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Sneak peek: Samsung showcases the new Galaxy Note7
Fri, 5th Aug 2016
FYI, this story is more than a year old

The first glimpses of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 are out, bringing a number of improved features - and the introduction of retina scanning technology.

The Galaxy Note 7 is a premium smartphone that features a larger screen, water-resistant body that can protect the phone to a metre deep, the S Pen stylus, HDR video streaming and an in a Samsung-first, a new retina scanning security feature.

The company has positioned itself well to capture the trend towards larger-screen devices, when not so long ago many customers used to be sceptical of them. The Note7's curved 5.7-inch, 2560 x 1440 (518ppi) QHD Super AMOLED screen makes sure colours are crisp,ready for HDR - and the Oculus Gear VR.

Samsung has made the Gorilla Glass build, water resistance two of the Note7's most prominent build features, while the creative and entertainment features on the device will allow users to cater for work and play, says Stefan Lecchi, head of commercial at Samsung New Zealand.

“The Note7 features a water resistant body - a hero feature that was re-introduced in the Galaxy S7 and has been well received by the New Zealand market, as well as a water resistant S Pen, ensuring users can use this in almost any situation," Lecci says.

The S-Pen, a small and flexible stylus with a 0.77mm tip, is pressure-sensitive and accurate for precision across notes, drawings, memo-editing, taking screenshots or even filling in blanks on those Excel spreadsheets. With Air Command, users can magnify, zoom and translate writing as needed.

One of the main features of the Note7 is undoubtedly its retina scanning technology, providing an additional level of security alongside its fingerprint scanner and passcodes and other authentication options. In addition, a dedicated Secure Folder in the device will help users keep confidential info safe.

“Samsung also understands the importance of being able to protect content securely and safely. The addition of an iris scanner bolsters the Galaxy Note7's other security features, including fingerprint scanning and Samsung Knox - an industry-leading security platform,” concludes Lecchi.

Under the hood, the phone has an Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad) processor. What does that mean? Well, it has a good amount of power in it. The internal 64GB of memory is a step up from the standard 16/32GB storage, while supporting MicroSD of up to 256GB.

The Note7 gets a significant upgrade in battery life: its 3500mAh battery is also compatible with wireless charging, and with the new USB Type-C port charging.

The Samsung Galaxy Note7 will be launched in New Zealand on August 19 in three colours: Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium and Black Onyx.

Stay tuned for our hands-on review of the device, coming soon. In the meantime, find out more about the Galaxy Note7 here.