB version and $780 for the 64GB version, it's not far off from last year's 32GB Note 4 price of $750.
- What other Android phone has a camera and fingerprint scanner that can match it. Even the 6S Plus likely won't have a materially better camera. I really like the double home button click to take quick photos.
- It'll have the best screen you can buy and the best Android SOC in 2015
- At 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm with a 5.7" screen it's substantially more compact than the 6 Plus (which will have the same dimensions in the S update) at 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm with a 5.5" screen. I'm a fan of the thin bezels and 76.6% screen to body ratio
- Fast charging + fast wireless charging is useful
- I don't use S-pen a lot but I do. The note taking while the screen is off seems actually useful to quickly scribble stuff down (vs. turning on phone, unlocking it, opening a note app, etc).
- The T-mo version will let me continue to root and load a debloated ROM

I don't think anything in the Android world will touch it this year - though clearly there are better values - mostly b/c there isn't anything else compelling at the high end. The 6S Plus will probably have a slightly better camera, Force Touch, and iOS - but those aren't compelling for me to switch.

I'm in the same boat, expect I have an upgrade of my personal phone and then my work phone. Going to do the Note 5 now and then the 6S for work. Get to have the best of both worlds.

 

[mnewsham]

So after some thought - if there is a promotion like last year where I can get $200 back trading in any phone, I'll do the normal thing I do and pickup a Tmobile version off-contract to use on AT&T.

Unfortunately it looks like only Best Buy and Sprint are offering a $200 promo right now (BB doesn't carry TMO) and TMO is offering a year of Netflix.

While it was a bit underwhelming, after some thought I don't know if there is a better phone out there.

- At $700 for the 32GB version and $780 for the 64GB version, it's not far off from last year's 32GB Note 4 price of $750.
- What other Android phone has a camera and fingerprint scanner that can match it. Even the 6S Plus likely won't have a materially better camera. I really like the double home button click to take quick photos.
- It'll have the best screen you can buy and the best Android SOC in 2015
- At 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm with a 5.7" screen it's substantially more compact than the 6 Plus (which will have the same dimensions in the S update) at 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm with a 5.5" screen. I'm a fan of the thin bezels and 76.6% screen to body ratio
- Fast charging + fast wireless charging is useful
- I don't use S-pen a lot but I do. The note taking while the screen is off seems actually useful to quickly scribble stuff down (vs. turning on phone, unlocking it, opening a note app, etc).
- The T-mo version will let me continue to root and load a debloated ROM

I don't think anything in the Android world will touch it this year - though clearly there are better values - mostly b/c there isn't anything else compelling at the high end. The 6S Plus will probably have a slightly better camera, Force Touch, and iOS - but those aren't compelling for me to switch.

I heard rumors of the LG G4 Pro in October with potentially Snapdragon 820, but I think we will see another SD808 or SD810 (though I hope I'm wrong and 820 comes early). If it does have SD820 and 4GB RAM with the rumored 27MP camera, it might be the phone of the year. But if it's SD808/810 then it's likely to be just another flagship to compare to the others.

So there is still a potential chance of a killer phone before 2016, but don't hold out too much for it as I am thinking SD820 will not be ready in time.

 

[dawheat]

I heard rumors of the LG G4 Pro in October with potentially Snapdragon 820, but I think we will see another SD808 or SD810 (though I hope I'm wrong and 820 comes early). If it does have SD820 and 4GB RAM with the rumored 27MP camera, it might be the phone of the year. But if it's SD808/810 then it's likely to be just another flagship to compare to the others.

So there is still a potential chance of a killer phone before 2016, but don't hold out too much for it as I am thinking SD820 will not be ready in time.

I thought QC stated the first S820 devices would be in early 2016. And a 27mp camera seems pointless unless there a much larger sensor. There seems to be a sweet spot at 13-16mp with today's tech and ois unless LG has found something new.

 

[Artdeco]

And sealed, am officially done with Samsung. Crap.

 

[mnewsham]

I thought QC stated the first S820 devices would be in early 2016

Well I think QC said the chip would be shipping in the 2nd half of 2015. Which it probably will, so it should be in devices in Q1 2016. However, people see 2H2015 and run with it. So here we are and people are still claiming the G4 pro and even potentially one of the nexus devices might have it before the end of the year. Though I think it's safe to say that wont happen.

 

[richierich1212]

the thought is "Samsung cannot offer me anything over Apple". No microsd + no remove able battery = why bother with a note

Haha. Huge failure by Samsung.

 

[Aristotelian]

Haha. Huge failure by Samsung.

