Samsung launches Galaxy Note in S. Korea

Samsung Electronics Co., world's second-largest mobile phone maker, said Monday that it will release its latest device the Galaxy Note in South Korea in a bid to tap into a new smart mobile market. The Galaxy Note to be released on Tuesday is bigger than a smartphone but smaller than a tablet computer, with the latest entry of the company's flagship Galaxy lineup having a 5.3-inch super active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display. The device also offers a digital pen, called "S Pen," that enables users to write on the screen and runs on a 1.5-gigahertz dual core processor powered by Google Android's Gingerbread platform. The South Korean version will run on fourth generation long-term evolution (LTE) network service, while those released in Europe and Hong Kong last month operate on third generation wireless networks. "The Galaxy Note is a new type of smart device, following smartphones and tablet PCs," said Shin Jong-kyun, Samsung's president of mobile business. "It will give consumers a new experience." Meanwhile, Samsung said it will also roll out a new Nexus smartphone in South Korea, equipped with the most up-to-date version of the Android operating system (OS), called Ice Cream Sandwich. The smartphone, named the Galaxy Nexus after Samsung's flagship handset line, was first unveiled in Hong Kong last month in collaboration with Google Inc. to take on Apple Inc.'s iPhone 4S. With the updated software, the Galaxy Nexus offers a faster Internet browsing experience than previous versions, improved cameras and face recognition technology that automatically unlocks the phone by identifying the handset user's face. Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be also introduced to the Korean market, with the high-speed LTE network service, the electronics giant said. Samsung shipped an estimated 23 million to 28 million smartphones in the third quarter of this year, helped by the rollout of the Galaxy S2 smartphone in the spring, topping the sales of Apple's iPhone. Samsung said it has sold more than 10 million units of the Galaxy S smartphone worldwide since its launch. Shares of Samsung Electronics traded at 981,000 won (US$850) on the Seoul bourse as of 10:50 a.m.