Breaking News: Samsung Launches Note 4, Note Edge, VR Headset and Gear S Watch In OZ
Staff Writers
23 Sep 2014
The Korean company that is not shying away from premium pricing is set to take on Apple and their iPhone 6. The new top-end smartphone is the Samsung Note Edge, which will retail in Australia for $1249, available “prior to Christmas”, and the new Note 4, which is set to go on sale in mid-October, is $949, while the Company’s next-generation smartwatch, which is powered by their own Tizen OS, has been priced at $449. All of these new models along with their new Gear Circle headphones for $179 and the Gear VR headset for $249, available from November, will be shown tonight at a gala presentation at Sydney Opera House. A quickly typed transcript of the speech given for the preview event before the Lifestyle media arrives is next to these images showing each new device.Â
Samsung Galaxy Event – a transcript of the speech from the technical preview. Started off with a video asking “are you reading to Note”. Arno Lenior, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Electronics Australia is on stage. Arno: Really excited to be here because we have got a great deal of amazing products to share with you. How exciting has the last few weeks been in our industry? The choice for Australians is extensive to say the very least. More big screens, more payment solutions, more wearables. All that aside, we’re going to bring you more than that today. It’s not just about the big screens, but about bigger experiences, about pushing the boundaries of design and innovation, and what better place to do that than the Sydney Opera House. As valued friends of Samsung we wanted to get your guys in a smaller group together before another event after this to give you a preview of the technology. We’ll share those products with you later with a lot of other lifestyle media. Tonight is a pivotal moment for Australia, for Samsung Australia. We’re changing the landscape and status quo of what consumers can get from their technology. I’d like to introduce someone you might not know, Prasad Gokhale – the VP of our telco business, and he will share with you what we have in store. Prasad: I’ve been at Samsung almost a year now, it’s a great pleasure to finally meet you all in person in this wonderful evening in this wonderful iconic location. As you know, Samsung is a pioneer in the big screen technology. It’s our thing, we love big screens. Wearables, mobile payments and multi-tasking. We love to innovate at Samsung. With R&D teams of over 70,000 people across the globe, and $13 billion in Capex just last year, it’s no secret, innovation is something that drives us. We live for it. And we are proud that we will continuously deliver innovation to our customers and partners day in and day out. Samsung’s evolution in mobile tech is built on the drive to evolve and challenge our understanding of what technology means for us. Earlier this year we launched the Galaxy S5, a true evolution in smartphones, and that has proven, I believe, extremely popular with Australians. Australia’s appetite for technology and desire to stay ahead of the tech curve and coupled with our vision to reach beyond the possibilities is at heart of what we are unveiling to you tonight. I’m extremely proud to say that you’ll be some of the most early adopters in the world when it comes to experiencing these amazing products and experiences. So, ladies and gentlemen, here it is, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, and if the tech works nicely for me – the first time in Australia. Let me introduce you to our other favourite son, or daughter, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, the Gear S and the Gear VR. These products will change will change the way we think about mobile technology and communications and the role they will play in our daily life. They bring together category innovation, leadership and new ways to interact and consume content. Steve Zagari will do his best, a passionate expert, the products, its features and why these are the best in the world. Steve: I head up the field operations – the training and support for the retail stores,business customers and partners. Am honoured to talk to you tonight about these products. The first thing you’ll notice on the Galaxy Note 4 is the amazing quality of the display – Quad HD Super AMOLED – absolutely amazing. Displaymate has branded this screen as the best performing smartphne display they’ve ever tested. The 5.7-inch display automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen – in this harsh sunlight it will adjust the screen to the perfect resolution for you. 2560 x 1440 – 518ppi – the refined multi-window platform. Multi-window allows you to have to apps running at the same time. When you’re on the bus or train and there’s an email that comes through, you can separate the screen and have it all there in front of you in the one screen. It’s about having a large screen device that improves functionality through the multitasking experience. Trust me, you’ll enjoy it. Another tool that helps you work more efficiently is the S-Pen, which has evolved in this product. It’s much more authentic in a pen-like experience. We have doubled the amount of pressure points to 2048, which provides a great “pen on paper” experience. Externally the Galaxy Note 4 – a premium metal frame going around the device with a soft textured back cover – easy to operate in one hand, feels great. Under the hood – with any particular car, people will ask, what’s under the hood? This is the same with our product. A 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805. 