It's a general concern for me - not just Samsung specific. I couldn't care less about removable batteries - or rather, I stopped caring after I bought a Sony Xperia Z3 - the battery life is simply incredible. But, the SD card is non-negotiable. I was at a wedding recently and the person in charge of taking videos during the exchange of vows flaked out - and used the Z3 (with 128 GB micro sd inside) to film.

If the battery life is great, I don't care about the battery itself being replaceable or not. But I cannot fathom why producers would remove the SD card flexibility - this is why I stopped using Apple's phones a long time ago, and rules out Samsung in the future for me too if this keeps up.

 

[Skurge]

It's a general concern for me - not just Samsung specific. I couldn't care less about removable batteries - or rather, I stopped caring after I bought a Sony Xperia Z3 - the battery life is simply incredible. But, the SD card is non-negotiable. I was at a wedding recently and the person in charge of taking videos during the exchange of vows flaked out - and used the Z3 (with 128 GB micro sd inside) to film.

If the battery life is great, I don't care about the battery itself being replaceable or not. But I cannot fathom why producers would remove the SD card flexibility - this is why I stopped using Apple's phones a long time ago, and rules out Samsung in the future for me too if this keeps up.

Apparently you lose the advantage of UFS2.0 if you have an SD card in there. So i guess it's in the name of performance.

 

[mnewsham]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/14/9152581/samsung-galaxy-128gb-note-5-s6-edge-plus


Looks like there is a 128GB version afterall

 

[mnewsham]

AT&T sent an email saying my item would ship out whenever it came in stock, then got a tracking number this morning. It shipped out last night and will be delivered monday.


Sweet

 

[Minerva]

I dunno, I don't mind after owning every note from the first TBH I did have a drawer full of batteries and chargers for them and cannot remember swapping them out. The external memory option via microsd is nice but again it's much slower than the onboard memory and you can still use USB OTG if you're lucky enough to have an unlocked bootloader, custom recovery, etc. And flash away.

But with Verizon, that's not happening. So outside of a dev edition, the device is DOA to me. The Note 4 will be my last carrier supplied device because it's essentially useless due to bloatware and other things.

With 5.1.1 out the door, most exploits are likely closed (ping pong isn't going to work) so no romming with flashfire, etc.

And finally for those on GSM, the days of buying TMobile devices and unlocking them with a code to use on ATT, etc. are done too. TMO now uses an unlock app so the online suppliers of codes for $30 or so...useless now!

I know there are workarounds but they may be stumped on the new devices for a while. Unless you don't mind keeping the device on TMO for 40 days OR prepaying two months ahead (essentially paying $100 aka extortion!) to become eligible for their unlock app to work.

Of course many GSM users hit up ebay for the international versions but that is not without risk either.

Why do they have to complicate things so much for something so simple? They've gone political on us!

 

[Red Storm]

the thought is "Samsung cannot offer me anything over Apple". No microsd + no remove able battery = why bother with a note

Hmm, I guess. Still doesn't make sense to me. When I'm looking at getting a smart phone (or tablet), the OS is by far the number 1 factor for me. Even when they take away the removable battery and the mSD slot, that doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to want an iPhone. Far from it! I'm going to look at other large Android flagships to fill in the gap left by the Note's disappointment. In my case it will be the new Nexus 6.

 

[mnewsham]

Well I think I understand the no SD card support, UFS 2.0 memory controller doesn't support SD cards, the older EMMC controllers however COULD, so if your phone used EMMC 5.0 or 5.1 or something it could just add an SD card slot and use the same memory controller.

The current memory controller for UFS 2.0 just doesn't support it right now, a future version might add the ability, and using a 2nd memory controller just for the SD card slot is a possibility, but it would increase power usage and take up space as well as potentially other issues, so I can understand the choice samsung made going with UFS 2.0 and forgoing the SDcard support.

 

[Muadib]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/14/9152581/samsung-galaxy-128gb-note-5-s6-edge-plus


Looks like there is a 128GB version afterall

Looks like it was a mistake, and there's no 128gb now.

 

[mnewsham]

Looks like it was a mistake, and there's no 128gb now.

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SM-N920VZKFVZW


still on the samsung site?

Still shows up for me anyway as an official option for the phones.


makes me think it still might be coming since it's on the samsung site officially, but who knows with these guys.


Wont matter for me as I already have a 64GB on the way.

 

[Muadib]

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SM-N920VZKFVZW


still on the samsung site?

Click on the link of yours that I copied. Samsung is saying that their site is wrong.

 

[mnewsham]

Click on the link of yours that I copied. Samsung is saying that their site is wrong.

