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Galaxy expands at Speed of Launch
Any notion that going virtual would slow down the pace of product launches were dispelled by a dazzling array of new Samsung products launched yesterday, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
Note 20 and Note20 Ultra
For the headline devices, the 6.7-inch Galaxy Note20 and 6.9-inch Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Samsung amusingly but unintentionally borrowed from the Apple marketing playbook, trumpeting the new handsets as “the most powerful Note series yet”. Apple tends to say that about the new iPhones every year, prompting the question: “would your new flagship be a LESS powerful device?”
So, before anything else, it needs mentioning that these are powerhouses of productivity. Integration with Windows PCs is tighter and more seamless than before. The S Pen – long a favourite of Note users for its versatile writing and drawing functionality – now offers five new Anywhere actions, like returning to the home screen or taking a screenshot with a flick of the wrist. Such touchless navigation resonates powerfully in the era of COVID-19.
The Samsung Notes app, best-known for turning scribbles into type, now features auto-save and syncing capabilities, to prevent work being lost because you switched between apps or devices and forgot to Save. It also allows recording audio as one writes notes, synchronising the two for searches.
As one would expect from a flagship device nowadays, it’s not all work and no play either. From mid-September, Xbox games will be playable on the Note20 series, with more than a 100 Xbox games, like Minecraft Dungeons and Gears, available from the cloud via an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account.
For many, the devices will come into their own through the display and camera: a new standard on the Note20 Ultra, Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, offers 120Hz refresh rate, “delivering buttery smooth visuals on our best screen yet,” according to Samsung. 8K shooting, with a 21:9 aspect ratio, means ultra-high resolution and potentially professional-quality video. This capability is underlined with a Pro Video mode, which allows control of focus, audio, exposure, and zoom speed control, with up to 120 fps video. Audio sources can also be managed, with selection between onboard mics or external sources, and gain adjustment.
Read more on the next page about the new Galaxy Fold, and other new Galaxy devices in the line.
