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Samsung’s new large-screen Galaxy Note 4 smartphone will be offered for sale in China later this month by three Chinese cellular companies, while Apple has not yet set a timetable for the release of its new iPhone 6 models in China.
That means that Samsung will beat Apple to potential buyers in China, where the market for new smartphones is huge, since it is the world’s most populous nation, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Samsung will also offer the new Galaxy Note 4 in South Korea starting Sept. 26.
Samsung could not be reached immediately by eWEEK via email to learn more details about the Note 4 launches in China and South Korea.
“Samsung’s early move in China comes as the South Korean company faces challenges on multiple fronts,” reported the AP. “Its profit from the crucial mobile business has flagged and local brands in India and China have dented its sales of cheap phones.”
Samsung moved the Note 4 release forward from its previously slated October launch once Apple unveiled its new, larger iPhone 6 models, the AP reported.
Samsung, which is based in South Korea, is set to release the new Galaxy Note 4 in the United States on Oct. 17, after opening preorders on Sept. 18, according to an earlier eWEEK report. The Galaxy Note 4 is a cross between a smartphone and a tablet, with a large, 5.7-inch quad HD (2,560-by-1,440) Super AMOLED display, a 2.7GHz quad-core processor, 32GB of internal memory plus a micro SD slot that accepts cards up to 128GB, a rear-facing 16-megapixel auto-focus camera with Smart OIS, a front-facing 3.7MP camera and a 220mAh Li-ion 3 battery. The new Note 4 runs on Android KitKat 4.4.4 and includes Adaptive Fast Charging, which can recharge a discharged battery back to a 50 percent charge in about 30 minutes, according to Samsung.
The stylus write-on-screen feature has also been updated using shortcuts that quicken everyday tasks, according to Samsung. The Galaxy Note 4 will be available in Charcoal Black and Frost White.
Apple’s new iPhone 6 models went on sale on Sept. 19 to customers in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Buyers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates will be able to buy the new smartphones starting Sept. 26, according to Apple. The new iPhones will be available in 115 countries by the end of the year.
Preorders for the new iPhones reached huge levels, with more than 4 million devices preordered within 24 hours of the process opening on Sept. 12, just seven days before the official device launch date, according to an earlier eWEEK report. That high demand quickly led the company to advise customers that many devices won’t be delivered until October due to short initial supplies.
The new iPhones include the iPhone 6 with its 4.7-inch Retina HD display and an even larger iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch Retina HD screen, according to a recent eWEEK report. The new devices—which come in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage capacities—also come with many other new features and capabilities, making them popular before they ever hit store shelves. The new phones include an Apple-designed A8 chip with second-generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture, enhanced iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, and the latest iOS 8 operating system. A new, built-in Apple Pay secure payments system will be added to iOS 8 as an update in October, according to the company.
Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in gold, silver and space gray. The iPhone 6 retails for $199.99 for a 16GB version, $299.99 for a 64GB version and $399 for a 128GB version with a two-year contract. The iPhone 6 Plus retails for $299.99 for a 16GB model, $399.99 for a 64GB model and $499.99 for a 128GB model with a two-year contract, according to Apple.