Five years on from the first Galaxy Note, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is finally here. Crafted with metal and glass, the device boasts a beautiful screen, suite of helpful productivity apps to accompany its super precise upgraded stylus. Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Emmanouil Revmatas, in this interview with ADEYEMI ADEPETUN, spoke on some of the distinguishing features of the device and believed that it will bridge creativity gaps in the industry. Excerpts.
Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S6 Edge+, which came with a 5.7-inch screen and other cutting edge features. Other phone makers are now following in your footsteps, making phones with larger displays and more ergonomic designs. How does this move by your competitors affect the brand?
Our priority is our customers rather than competitors. For us the focus remains gaining insight into the needs of consumers and then including this in our future designs.
Tell us about your latest offering, the Galaxy Note 5 and what sets it apart from other devices in today’s premium phablet market?
The Note Series is a segment that was in fact created by us when we launched the first Note in October 2011. Today, there is a strong following across the world with many of our loyal fans not willing to use anything except the Note. In the case of the new Note 5, it encompasses the latest technology and styling as well as features that have elevated it to the world’s best multimedia and multitasking device.
What are the prime factors driving this innovation in the new Note?
As I mentioned, innovation is being driven by a changing world which means changing needs. In the case of a hand-held device it has become an extension of a person’s personality. In other words, it reflects who they are or want to be professionally and personally.
You mentioned that the Galaxy Note 5 features a quad high definition Super AMOLED display. What does this mean and how does this particular feature benefit users of the device?
Super AMOLED (Super Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) is a display technology patented to Samsung and used in mobile devices. Super AMOLED technology enables users to enjoy higher resolution videos with less battery consumption in comparison to IPS LCDs used by others.
One of the main concerns among users of smart mobile devices is that despite extended periods of charging, their battery power gets drained very quickly. How have you been able to manage this in the new device?
Samsung is consistently working towards achieving a better viewing experience by providing higher resolution displays without compromising on design and battery. Note 5 has been equipped with a large 3000mAh LiPo battery which can provide 13 hours video playback. What’s more interesting about the Note 5 is that even if the battery is 3,000 mAh, charging is fast enough, just within 90 minutes, thanks to the fast charging technology.
By enabling power saving mode, or by limiting the screen brightness and optimising the performance, phone can stand for a much longer period, as long as 72 hours.
In case of an emergency, users can change the device to Ultra Power Saving Mode, with a gray scale theme, implements the same restrictions and limits the number of usable apps the device can stand up to one month of battery.
The S Pen is one of the key features that define the Galaxy Note series. Are there any enhancements to the feature in this version of the series?
There are a lot of cool things you can do with the S Pen. This includesthe ability to quickly take a note when the display is turned off. So now you can simply write down while it’s on your mind.
Another great feature of the S Pen is Air Command. With this feature you can get quick access to S Pen apps and some of your favourite other apps. It’s a floating launcher that shows up on top of whatever you’re doing when you pull out the S Pen. You can even customise the apps you want in Air Command.
What are the key differences between the Galaxy Note 5 and its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 4?
Galaxy Note 5 is notably different from its predecessor. Major improvements in design have made it look sharp and feel comfortable from all angles. . It’s soft and smooth, the gently curved rear edges make it even more comfortable to hold than its predecessor and the S Pen now ejects automatically, rather than having to be pulled out.
Samsung has continuously improved the Air Command menu, which works in conjunction with the S Pen in each iteration of the Note series, and has done so again with the Galaxy Note 5.New enhanced Air Command functionality allows users to customise S Pen features.
Can you give us a snapshot of services that are available on the Galaxy Note 5 in terms of applications?
Samsung is gifting Galaxy Gifts which includes a bouquet of exclusive, premium content and applications from popular and award-winning apps optimized for Note users considering consumers feedback.
Few notable offers are three to six-month subscription from premium news media like The Guardian , The Economist and The New York Times ; 100 GB cloud storage from One Drive, three-month unlimited subscription to over a million e-books and audio books from Scribe.
