In just a few weeks Samsung is holding its latest Unpacked event where the company is expected to announce several new devices, including the latest installment in the Note and Fold lineups. In addition to new phones, it’s possible we could see a new smartwatch, tablet, wireless earbuds, and who knows what else.
We’ve been monitoring leaks and rumors for the new devices over the last couple of months, and below is a roundup of what we expect Samsung to announce.
We’ll keep updating this post as more information bubbles to the surface.
What will the new Note be called?
- We assume Galaxy Note 20
- There could also be a Note 20 Ultra model
Samsung, like many electronics companies, likes to stick to a naming scheme once it’s established. That said, we don’t expect Samsung to follow up the Note 10 with the Note 11. Instead, we believe that Samsung will follow the same naming approach it took with the Galaxy S20 earlier this year, and announce the Galaxy Note 20.
It’s unclear how many Note 20 models there will be and what exactly the bigger version will be called. Our money is on a Note 20 and a Note 20 Ultra.
When will Samsung announced the Note 20 and Fold 2?
- Samsung is holding a virtual Unpacked event on August 5.
In early July, Samsung announced it will hold a virtual Unpacked event on August 5 at 10 am ET. The invite for the event leaves a lot to the imagination but appears to show an S-Pen dripping ink into a puddle that splashes it. The meaning? Your guess is as good as mine.
When will you get the Note 20 in your hands? Well, Samsung has been announcing new phones, taking preorders, and then releasing them a couple of weeks later. According to XDA TV host and writer Max Weinbach, the current Note 20 launch date is August 21.
What will the Note 20 look like?
- A lot like the Galaxy S20 Ultra
- The S Pen slot has been moved
Why explain it, when you can watch this short hands-on video? Here:
As you can see, the supposed Note 20 Ultra is slightly bigger than the Note 10 Plus, has the S Pen holder in a new position, and a massive camera bump — just like the S20 Ultra.
Prior to the hands-on video, Weinbach posted some renders that Samsung had accidentally published on the Russian version of the company’s website.
What about specs?
- A 120Hz QHD display
- Snapdragon 865+
- 100x zoom is already a thing of the past
Qualcomm just announced the Snapdragon 865 Plus mobile processor, and according to Ice universe which has a solid track record of leaking accurate information before it’s publicly available, that’s exactly what will be used in the Note 20 lineup. The slightly upgraded processor adds a 10% boost in CPU and GPU performance, breaking the 3GHz frequency threshold. Like the standard 865 processor, it includes 5G connectivity, which we expect the Note 20 line to utilize.
The Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra should utilize a 120Hz refresh rate for its display. Not only will this improve features like scrolling and gaming, but with the addition of the S Pen, drawing or writing should also see an impact.
Finally, the Note 20 is rumored to have already ditched the 100x zoom feature that launched with the Galaxy S20 Ultra, focusing instead on improving the overall camera experience with a 50x zoom level.
Outside of a handful of leaks, we don’t have any concrete numbers for storage, memory or even display size. In a couple of now melted tweets, Ross Young claimed the Note 20 display would be 6.42-inches, while the Note 20 Plus (maybe Ultra?) would be 6.87-inches. SamMobile reported on the content of the tweets when they were first posted earlier this year.
It’s a safe bet to say that the Note 20 will start with 128GB of storage, and either 8GB or 12GB of memory, depending on the model.
How much will it cost?
- Starting price should be $1,000
Ice universe is predicting the Note 20 will cost $999, while the Note 20 Ultra will be priced at $1,299, and we imagine those estimates are close, if not a little low.
The S20 Ultra, for example, starts at $1,399 and received a lot of criticism about being too expensive. Hopefully Samsung took that feedback and found a way to lower the cost of the high-end Note 20 device.
OK, what about the Galaxy Fold 2?
- The follow up to the first Galaxy Fold is expected soon
- Current rumors point to Aug. 5 announcement, Sept. launch
- The name could be the Galaxy Z Fold 2? Maybe?
Ice Universe has posted a rough render of what he expects the Fold 2 to look like.
The Galaxy Fold was a solid first attempt at a phone with a foldable display, well, after the initial issues that delayed its original launch. Samsung successfully launched another foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip, earlier this year, and now it’s time for the Fold’s successor.
According to Ross Young, the Fold 2 will be announced alongside the Note 20, but won’t be available until sometime in September.
Android Authority is reporting that the Fold 2’s external display will measure 6.23-inches, while the internal display will measure 7.59-inches with a 120Hz refresh rate, just like the Note 20 line.
A now-deleted post on SamMobile claimed the Galaxy Fold 2 would actually be called the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Weird, right?
Outside of the limited leaks and rumors, the Fold 2 will likely have 5G, and perhaps an S Pen for the first time, adding to its productivity focused feature set.
We’ll know a lot more about Samsung’s latest smartphone releases in just a few weeks, but until then, we’ll keep watching for more reports, leaks and rumors.
Are you looking forward to either device? If so, which one and why? Let us know in the comments.
