Samsung to unveil Galaxy Note 4 and other new gizmos at September 3 ‘Unpacked’ event

Galaxy Note (family 001)

Apple’s arch-rival Samsung just made it known it’ll be holding a major media event on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. The invites for the new ‘Unpacked’ event, something of an annual tradition for the South Korean conglomerate, have now gone out to select members of the press, hinting at a possible unveiling of the Note 4 phablet.

Although the Galaxy S5 smartphone is already there, the firm is rumored to be also unveiling a premium all-metal edition of the smartphone to help improve its market standing in the wake of the expected massive iPhone 6 launch, which is also expected to be unveiled at a media event some time in September…

According to the now defunct page over at the SamMobile blog [Google cache], Samsung has started sending out press invites for the ‘Unpacked’ event at the IFA next month in Berlin, Germany.

GSM Arena provided the following image of the event agenda. As you can see, Samsung is set to take the stage at 2pm to announce its fourth-generation Note phablet.

IFA Berlin 2014 (agenda 001)

Other possibilities include the Gear VR (Samsung’s Oculus Rift) and a new version of the existing Galaxy S5 handset, to be called the Galaxy Alpha. It’s said to feature all-metal enclosure and premium fit and finish.

The rumor-mill thinks the Note 4 will run a Samsung-made Exynos 5433 chip and a Snapdragon 805 processor with 3GB of RAM, a 5.7-inch QHD (2,560-by-1,440 pixel resolution screen, a 16-megapixel with a Sony IMX240 sensor with optical image stabilization.

Other rumored features include support for the fourth-generation long-term evolution (LTE) mobile wireless technologies, support for LTE-Advanced for users in Korea, an ultraviolet sensor, the firm’s trademarked S-Pen and of course at least Android 4.4.4 KitKat. The ultraviolet sensor will ostensibly measure UV radiation and offer index levels to users inside Samsung’s S Health app.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics Chief Financial Officer Kwon Young-noh said publicly that the Note 4 will have “far better specifications than the Galaxy S5 smartphone.”

Samsung Galaxy Alpha (image 002)Samsung Galaxy Alpha (image 001)
Claimed Samsung Galaxy Alpha images, via Weibo.

Note that the (the iPhone 6 should sport Sony’s 13-megapixel Exmor IMX220 camera sensor, also with optical image stabilization).

Samsung Electro is an affiliate of Samsung and supplies camera modules to Samsung Electronics, which makes smartphones, mobile devices, digital cameras and other products.

Apple is widely expected to show its cards via two media events, one for the new iPhones in September and the other in October to announce new iPads, with a faint possibility of an iWatch announcement later in the year.

Here’s Samsung new ‘Judge’ ad for the Galaxy Tab S tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyCtVlZ0jk0

The Korea Times recently said that Samsung is desperately rushing to bring the Galaxy Note 4 phablet to market before the iPhone 6 launches. The publication also confirmed the September 3 event via Samsung’s top-tier local parts suppliers.

“Samsung will hold an event to announce the Note 4 on Sept. 3, just few days before this year’s IFA trade fair in Berlin, Germany ― Europe’s biggest technology exhibition,” an unnamed at Samsung’s top-tier display supplier told the publication.

Last week, Samsung reported its third straight quarter of operating-profit declines. Operating profits declined 25 percent annually. Samsung’s worldwide share of smartphones slipped to 25 percent from 32 percent a year earlier amid an avalanche of cheap Chinese products on the low-end and constant pressure from Apple’s premium mobile devices on the high-end.

As the last tidbit, Chinese handset maker Xiaomi has now passed Samsung in China market share, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Image top of post: the original Note (left), Note II (middle) and Note 3 (right).