Samsung announced its latest flagship phone, the Galaxy Note 7 earlier this month, and while customers won’t be able to get their hands on one until later this month, there’s already plenty of buzz surrounding the device. Although Samsung has received some flack in the past about mimicking, or simply straight-up copying Apple’s devices, the criticism certainly doesn’t apply to the Note 7.
With an included stylus, a wraparound display with virtually no side bezels, and metal/glass symmetrical design, there’s no way the Note 7 could ever be mistaken for an iPhone. And with heavyweight tech sites like CNET calling it the “sexiest large-screen phone ever”, and TheVerge calling it “glorious” and “the best big phone” out today, people are certainly taking note. With the release of the iPhone 7 now just weeks away, Apple is certainly going to have to step their game up, because Android/iOS wars aside, the Galaxy Note 7 can do a number of things that the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus simply can’t.
1. Iris Scanning
One of the Note 7’s big new features is the phone’s iris scanner. The iris scanner uses the phone’s front-facing camera to scan your eyes – a somewhat futuristic way to unlock your phone. The iris scanner can read your eyes even if you’re wearing glasses or contacts, and can also be used to access files or apps that have been stored in the phone’s Secure folder. While the fingerprint scanner on the Note 7 or the iPhone 6s/6s Plus may be a bit quicker, the iris scanner can be used while you’re wearing gloves, while your hands are wet, etc. – not to mention the fact that it feels very James Bond to unlock your phone with an iris scanner.
2. S Pen
Samsung’s seventh iteration of the S Pen stylus is better than ever. Somewhat of a trademark for the Note series, the S Pen is great for jotting down quick notes, annotating photos, drawing/doodling, or even navigating the operating system. The pressure-sensitivity makes writing and drawing feel very natural, and the Note’s OS allows you to magnify parts of the screen, multitask, translate foreign languages, and even create GIFs from any video (an interesting, but pretty awesome feature), all with the S Pen. Ejecting the S Pen from its holder even automatically brings up a quick menu with a several apps such as Samsung Notes, Screen Write, Translate, and more, all optimized for usage with the stylus.
3. Survive Underwater
Water resistance seems like a no-brainer with any high-end phone these days. With how ubiquitous cell phone usage is these days, it seems like we shouldn’t have to worry about spilling a cup of water on our devices. Although rumors are touting the water resistance of the upcoming iPhone 7, the 6s and 6s Plus certainly don’t highlight water resistance as a feature. Tech site iFixit, notorious for destroying high-end electronics in the name of research, noted that the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus “seem able to survive a quick dip (although there are no guarantees), prolonged submersion will still kill them both.” The Note 7, by contrast, shows some absolutely incredible water-resistance. While Samsung warns that the device shouldn’t be submerged for over 30 minutes, a recent video review of the phone by the Wall Street Journal is shot almost entirely underwater, where the phone (and the S Pen) worked flawlessly for the duration of the review. Not only can the Note 7 survive a drop in the pool, you could theoretically use it, and the S Pen, in the shower if you’d like.
4. Charge Wirelessly
If you, like most people, charge your phone at night after you go to bed, you’ve probably been met with the frustration of trying to plug your phone in while you’re struggling to stay awake. With the Note 7, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of cables when it comes to charging. Like the Note 5 and Galaxy S7 series, the Note 7 features wireless charging. The devices supports both Qi and PMA Wireless charging standards, so it works with pretty much any wireless charger on the market. Simply drop your Note 7 onto the wireless charging pad on your nightstand, or even on the PMA Wireless chargers found at many Starbucks locations, and you should be all charged up.
5. Fast Charging
Speaking of charging, Samsung’s latest fast charging system can bring the Note 7’s larger-than-ever battery from completely dead to fully charged in about an hour and a half. The Note 7 charges via a reversible USB-C port (no more worry about trying to insert your charging cable the wrong way) instead of the old standard, Micro USB. What’s more, the Note 7 supports Fast Wireless Charging Pads, which, although slower than plugged in, will wirelessly charge the device in an impressive amount of time.
6. Secure Folder
The “Secure Folder” feature on the Note 7 is really much more convenient than it sounds. Powered by Samsung Knox, the Secure Folder is a separate folder that allows you to store files, apps, and documents with added security, and completely separate from the rest of your device, and unlockable via a password or even the Note 7’s iris scanner. You can even add separate Google accounts to the Secure Folder. Store pictures of your passport or driver’s license, use a secure Chrome app for holiday shopping, etc. And while the Secure Folder can be thought of as a place to store information or apps you don’t want anyone else accessing, it can also be used as a separate profile, allowing you to place a secure “work” profile on your personal phone. This is one of those features that you didn’t know you needed until you had it.
7. Removable Storage
A constant gripe from Apple users is the iPhone’s lack of removable storage. The Note 7 comes out of the box with a respectable 64GB of storage, Samsung has brought back support for a MicroSD card, allowing you to add an extra 256GB of storage to the device – an incredible 320GB. In fact, Samsung is currently running a promotion (until August 28) that bundles either a free Gear 2 Fitness band or a 256GB MicroSD card for your phone. With the incredible cameras capable of shooting high-resolution photos and ultra-HD videos, a little extra storage can be a lifesaver on today’s phones. Instead of paying hundreds of extra dollars for an extra 32GB of storage on an upgraded iPhone, Note 7 users can buy a MicroSD card on Amazon for significantly less.
With an incredible array of features and some seriously impressive hardware, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 may take the crown as the best large phone/”phablet” out there today. However, Apple certainly still has a chance to wow us all with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, set to release early September.
Are you Team Samsung or Team Apple? Let us know in the comments below!