Apple iPhone 6 Plus has the best smartphone LCD display, but Samsung Galaxy Note 4 still reigns supreme
The good news keeps on coming for Apple. After it announced that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sales exceeded the 10 million units mark, therefore breaking the previous record established last year, DisplayMate, a company dedicated to testing the quality of displays, has proclaimed iPhone 6 Plus as having the best LCD screen that has ever crossed its labs.
Apple's other new flagship, the smaller iPhone 6, has also registered impressive results, but its 4.7-inch panel is let down by the low resolution of just 750 by 1,334, which is inferior to that of its bigger brother -- which boasts a 1,080 by 1,920 resolution with its 5.5-inch panel -- as well as competing flagships from other manufacturers.
T-Mobile reveals Samsung Galaxy Note 4's US availability and price
When it announced Galaxy Note 4 in early-September, Samsung revealed everything we wanted to know about its new phablet, except the date of availability and price. The two missing pieces of information would tell prospective buyers when to prepare for its arrival and how much they should expect to shell out for it, and help paint the full picture about how Galaxy Note 4 stacks up against its biggest rival, Apple's new iPhone 6 Plus, which goes on sale tomorrow.
Those who were hoping to find out what Samsung left out weeks ago are in luck, as US mobile operator T-Mobile has announced when Galaxy Note 4 will officially hit its store shelves, and, just as importantly, also at what price.
Android smartphones are too far ahead for iPhones to ever catch up
Apple has finally conceded that big screens are better, as its new iPhones offer 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays. It has also finally conceded that a mobile operating system is better when it's more open, as iOS 8 supports third-party keyboards and inter-app communication. It's almost like Apple is saying that Steve Jobs was wrong while rival Android manufacturers and Google were right all along. Oh, the horror. How will Apple fanbois be able to explain this?
But, even as Apple is doing all these things, that some of us have already been enjoying for too many years to count, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are still outclassed by rival Android flagships. In fact, the new iPhones are not much different than Samsung Galaxy S3 or Galaxy Note 3, and, as you may know, neither of the two is the latest incarnation in their respective series. Ouch!
Samsung pokes fun at the iPhone 6 with 'It doesn’t take a genius' adverts
Smartphone manufacturers like to attack Apple. Microsoft is currently running a series of ads in which Siri comes off very badly compared with Microsoft’s own voice assistant Cortana, and now Samsung has released a collection of commercials making fun of the recent iPhone 6 reveal.
In the series, titled "It doesn’t take a genius", two tech guys are less than impressed with Apple’s new iPhone 6 which is lacking and dated compared to the Galaxy Note 4. It’s a similar campaign in some ways to the "A fly on the wall in Cupertino" ads that Microsoft ran, and quickly pulled, a year ago. But while those ads were ill judged and unfunny, Samsung gets the humor just right.
Hands-on and first impressions of the Galaxy Note 4, Edge and Gear VR
Today, Samsung was expected to reveal the Galaxy Note 4, which it did; however, it was not done there. No, the company shocked the tech community with two other products, the Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy Gear VR. The Edge is similar to the Note 4, but offers a screen that wraps around the edge of the device (hence, the name) to offer a unique second-screen-like experience.
While the Galaxy Edge (and Adam Levine) is what made the journalists in attendance gasp, the Galaxy VR was accepted mildly. This is not entirely surprising, as it is arguably nothing more than Google Cardboard, but in a more high-end chassis. You see, the VR simply holds the Galaxy Note 4 in front of your face and positions lenses in front of your eyes. Cardboard knock-off or not, it was an intriguing product that had me smiling like a child on Christmas morning.
Meet Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge
Samsung is single-handedly responsible for creating the phablet category three years ago with the original Galaxy Note. Back then, big smartphones were believed to be nothing more than a niche, with no chance of ever enjoying mainstream approval. At first, I was actually one of the non-believers. But, as every Galaxy Note iteration has proved time and time again, consumers are actually quite fond of the idea of touching a big screen day in and day out.
But, the phablet market has changed dramatically since the original Galaxy Note was released, with more and more Android vendors competing for a slice of the pie. Heck, even Nokia got in on the action, representing Windows Phone, late last year with Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1320. Despite the increased competition, Samsung continues to be viewed as the pack leader, thanks in no small part to the dedicated features its flagship phablets pack. So, what does this year's Galaxy Note has in store?
Watch the Galaxy Note 4 launch here LIVE
Samsung is set to announce the Galaxy Note 4 at its Unpacked 2014 Episode 2 press event today. Mihaita Bamburic has already covered what to expect from the new Android phablet and you can read his predictions here.
The new device will likely be powered by a much faster processor, and offer a higher screen resolution (but ship with the same 5.7-inch display size found on the Galaxy Note 3), and better quality front and rear cameras.
What to expect from Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Samsung will announce the successor of the popular Galaxy Note 3 tomorrow, at a press event dubbed Unpacked 2014 Episode 2. This is the second most important unveiling of the year for the South Korean maker, after Galaxy S5. Naturally, that means that our expectations are high for what will arguably be the Android phablet to beat in the second part of 2014, if the success of its predecessors is of any indication.
So far, Samsung has officially disclosed little about Galaxy Note 4, only revealing the silhouette of the new phablet, in one of its most recent teaser videos, and not much else. That is far from a complete picture, so here is what else you can expect from Galaxy Note 4.
Here's what you can expect to see at IFA 2014
The rejuvenation of the tech scene at this time of year is heralded by one of the oldest and largest trade shows on the circuit, with Germany taking centre stage for Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin -- known simply as IFA.
At IFA 2013, ITProPortal witnessed the unveiling of the Sony Xperia Z1, realized that convertible laptops are here to stay, and learned that no-one is impressed by Samsung's Galaxy Gear. This year we're looking forward to seeing the year's developments in wearable tech. And I'm not just talking smart watches. This year we're talking infrared thermometers, Bluetooth home cinema speakers and something called the "D30 Smart Skin".
Samsung will unveil Galaxy Note 4 early next month
The first Unpacked event of the year sees Samsung unveiling a new installment in the Galaxy S flagship series, while the second Unpacked event of the year is where the South Korean maker takes the wraps off its latest Galaxy Note premium phablet. Since, in 2014, Episode 1 brought us Galaxy S5, it does not take long to figure out that Galaxy Note 4 is coming at Episode 2.
Unpacked 2014 Episode 2 will be held simultaneously in Berlin, Beijing and New York, on September 3. And, even though Samsung only describes it as "the event to see 'the next big thing'", the press invite hints at the unveiling of Galaxy Note 4.
© 1998-2024 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.