3GM Ram, 32GB storage and exapandable memory via Micro SD. Rest assured the device will keep up with your current and future needs. It also integrates the fingerprint scanner. An example is looking for wedding rings and scrapbooking them. Obviously I want to keep those secret from my partner. She will go through my device. She has no access to my [device thanks to the] fingerprint scanner or [my] Paypal history. She has no idea [I am looking for a ring]. The Galaxy Note 4 has an amazing camera – 16 megapixel with Smart OIS. It extends the exposure time in dark settings. In addition we have a front facing camera which is 3.7 megapixel with a wider 90 degree shooting angle also known as the selfie. But 90 degrees wasn’t enough – we now have the super wide angle 120 degree selfie. Absolute super resolution. We have the standard digital zoom on all the devices. Once you hit 4x zoom – it will move into super resolution. Super resolution takes 5 simultaneous shots and pieces them together to give you an amazing photo. Battery – ultra power saving mode – it was introduced in the S5, now in the Note 4. When deployed it can take you from a battery with 10% life left to give you a further 24 hours of usage. On top of that, if that’s not enough – we’ll give you fast charging – which means within a 30 min charge you can go from 0% to 40-50% battery life. With these two innovative features along with a removable battery, you’ll never be a “wall hugger” again. Also voice recording – the functionality has been improved. We have meeting mode and conference mode – three mics on the base, one at the top – the device works out where the conversation is coming from, pinpoint the individual and play them back clearly at a later stage – with up to 8 people! This is the perfect companion for those types of situations. The Galaxy Note Edge – a stunning piece of technology and artwork. This takes the Galaxy Note experience to the next level. Our first curved screen device. This is the first with seven sides. The device has a unique curved screen provides quick access to notifications, device functionality – all with the simple swipe of a thumb. especially useful when watch a video on the way to work and you get a message. I can have that playing down the edge and keep watching my movie. The Note Edge has similar traits to the Note 4 – camera, multitasking, battery features and the Quad HD super AMOLED display. You get the same premium experience. It’s worth noting here – Australia will be one of the only countries selling the Note Edge – available prior to Christmas. The Note Edge provides users with a new way to access information. Two massive smartphones devices that are going to change the game. Now the Samsung Gear S – an amazing device. It’s running an amazing screen quality – it is Super AMOLED 2-inch display, curved to fit the contours of your wrist. Packed full of features, to the brim. The Gear S is running Tizen. It has 3G capability. Not to mention Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity as well. 3G lets you make and receive calls, and to send and receive messages even when you’re away from your phone. Traditional use of the Gear S is running, going to the gym. You can instantly send messages using the on-screen keyboard and we’ve improved the functionality of S-Voice. The Gear S has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4GB storage which can be used for apps and music. It has a 300MAh battery – 2 days of normal usage. It is the perfect companion for health and fitness – 7 enhanced sensors – built-in GPS which accurately measures every step, lap and heartbeat. It is IP67 water resistant, even if you get caught in the rain – don’t sweat it. Samsung’s S-Health app tracks your fitness data to provide vital statistics. It is also the perfect accessory from gym clothes to a massive PR launch to an office setting. I’m excited to announce that Samsung has partnered with Swarovski – with a [crystal enhanced] band [that] will be available prior to Christmas. With a range of customisable clock faces and replaceable bands, the Gear S is the perfect combination of technology and class. The last is the Samsung Gear VR headset. Absolutely amazing piece of technology – we have this here tonight for all of you to experience. Imagine being in front – front and centre at a gig without worrying about wiggle room. With a full 360-degree 3D video, Australians can experience content like never before. Stunning worlds where imagination becomes reality. There are thousands of developers working on content to be available from the Oculus store going forward. You need to put this on your face. We’ve coupled it with the Note 4 – it has the Super AMOLED display with ensures an immersive experience. The Note 4 slots into the front of the device for a wireless experience. You get a 96 degree field of view, 60 frames per second with a delay of less than 20 milliseconds. An expansive and smooth visual experience – like standing 2 metres away from a 175-inch display. The Gear VR comes with several sensors – an accelerometer, a gyrometre and proximity sensors. It reduces the motion blur and judder to offer an unrivalled experience. I keep using the word experience. This is the key word for Gear VR – unless you experience this for yourself it’s hard to understand what it does. Cirque de Soleil and more – including a 16Gb card with a host of immersive content – an experience you won’t want to miss out on. Arno: I want to keep it short but we are setting a new benchmark in Australia. On sale in the coming months. Before we break to experience these products, I wanted to share with you a secret project we have been working on in Australia. Almost as soon as we heard of the VR, we wanted to understand what this technology could do. We contacted Oculus and our friends at HQ. After seeing the tech, we were so keen to start working with it. We worked with our local production teams and Leo Burnett. Tonight, for the first time, we’ll be showing you a piece of content which has been curated, built and designed locally. It will showcase how immersive this technology is. (An image on the screen hints at what it might be – it is a shot under water). Note: Later in the night we discovered it was an underwater 360-degree experience, letting you see sharks, fish and other sea creatures swimming around wherever you looked – up, down, left, right – everywhere. It was like being underwater in a scuba-diving suit without being wet or having a breathing apparatus in your mouth – a must-see experience once the Gear VR headset launches in November. More details to follow.Â
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