News & Reviews:   Samsung Galaxy Note III

At a press conference by KT Corporation about broadband LTE, a presentation slide let slip that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note III would not only support a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset but also that it would be able to handle LTE-A. While this isn't an official Samsung announcement, KT Corporation is one of the major telcos in Korea so it doesn't look like a leak or prank. The slip doesn't confirm other features or details though as there are no Malaysia release dates, no pricing and no confirmation of other tech specs. With just another 2 or so days to go, the Samsung Galaxy Note III official reveal is set for 4 September 2013 where everything gets confirmed or not, so let's wait and see. We expect even more rumours and leaks to come though, as such things usually happen the closer you get to the official announcement.

While the Samsung Galaxy Note III is just days from being unveiled, some new rumours have cropped up stating that a cheaper version may also be in development. This cheaper version may get it's price cut due to lower-end internal features and tech specs such as the aforementioned 8MP camera sensor. Other hardware that may be cut-down includes the Super AMOLED screen which may be replaced with an LCD screen. So far, no news on actual pricing or availability but according to the rumours 30% of the entire first batch of Samsung Galaxy Note III phablets are in fact the cheaper versions and will be sold alongside the more expensive version for more options. No exact release dates in Malaysia but the report further states that the cheaper version would be made available for emerging markets like Malaysia. For now, we can only wait and see the Samsung Galaxy Note III unveiling on 4 September 2013. 

Updated (20-9-2013):-

Finally, Samsung Malaysia have officially announced the availability of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 phablet for Malaysian consumers. In a launch event held today, Samsung Malaysia are offering the 4G version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LTE and will be available in the market from 25 September 2013. This Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LTE will be priced from RM2399 but will not have a combo deal with the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch priced RM999. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be available in three colours, Jet Black, Blush Pink and Classic White. Samsung leave the option to the local telco instead. So you might need to crap the FREE Galaxy Gear chance fast when you signing up with the telco.

Rumours have cropped up in Taiwan that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note III phablet may be going on pre-order just 12 days after it's announcement. We've all "Noted" the Samsung Unpacked 2 event slated for 4 September 2013, but according to these rumours, the phablet is likely to go on pre-order on 16 September 2013, with sales expected to begin on or after 27 September 2013. This rumour comes because the Note III was earlier said to "ship" in September which may indicate that it could be available in Malaysia and other countries sooner than expected. No real definite release dates in Malaysia just yet though but with the announcement just next week, it shouldn't be long now. As a refresher, the Note III is expected to offer tech specs which include 3GB of RAM, 4K video recording capabilities and a 5.68-inch Full HD 1080p display screen.

While the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 may or may not be unveiled this 4 September 2013, rumours and leaked images continue to appear about the phablet. This includes front panel of the phablet. At first glance it maintains the same look and feel of the Samsung Galaxy Note II but has more defined corners than it's predecessor. The front panel confirms that the phablet will have a 5.68-inch display while the side bezel is only 2.2mm. The panel was only 1.8mm thick which could mean an even thinner Samsung Galaxy Note 3. So far, other tech specs and features like whether it will use a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa chip or a Snapdragon 800 processor or even the 3GB RAM have still not been confirmed just yet. No pricing details or Malaysia release date were available though but stay tuned and we'll keep you posted.

While most people are contently watching or converting to full HD 1080p, the display industry are pushing for the adoption of 4K video. Part of the reasons why not many people are buying 4K displays is that there isn't any content to display it with as there just aren't enough media conversions yet. According to some rumours, the Samsung Galaxy Note III may offer 4K video recording support which would help push the 4K adoption movement a whole lot quicker.

Sourced from South Korean dailies, the rumour indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note III will offer video recording at 3840 x 2160 pixels (this matches with 4K video resolutions) and may also include 24-bit/192KHz music playback. This would mean that the Samsung Galaxy Note III would not only be able to record 4K video but also playback some awesome audio (hopefully it packs on some quality speakers as well). So far there isn't any Malaysia release date just yet but the Samsung Galaxy Note III is expected to be revealed in the upcoming Samsung Unpacked 2 event this September 2013. No details or news on Malaysia pricing either but stay tuned and we'll keep you updated. 

It almost seems like deja vu as information surfaces about Malaysia getting both Exynos and Snapdragon 800 powered versions of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note III phablet. Coming from the same source that said we'd get the Exynos Octa and Snapdragon 600 powered versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the site has released a country list for the various versions of the phablet. As mentioned earlier, Malaysia is listed as getting the SM-N900 and the SM-N9005.

According to some tipsters, the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch is apparently real and coming soon under the model name of SM-V700. The smartwatch will use an OLED flexible display and have two capacitive touch buttons for the menu and the back button along with a physical power button. There may also be a USB port for charging and a standard 3.5mm jack for microphone, speakers or headphones. These same tipseters say that it will likely be revealed at the upcoming Samsung Unpacked 2 event on 4 September right before the IFA 2013 as an additional accessory to the Samsung Galaxy Note III phablet (which sounds quite similar to how Sony revealed their recent SmartWatch 2). No other details just yet, but the tipsters are quite well known for being accurate so we'll just wait and see what happens.

After recently clearing DLNA certification, make no mistake that the Samsung Galaxy Note III is coming and coming soon. However, this hasn't stopped speculation as to tech specs about the upcoming phablet under the model name of SM-N900S which include:

• 1.8GHz Samsung Exynos 5 Octa / 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor
• 5.7-inch Super AMOLED (full HD 1080p)
• 3GB RAM
• 16GB / 32GB / 64GB storage
• 13MP rear camera (OIS)
• 3200 mAh / 3450 mAh battery
• Supports LTE + microSD
• Android 4.3 - confirmed due to DLNA certification

Just like everyone else, Samsung are developing a smartwatch and according to trademark application forms drafted to the US patents office, it will be named the Samsung Galaxy Gear. In statements that are nearly impossible to miss the application states a wristwatch device for notifications much in the same way as other smartwatch devices. In related news, Samsung was also caught patenting some wristwatch designs including a flexible display model that curls up like a wristband. No news when it will be coming to Malaysia and other markets or for how much but we expect very soon, especially with the upcoming unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Note III. For now, check out the various patent drawings and applications below for a look at what could be Samsung's new smartwatch.