Samsung Galaxy Note 5 - 5 things we want to see

There is less than a week to go for the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, which might seem a little unexpected and early, as the annual Galaxy Note launch is usually a highlight of IFA in Berlin. Its predecessor was met with great acclaim after its launch, with everyone appreciating everything from its design, camera, and some new S-Pen functionality, and the Galaxy Note 4 continues to be a very compelling device. Understandably, we’re hopeful that the Galaxy Note 5 is as good, if not better, and while there have, of course, already been numerous leaks and endless speculation about the latest Galaxy Note smartphone, we’re still looking forward to some key aspects making their way over to the new device. Here’s a roundup of 5 things that we want to see with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5!

Expandable storage and removable battery

This is the big one of course, as these otherwise staple Samsung features were given a skip with the latest Galaxy S series flagships in favor of a sleek unibody metal and glass design. Granted, the storage available with the base model was bumped up to 32 GB, but even that isn’t enough for power users, and opting for the higher 64 GB and 128 GB versions required quite the premium. Absence of a removable battery may be easy to forgive, because of the next feature we’re looking forward to, but expandable storage is going to be one of the first things we look for when we get our hands on the official spec sheet, and if rumors hold true, will unfortunately lament over when it’s left out.

Big battery

Another reason for the popularity of the Galaxy Note line is because of the battery, which has been removable in previous iterations, being big enough to cover the needs of most users. Longevity is a hallmark of the large form factor, and the Galaxy Note line has to continue this, especially if the battery so no longer user replaceable. Disparity in the flagship and even some mid-range Samsung devices tends to highlight where some features makes sense and where they are missing. A great example of this is the Galaxy S6 Active, that, courtesy of its large 3,500 mAh battery, provides for a very reliable battery life, when compared to its other flagship namesakes. Speculation suggests that the Galaxy Note 5 will pack a 3,000 mAh battery, which might be enough, but there is obviously an expectation for more, especially because Samsung has shown that higher battery capacities can be found in their phones.

Beautiful design

What the Galaxy Note line did over its last few iterations is succeed where the Galaxy S line did not. This was very evident just last year, when the sleek and incredible Galaxy Note 4 completely redeemed the design language of the Galaxy S5, while providing even more, and better, features. If the recent leaks are any indication, the Galaxy Note 5 will not only follow the design language and build quality introduced with the Galaxy S6, but that will also mean the loss of the features mentioned above. As well as it worked with the Samsung flagships, a glass design for a much larger device in the Galaxy Note 5, and the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus for that matter, is not something we’re sure will work. The Galaxy Note 5 might set a precedent for the Note series that simply wasn’t true before, and all we can do is hope that the design of the latest Note smartphone makes us fall in love with it the same way its predecessor did last year.

Other versions

If the glass encased design is what we’re going to get, perhaps this is the year where we get to see some variations introduced in the Galaxy Note line. As great as the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge were, the Galaxy S6 Active was able to address a few of the concerns that users had with the original, namely durability and battery life. There was also the addition of the Active key, which received my stamp of approval, but while something like the Active key would a welcome inclusion with the Galaxy Note 5, the S Pen does add enough of its own extra input. The dual glass design of the Note 5 will likely make it one of the most expensive and most delicate devices that requires a death grip. If we’re getting a larger version of the Galaxy S6 Edge, which is essentially a Note 5, with a curve and missing the S Pen, we can certainly hope for Samsung to introduce another variant, like a Galaxy Note 5 Active.

Spartan interface, including S Pen

We gave the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge very high marks for its dialed back interface. Not only did it slim down in features and annoying tutorials, but it was also optimized for Samsung’s powerful in-house Exynos processor, making for an incredibly smooth and snappy software experience, something that Samsung has often had trouble achieving. While we don’t expect the Galaxy Note 5 to be as spartan, considering the S Pen and all the features it entails, we do at least want to see the same level of optimization. When it comes the S Pen as well, it wouldn’t hurt to hope that the new stylus retains the same great potential, without clamoring for too much attention. Plenty of S-Pen features of the Galaxy Note 4 were useful, such as using the stylus as a kind of mouse, but the learning curve was steep enough that not too many people ever pulled it out. If using the S-Pen is easier to learn, and its features are made almost indispensable to the Galaxy Note experience, we’d certainly be using this signature element a lot more this year.

So, there you have it for this round up of the 5 things we really want to see from the Samsung Galaxy Note 5! We’re certain that plenty of aspects like the Quad HD display and the high quality camera will get the updates they deserve, so this serves as a bit of a wish list for this year’s Galaxy Note smartphone. It does feel a little weird to have to hope for expandable storage, and despite all the leaks we’ve already seen, we can’t be blamed for keeping our fingers crossed tight to make this wish list a reality.