Samsung to launch the Galaxy Note 4 in September

COMING SOON: The company will be unpacking the fourth generation of its flagship phablet on Sept 3 in Germany during the IFA trade show.

The company will be unpacking the fourth generation of its flagship phablet on Sept 3 in Germany during the IFA trade show. 

As the company that essentially created the concept of the phablet, Samsung's unveiling of a new Galaxy Note is as important as a new iPhone or iPad, because whatever Samsung decides to build into its latest monster handset will set the benchmark for every oversized Android device that follows. 

What's more, as Apple is expected to launch a phablet of its own this September, Samsung is squeezing as much into its next Note as is humanly possible. 

As one would expect from a Samsung handset, it is going to have a very impressive AMOLED display and a processor that will set new speed records. 

However, one of the most interesting reported features is a UV sensor. 

The company is focusing more and more on health — a number of its phones already feature a heart rate sensor — and, according to the usually reliable SamMobile, the new sensor will monitor UV light to help keep its owner safe from potentially harmful rays. 

And there's every chance that when the phablet launches, it will be the first handset in the world to boast the feature. 

Other things we already know about the handset include its display size (5.7in) and that it will have a potentially phenomenal camera, capable of shooting 16-megapixel shots, and that it will use a Sony image sensor. 

2015 could be a key year for phablets. Once derided as a fad, they are now rocketing in popularity, so much so that they are stealing market share from 7in tablets, particularly in emerging markets where consumers are seeing them as a convergence device that can provide for all of their online and app needs. — ©AFP/Relaxnews 2014