Bronze-Clad Galaxy Note20 and Buds Live... A Preview of Unpacked

Ahead of the First Online Unpack on August 5, New Products Unveiled One After Another
Galaxy Note20, Fold2, Z Flip 5G, and Buds Live All Make an Appearance

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Ahead of the August Unpacked event, Samsung Electronics' new products are being revealed. The main stars, the Galaxy Note20 and the Galaxy Fold2 making its first appearance on the Unpacked stage, along with the increasingly significant wearable new product Galaxy Buds Live (tentative name), will be released with designs and features different from their predecessors.

Samsung Electronics will hold an online Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5. Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), there will be no offline event. This is the first online Unpacked event in 11 years since the first Unpacked in 2009. Smartphones, foldable phones, and wireless earphones will be unveiled together.

Pretty Kidney Bean 'Galaxy Buds Live'

Rendering images of the new wireless earphones known as Galaxy Buds Live or Galaxy BudsX have also appeared. The images released by IT Twitter user Evan Blass show a case with rounded square edges and earbuds reminiscent of kidney beans, catching attention. The new product is known to be released in Mystic Bronze, Black, and White colors, the same as the Galaxy Note20 series.

Vietnamese Twitter user Samchun revealed that the new Galaxy Buds model name could be 'Galaxy BudsX' and that it will feature active noise canceling. He explained, "Designed in a bean shape, it is larger than the existing Galaxy Buds series, and the case is bigger than the Buds Plus, so the battery capacity will also increase. The touch malfunction-related functions have been improved, and both bass and treble are better than the Buds+."

The earbuds of the Galaxy Buds Live will be smaller than the previous generation. Since the silicone tips provided in the in-ear style Galaxy Buds and Buds+ are removed, the wearing comfort is expected to improve. There is a speaker in the center, and the two holes on both sides are microphones. The battery life is about 11 hours, and the price is expected to be around 170,000 KRW.

Starting Pitcher 'Galaxy Note20', S Pen That Can Also Be a Pointer

The Galaxy Note20 will be released in two models: 6.7-inch and 6.9-inch Ultra. As it passed the US FCC certification, specifications such as model name and chipset were revealed. The model name of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra is SM-N986, equipped with Qualcomm's SDX55M modem. The Galaxy Note20 released in the US will be equipped with the Snapdragon 865+ chipset.

The display of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra model supports a 120Hz refresh rate and is expected to reduce power consumption as it comes with an LPTO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) display. The refresh rate refers to the number of times the display shows frames per second, and the higher it is, the smoother the screen transitions. Reflecting public opinion that does not prefer 'edge' displays, the display has become flatter, with only the left and right edges curved when held in hand.

Watching the Galaxy Note20 Ultra operation video released by the YouTube channel JimmyIsPromo, compared to the Galaxy Note10, the camera module size has increased, and the 'camera bump' phenomenon has become more severe. The S Pen has added a laser pointer function. It is also possible to change the pointer color to match the screen color. The position of the S Pen slot has moved from the right to the left. JimmyIsPromo explained, "You can select the S Pen pointer color and icon and highlight the desired area."

First Appearance at Unpacked 'Galaxy Fold2' and Galaxy Z Flip 5G in Bronze

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G adds a bronze color and has the same design as the LTE version Galaxy Z Flip. The exterior adopts a Mystic Bronze color with less glossy glass material, the same as the official images of the Galaxy Note20 revealed the day before. While the existing Galaxy Note9's copper color was closer to brown, Mystic Bronze mixes beige or pink, giving a soft impression. In addition to bronze, black and gray color options are also expected to be added.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is expected to be equipped with the Snapdragon 865+ chipset. The Chinese radio certification indicates it is equipped with a 3.09GHz 8-core processor. The LTE model was equipped with the Snapdragon 855+ chipset. Since it is a model released as a 5G smartphone with the same form factor, it is interpreted as an effort to differentiate by enhancing AP performance. The specifications such as a 12MP dual camera, 1.05-inch cover display, and volume and fingerprint buttons on the right are the same as the previous model. Internal memory is 256GB, battery is 3300mAh, and it supports 15W fast charging.

The Galaxy Fold2 remains shrouded in mystery. Unlike the Note20 or other products, no rendering images close to the actual appearance have been released. This Unpacked is expected to be the first stage where the Galaxy Fold series is revealed as an actual product. Looking at the images released by IT specialist Twitter user Ice Universe, the notch on the right side of the main display has disappeared, and a punch hole appears in the center right. The rear camera module is expected to be applied in an induction form. The Galaxy Fold2 is expected to be released in green, blue, silver, gold, and black colors.

The cover screen of the Galaxy Fold2 is expected to increase from the existing 4.6 inches to 6.2 inches. The unfolded screen size will also expand from the existing 7.3 inches to 7.7 inches. The Galaxy Fold2's display will use the same UTG material as the Galaxy Z Flip, and due to durability issues, it is expected not to support the S Pen. The Galaxy Fold2's camera is known to be equipped with the same 108MP lens as the Galaxy S20 Ultra, a telephoto lens (48MP) supporting 30x zoom, and an ultra-wide lens (12MP). The cover display screen will change to a long vertical form, and the release of a Galaxy Fold Lite model with a lower price has been postponed to next year, according to some forecasts.