Yeah, and the article says exactly what I did, samsung will most likely be coming out with the 128GB model at some point after launch.

 

[Muadib]

Yeah, and the article says exactly what I did, samsung will most likely be coming out with the 128GB model at some point after launch.

The verge page has been changed since this morning. Click on the link now and you will see.

 

[mnewsham]

The verge page has been changed since this morning. Click on the link now and you will see.

I literally read the article 5 minutes before you told me to re-read it the first time, I know what it says, and like I said, the article still says samsung may at some point release them.

That's all I have been saying...

 

[Ns1]

Hmm, I guess. Still doesn't make sense to me. When I'm looking at getting a smart phone (or tablet), the OS is by far the number 1 factor for me.

Exactly. Since iOS is so superior to android (IMO), w/o microSD or removable battery the Note5 has NOTHING to sway me.

 

[Red Storm]

Exactly. Since iOS is so superior to android (IMO), w/o microSD or removable battery the Note5 has NOTHING to sway me.

That was kinda my point. If you feel that iOS is so much more superior, then a removable battery and mSD shouldn't be enough to give up your preferred OS (i.e. if the iPhone had those things while the Note did not, I still wouldn't go iPhone because it's still not Android). Anyhow, Samsung crapped the bed with this year's Note. Maybe they will learn their lesson and go back to their roots for next year's model.

 

[Ns1]

That was kinda my point. If you feel that iOS is so much more superior, then a removable battery and mSD shouldn't be enough to give up your preferred OS (i.e. if the iPhone had those things while the Note did not, I still wouldn't go iPhone because it's still not Android).

At least it was an internal battle where maybe the Note5 stood a chance - there have been many times where I wished my iPhone had a removable battery and cheap storage options.

Now it's no contest ^_^

 

[dawheat]

At least it was an internal battle where maybe the Note5 stood a chance - there have been many times where I wished my iPhone had a removable battery and cheap storage options.

Now it's no contest ^_^

I haven't enjoyed iOS on phablets - unlike the normal iPhone 6. Things you do a hundred times a day bothers me - not having a back button at the bottom and having to click the top left to back out of menus - constantly drives me crazy. It's fine on the normal 6, bad on the 6 Plus. The motion to shrink the screen is a band-aid that gets tedious.

Also the lack of any functionality to actually use the big screen seemed like a waste - it really is just a bigger 6.

Now each OS will be better in some areas for sure. But at least for the apps I use (which are mostly all major company, mainstream apps), I don't find any real difference between them on my Note 4 or my wife's iPhone 6. For all the ballyhooed smoothness, I don't find any difference (though I am running a debloated ROM). And for everything iOS does do better (like Airdrop), other things drive me crazy like not being able to email videos I just took on the iPhone in anything but crappy quality.

I do think $700 for the Note 5 32GB is going to be competitive vs. the $750 for the 16GB iPhone 6 Plus. And $770 vs $850 for the 64GB versions. Notwithstanding I'm sure there will be at least a $100 promo for the Note - whether it be Neflix or trade-in deals.

Even with the 6S Plus, they will be equal in build, screens, performance (awfully diminishing returns here BTW), biometrics, and camera.

The Note will give you s-pen (I do like the new writing on the screen when screen is off feature), faster charging, fast wireless charging, have a significantly better screen to body ratio and probably be easier to carry (narrower, curved back).

If you love iOS, I'm not sure why the Note would have pulled you away - expandable storage is just a difference in money since you could get a 128GB version iPhone and the Note 5 is still going to be cheaper.

 

[Commodus]

I haven't enjoyed iOS on phablets - unlike the normal iPhone 6. Things you do a hundred times a day bothers me - not having a back button at the bottom and having to click the top left to back out of menus - constantly drives me crazy. It's fine on the normal 6, bad on the 6 Plus. The motion to shrink the screen is a band-aid that gets tedious.

Also the lack of any functionality to actually use the big screen seemed like a waste - it really is just a bigger 6.

I hear what you're saying, but with that said... it's also a bigger 6. As much of a missed opportunity as it represents, it's been selling well precisely because it's an iPhone with a 5.5-inch screen. There are some who 'settled' for a Note because there wasn't a big iPhone, and those who wouldn't have even considered an iPhone until it came in a larger screen size. For them, the particulars of the interface may not even register as factors.

With that said, I'm curious to see how well the iPhone 6S Plus takes advantage of its display size. I wouldn't be surprised if the expected 2GB of RAM gives you split-screen viewing, and we already know that iOS 9 has a "back to app X" feature that pops up in many apps. You're not going to get hardware navigation keys, but you'll at least get something.