The Galaxy Note 5 and 4 Other Things to Expect from Samsung’s Unpacked Event

The Galaxy Note 5

Samsung’s next flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note 5, will likely be the centerpiece of its Unpacked event. The Galaxy Note 5 should maintain the larger screen Samsung’s customers have come to rely on, and sport its trademark S-Pen stylus.

The Galaxy Note 5The handset may take many design cues from Samsung’s smaller flagship, the Galaxy S6. That should result in a better-looking phone, but long-time Note features such as a removable battery and expandable storage could be cut. Samsung is expected to equip the phone with one of its own processors, and include both wireless and rapid charging.

The Galaxy Note 5Samsung’s Note line has been a consistent winner for the Korean tech giant, selling tens of millions of units. But competition has increased in recent quarters, and the Note has been unable to stop Samsung’s steady profit declines. In addition to facing Apple’s next giant iPhone, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 could compete with several larger Android-powered handsets this fall, including a larger Moto X and a rumored Nexus 6 refresh.

The Galaxy S6 Edge+But the Note 5 isn’t likely to be the only giant handset Samsung unveils. It’s also expected to announce the Galaxy S6 Edge+. As its name implies, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ should be a larger version of its curved Galaxy S6 Edge.

The Galaxy S6 Edge+ may lack Samsung’s S-Pen smart stylus, but could offer support for other unique accessories. According to prolific leaker Evan Blas, Samsung will sell an optional case for the Galaxy S6 Edge+, one that gives it a physical keyboard.

The Galaxy S6 Edge+Demand for the standard Galaxy S6 Edge has been stronger than Samsung’s management anticipated. Last month, it partially blamed its profit shortfall on its failure to produce enough curved screens. Samsung is currently the only handset manufacturer producing handsets with curved displays, giving its Edge variations a unique selling point.

A round smartwatchSamsung could also unveil a new smartwatch. Samsung’s next Gear is expected to sport a circular display and rotating crown. Like most of Samsung’s other smartwatches, it’s likely to be powered by its own operating system, Tizen, rather than Google’s Android Wear.

To date, Samsung has released six different smartwatches (Galaxy Gear, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, Gear S, Gear Live, Gear Fit) but none have been particularly successful. According to Smartwatch Group, Samsung sold 1.2 million smartwatches in 2014. Apple hasn’t released exact unit sales for Apple Watch, but analyst estimates put it around 4 million for its debut quarter.

A new Galaxy tabletSamsung could also unveil a tablet at its Unpacked event. Last week, Samsung’s Philippines website posted a teaser image, one that strongly suggests the existence of another device. The teaser image hints at what appears to be two handsets (the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+) and a device that’s noticeably larger -- perhaps a tablet with a curved screen?

Samsung’s tablet business has contracted in recent quarters. In the second quarter, Samsung’s tablet shipments fell 12% on an annual basis, according to research firm IDC. That was worse than the market in general, but better than Apple’s 17.9% decline. A curved tablet could set Samsung’s devices apart from the competition.

Samsung’s mobile payment solution

The existence of Samsung Pay, Samsung’s mobile payment solution, is already established. Samsung has been testing it in Korea, but it hasn’t received an official launch. Samsung could use its Unpacked event to showcase Samsung Pay, and announce its official release date.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge come equipped with Samsung Pay technology. The Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge+, and next Gear should also support it. Samsung Pay could give Samsung a new source of revenue, and a unique feature to help set its devices apart from the competition.

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