Samsung unveils 5G-powered Note20 series and a new foldable phone

Samsung unveiled two 5G-enabled phones under the Galaxy Note series and a new foldable model as it aims to attract premium customers even as the global smartphone market slows and competition for 5G dominance heats up.

The new models – Note20, Note20 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold2 – were released at a Galaxy Unpacked event at the company's headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday, which was held online this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Samsung said the new models offered longer-lasting batteries, improved deep-learning, more fluid stylus, enhanced security, sophisticated gesture-control technology and better syncing across various devices.

“Never before have we relied on technology like we are today," said TM Roh, president and head of mobile communications business at Samsung.

"Technology must make life easier, not more complex ... these devices are powerful tools to help you maximise work and play. They work together seamlessly so you can spend your time focused on what matters most,” he added.

With a 17.52-centimetre curved display, the Note20 Ultra has three cameras on the back. Weighing only 208 grams, it is powered by a battery of 4,500 milliampere hours that promises enough power to last for almost a day. Its starting price in the UAE is set at Dh4,499.

The Note20 models offers a smaller flat display at 17.01cm and weighs 192 grams. Powered by a battery of 4300mAh, its price starts at Dh3,549 in the Emirates. Consumers can pre-order the products through the company’s website.

With a super-fast charging feature in the Note20 and Note20 Ultra phones, the battery can be charged by up to 50 per cent in just 30 minutes, the company said. The new phones also offer larger storage capacity – 8GB RAM to 12GB RAM and 128GB to 512GB internal space.

Samsung said it expects smartphone sales to rise in the third quarter with the launch of new devices.

The company shipped just 54.2 million smartphones in the three months to June 30, a 28.9 per cent year-on-year decline, according to figures compiled by International Data Corporation.

Samsung's premium devices, such the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip, launched in February at the start of the pandemic, are facing sales headwinds despite price reductions, IDC said.

The South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer is pinning its hopes on the Note20 series to boost its bottom line as this could be its last opportunity of the year to impress smartphone enthusiasts.

The company’s mobile division posted a 25 per cent increase in operating income to $5.98 billion in the second quarter.

However, industry analysts say the new Note series does not have much to offer to users who are already using the Note10+, which was launched in August last year.

"Not too exciting … large screen, fast processor technology, users have already experienced in previous phones such as S20 Ultra (launched in February)," Abbas Ali, managing editor of TechRadar Middle East, told The National.

“This year, it is more of an iteration than a massive jump … anybody who has Note10+ has no propelling reason to upgrade to Ultra. But for somebody with an older Note, the new phone is a fantastic option.”

Mr Ali said the Note20 doesn't have as many features as the Note20 Ultra.

“I am not sure how they have nailed out to position the new models because the differences between the two are a lot more than last year’s Note series phones,” he added.

Expanding on its existing partnership with Microsoft, the new Note20 series phones will connect more effectively to Windows PC, Samsung said.

Users can access mobile apps and notifications on their personal computer, easily copy and paste or drag and drop files between devices and make shortcuts to access mobile apps directly from the PC.

Samsung joined hands with Microsoft to bridge the gap between smartphones and PCs in August last year.

Analysts said an improved S Pen could be a major differentiator and it is the “best stylus” offered so far by any smartphone producer.

Users can enjoy a faster and more fluid S Pen with reduced latency thanks to the 120Hz screen refresh rate. The S Pen's functionality will be 80 per cent better in the Note20 Ultra, while it has been improved by 40 per cent in the Note20 compared with their earlier models, said the company.

Samsung will also offer a digital key function that lets users unlock and start cars with the new phones.

The Note20 series phones will be available in select markets from August 21, the company said.