14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung is likely to launch the Galaxy Note 9 earlier than expected in an attempt to remain relevant in the fight against Apple’s iPhone X, but also to compensate for what are believed to be slower than projected sales for the Galaxy S9.
A report from The Korea Herald points out that Samsung Display is due to start manufacturing OLED panels for the phablet as soon as April, as compared to the typical June schedule. This means the device could see daylight in July or August, the cited source adds.
This is a strategy that Samsung has adopted for the Galaxy S9 as well, which was launched earlier than usual because the South Korean firm wanted to compete against the new iPhone X. The Galaxy S9 was unveiled in February and sales started earlier this month, but it looks like earlier figures are significantly below forecasts.
This is believed to be caused by the modest upgrades offered on the S9 versus its predecessor, despite Samsung’s highly-praised improvements in the camera department.
Fingerprint sensor still on the back
The company now hopes that the Galaxy Note 9 would reignite demand for its high-end smartphones. The device will feature a slightly bigger display versus the previous model (6.38 inches vs. 6.32 inches), but despite several reports in this regard, it won’t sport a fingerprint sensor integrated into the display.
Instead, the Galaxy Note 9 will stick with a fingerprint sensor placed on the back of the device, just like the Galaxy S9, as the reader embedded into the glass is still not ready.
It goes without saying that this report should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism, albeit Samsung indeed appears to be in a rush to bring new models to the market lately. Given the slow demand for the Galaxy S9, launching a new model earlier than expected could indeed help, though it all depends on the upgrades that the company plans to include.