Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 will go on sale globally exactly a week from now, and while the handset delivers improvements over its predecessor across the board, one aspect in which it arguably doesn’t innovate is design, with its overall look being almost indistinguishable from that of the Galaxy Note 8. Earlier this week, the South Korean technology giant resolved to detail the design process of its latest Android flagship, consequently explaining why the device ended up looking similar to its 2017 phablet.
The main generational change Samsung chose to focus on was increasing the size of the Galaxy Note 9’s display panel while retaining the approximate physical footprint of the Galaxy Note 8, with the new device hence offering a 6.4-inch screen as opposed to a 6.3-inch one. As a result, the handset offers more space for work, gaming, and other applications, especially those that involve drawing with the S Pen stylus. The company also opted to retain the more rectangular look of the Galaxy Note 8 as opposed to an aggressively rounded aesthetic of the Galaxy S line because it sees that design as more conducive to productivity, the main focus of the Galaxy Note series since day one. Samsung essentially believed it already had the right formula on its hands with the Galaxy Note 8, hence deciding to focus on small visual refinements with the Galaxy Note 9 instead of opting for radical experimentation.
One such minor improvement comes in the form of a new device frame forged using die cutting, a process of creating smooth and glossy surfaces with a diamond drill. As a result, the Galaxy Note 9 should give a more premium feel than its predecessor, Samsung believes. The new Android flagship is presently available for pre-orders and will be released on a global level next Friday, August 24. With prices starting at approximately $999 and going up to roughly $1,249, depending on the market, the Galaxy Note 9 is Samsung‘s most expensive mainstream smartphone lineup to date.