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Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus launched in the Middle East

Middle East News

GDN Online DeskTue, 18 Aug 2015Tue, 18 Aug 2015

Samsung's Note 5 (left) and S6 Edge Plus (right) will be available regionally from August 28 onward. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

Dubai: Korean giant Samsung Electronics has announced that the fifth generation of the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S6 edge+ will be available across the GCC, including Bahrain, from August 28 onwards.

Both devices are large screen smartphones also known as "phablets" - phone plus tablet and incorporate design changes based on customer feedback.

The Galaxy Note 5 will be available for BD 279.9 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus for BD 309.

Mr Yassine speaking at the launch in Dubai

At the first regional unveiling of the devices at the Raffles Hotel in Dubai earlier today, Samsung Gulf Electronics head of integrated mobility group Hayssam Yassine said it was banking on growing demand for "feature-rich large-screen smartphones in the regional markets."

"When we designed the first Galaxy Note four years ago, we gave portability and productivity to the consumer, and redefined the mobile industry in the process," he said.

"By making the display larger and redesigning the stylus, we got rid of some hard-worn crutches of the mobile industry, and developed a device that actively addressed some major pain points for consumers," said Mr Yassine.

Mediapersons and guests try out the new devices at the launch

Key features common to both include a 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, Exynos 7420 Octa-core 2.7GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, 2K resolution display, touch ID button, glass and aluminium casing, wireless charging, Rear 16MP and front 5 MP cameras capturing 4K resolution video, no microSD slot and no removable battery as well as Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system.

Two variants of the devices - 32GB and 64GB - are available.

Mr Yassine said the Galaxy Note5 is an upgrade to the Note line, based on the design legacy of the Galaxy S6, and has narrower bezel (the border around the screen) and curved back makes it easier to use the phone with one hand.

Galaxy Note 5

The Note5 also includes a redesigned S Pen that feels more balanced, offering improved writing capabilities and a variety of practical tools, he added.

While analysts have said that Samsung advanced the launch to August this year instead of September to stay ahead of Apple, which will be launching the iPhone 6S then, Mr Yassine said the product was ready and therefore it did not make sense to wait.

Till the launch of iPhone 6 Plus (with a 5.5 inch screen) last year, Samsung was only the big player in the large-screen smartphone space.

Mr Yassine told the GDN that the company had seen a high double digit year-on-year increase in mobile phone sales in Bahrain.

"The mobile phone market in Bahrain is developing exponentially, and Samsung has kept growing its market share of more than 50pc across all of our product lines," he said.

Samsung wide range of smartphones catering to price points from $100 (BD35 approximately) to $800 (BD300 approximately) was one of the reasons for its success, Mr Yassine added.

He said he expected Note 5 to sell better than Note 4 in the country.

Galaxy S6 edge+

The company also announced the global launch of Samsung Pay, a mobile payment service protected by fingerprint verification and digital tokenisation.

It works with both MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) and NFC (Near Field Communication) technologies.

Currently Samsung Pay is only available in select markets and will be regionally available in the future.

The Galaxy Note5 32GB and the Galaxy S6 edge+ 32GB will retail at BD285 and BD319, respectively, and the Galaxy S6 edge+ 64GB version will sell at BD352.

"Media reports quote Morgan Stanley as saying it estimates both phablet phones to ship 12 million units globally this year and account for 8pc of Samsung's mobile revenues and 15pc of mobile profits."

Samsung Galaxy Note 5. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

Keys specs of Samsung Galaxy Note 5

One of the key features of the Note 5 that everyone has been waiting for is the S-Pen. According to Samsung, the pen is “precision advanced” and will allow you to be “ultra-efficient”. You can use the S-Pen to easily navigate between screens.

The S-Pen allows users to be efficient and precise. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

Another great feature on the Note 5 is Samsung Pay, which is “quick, easy and secure”, and allows you to pay with ease.

Multi Window = Multi Task. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

The Note 5’s Multi Window enables you to open two apps side by side to get more done. The phone even has faster load times and more RAM, so you don’t have to worry about your phone going on hang!

Key Specs

5.7” Quad HD Super AMOLED display for crystal clear detail.
16MP rear-facing camera which enables you to take great shots anywhere at any time.
5MP front-facing, wide-angle camera for all those high-quality selfies you’ll want to take.
Ultra Power-Saving Mode to stay connected longer!
Samsung Smart Switch, which allows you to move data from your old device to your new Galaxy device “quickly and easily”; there’s even a PC version!

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

Key Specs of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus

The Edge is back with its famous dual edge display which keeps you connected, engaged and “consistently amazed”. The feature known as People Edge helps you keep your closest friends and family at your fingertips. The screen is big, ultra-slim and adaptive, which ensures that everything bursts off the screen so that you have the best experience possible.

The Dual Edge screen technology. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

The S6 Edge Plus also comes with Samsung Pay.

The People Edge technology that makes it easier to keep in touch with the people you contact frequently. (Image courtesy: Samsung)

Key Specs

The infamous Dual Edge screen, which allows more display space.
5.7” Quad HD Super AMOLED display for perfect detail.
16MP rear-facing camera for those picturesque shots.
5MP front-facing, wide-angle camera for more fun in every fame.
1080p full HD video recording, 720p playback, so that you can feel like a director.

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