Later this year, maybe in just a couple of months even, Samsung will unveil another flagship device. No, it won't be the Galaxy S V (5?), not yet anyway. That comes next year. At the end of this year, we'll have a new Galaxy Note gracing the retail store shelves, tempting everyone who walks by. They probably won't even need to be close to the phone to feel its presence in the room, considering you can see the current Galaxy Note II from a ways away.
And, as you can imagine, all the rumors, speculation and pre-release talk suggests that the next Galaxy Note will have a bigger display than the current version. That's not too surprising, considering that in most situations, the successor to any phone has a large display than the previous version (don't you bring up the iPhone. Just don't do it.)
But the bigger display isn't the only new feature, obviously. Samsung is keen to throw just about everything at a new phone, as we've seen from devices like the Galaxy S 4. You may not get the kitchen sink, exactly, but you'll get pretty dang close. And I have no doubt in my mind that Samsung will continue that train's path, and the Galaxy Note III will have plenty to talk about when it gets announced.
For example, rumors suggest we'll see a 13MP camera. Moreover, that camera will reportedly feature optical image stabilization (OIS). It could also include 3x optical zoom, and in that initial report, Samsung was also mulling over other technologies they could throw into the device's camera. Which, again, isn't surprising. It's even more possible when we look at the Galaxy S 4, and see that that device has a 13-megapixel camera.
So, same camera, but with more features. Sounds about right.
In early June, an image leaked across the Internet that was reportedly the Galaxy Note III's prototype. Around the same time, I wrote a piece on how the device's supposed hardware, while obviously still rough around the edges (so to speak), looked quite enticing. Despite the fact it's probably not the final design, I still wouldn't mind having it.
But, I can wait (only because I have to) for Samsung to fill out the gaps, add some more plastic, and polish it up. Oh, and pick a screen size. Because apparently the rumors can't pick one, and that's making it hard to decide whether or not I want to call the Galaxy Note III too big, or just right.
Earlier today, I saw a report that points to a Galaxy Note III with a 5.7-inch display. That corroborates a tweet from industry "serial leaker" @evleaks, so the going rate right now is that the Galaxy Note III will indeed feature a 5.7-inch display. Which means previous rumors and reports which suggested the Galaxy Note III would boast a 5.99-inch display weren't all that accurate.
And I couldn't be happier, if I'm basing my happiness on leaked, and unsubstantiated rumors. There isn't a huge difference between 5.5-inches (the Galaxy Note II) and 5.99-inches, no, but I can pretty much guarantee it'd be noticeable in the hand, and with daily usage. The exact same statement can be made for the difference between 5.5- and 5.7-inches: negligible.
I'm not a big proponent for huge displays, as I've made that case more than once, and I'll probably keep making the case from here on out. However, I've also said more than once that the big display on the Galaxy Note lineup makes sense, thanks to the S Pen and the added functionality. But I'm here to say that if the Galaxy Note III did end up being 5.99-inches, I'd still be wary about buying it. S Pen and all.
That's why these reports that the phone will be 5.7-inches are fantastic, and I'm clinging onto them in the hopes that they pan out. 5.7-inches will be a perfect size for the Galaxy Note III, and I can't wait to see how Samsung uses that screen size to offer up more features.
How do you feel about the reports that the next Galaxy Note will have a 5.7-inch display, and not the larger 5.99-inch panel? Would you prefer the bigger size? Or does the 5.7-inch screen size sound perfect to you? Let me know!