Samsung Galaxy Note 4

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is an Android smartphone developed and produced by Samsung Electronics. The Galaxy Note 4 was unveiled during a Samsung press conference at IFA Berlin on 3 September 2014 and was released globally in October 2014.[1] It is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Its subsequent model, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, was unveiled on 13 August 2015.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in White
Brand	Samsung Galaxy
Manufacturer	Samsung Electronics
Slogan	Do You Note?
Series	Galaxy Note
Model	SM-N910x (Last letter varies by carrier & international models)
Availability by region	Worldwide: October 17, 2014 India/Australia: November 2014
Predecessor	Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Successor	Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Related	Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
Type	Phablet
Form factor	Slate
Dimensions	H: 153.5 mm (6.04 in) W: 78.6 mm (3.09 in) D: 8.5 mm (0.33 in)
Mass	176 g (6.2 oz)
Operating system	Original: Android 4.4.4 "KitKat" First major update: Android 5.0.1 "Lollipop" Second major update: Android 5.1.1 "Lollipop" Current: Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow"
System on chip	LTE Cat.4 & South Korea LTE Cat.6 & LTE Cat.9 (S-LTE) versions: Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 5433 64-bit LTE Cat.6 version: Qualcomm Snapdragon 805
CPU	Exynos version: Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A57 Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53 Snapdragon version: Quad-core 2.7 GHz Krait 450
GPU	Exynos version: ARM Mali T760 MP6 Snapdragon version: Adreno 420
Memory	3 GB LPDDR3
Storage	Global: 32 GB China variant: 16 GB
Removable storage	microSDXC up to 256 GB
Battery	Global: Removable Li-ion 3,220 mAh, 15 Watts charging speed China variant: Non-replaceable Li-Ion 3,000 mAh
Data inputs	List Multi-touch touch screen 3 push buttons Headset controls Proximity sensor Ambient light sensors 3-axis gyroscope Magnetometer Accelerometer Barometer Hall effect sensor Hygrometer (not supported for 1.3 GHz Exynos Octa with Cortex-A53 version and for Snapdragon version) Gesture sensor aGPS GLONASS BeiDou RGB light sensor S Pen (stylus/pen)
Display	5.7 inch (145 mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED (16:9 aspect ratio) 2560×1440 pixel resolution, 518 ppi
Rear camera	16 MP, f2.2, 1/2.6 inch sensor, with autofocus, OIS, 2160p at 30fps(limited to 5 mins), 1440p at 30fps, 1080p at 30/60fps, 720p at 30/60 fps, slow motion video recording at 720p at 120fps
Front camera	3.7 MP, f1.9, 1440p/1080p/720p video recording
Connectivity	List Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz) Wi-Fi Direct Wi-Fi hotspot DLNA Miracast GPS/GLONASS/ BeiDou NFC Bluetooth 4.1 Infrared USB 2.0 micro-B port USB OTG 1.3 MHL 2.0 HDMI (TV-out, via MHL A/V link) 3.5 millimetres (0.14 in) headphone jack
Development status	Released

Specifications

Hardware

Note 4 features advanced S Pen with more features

Note 4 is the first Galaxy Phone to feature adaptive fast charging capability (up to 15 Watts).

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 features a 2560×1440 Quad HD (“WQHD”) Super AMOLED 5.7-inch display with 2.5D damage-resistant Gorilla Glass 4 and provides a pixel density of 515 ppi (pixels-per-inch).

Chipsets

The Note 4 came in two variants, one powered by a 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset with Adreno 420 GPU, the other powered by Samsung's ARMv8-A Exynos 7 Octa SoC with two clusters of four cores; four Cortex-A57 cores at 1.9 GHz, and four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.3 GHz, which is the same processor cluster sold for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in markets that mostly use or only have 3G (such as HSUPA and HSPA), and/or '2G', such as unaltered GSM and CDMA networks, similar to how the Galaxy Note 3 is sold. The phone has metal edges with a plastic, faux leather back.

Connectivity

Both devices that use 4G, LTE/LTE-A and Hybrid 4G-LTE Networks were only sold in Canada, Australia, the U.S., the United Kingdom (for some carriers), Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and South Korea, which have widespread 4G LTE Markets, or are solely 4G/LTE/LTE-A dependant such as Canada and Denmark, which did not use any 3G or older networks, except for HSUPA (Used as a fall back network should the signal strength be weak due to being underground or in the middle of a building), as well as HSPA+, which is a 3G network, though considered by some to be the Original 4G.[2][3][4] The GPU in charge in the Exynos chipset is the Mali-T760.[5]

The Chinese variant utilizes the TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA Plus Network.

Storage

Both variants came with 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 32GB of internal memory that can be expanded using MicroSD-XC cards.[6]

Design

The Note 4's back-cover has a strong resemblance to the Note 3, with a faux leather texture (although without the simulated stitching). Note 4 has a new aluminum frame design, bearing resemblance from the Samsung Galaxy Alpha. Criticism has been aimed at the lack of IP67 certification (water and dust resistance), which was present in Samsung's other flagship, the Galaxy S5, released half a year earlier.

Stylus

Like the predecessors, the Note 4 also includes a stylus pen, branded S-Pen, incorporated into the design. Samsung touted new S-Pen features including tilt and rotation recognition[7] but these features were either not implemented or not supported.[8]

The WACOM digitizer has been upgraded to be able to distinguish between 2048 pressure sensitivity levels, twice as much as the predecessor.[9][10]

The Scrapbook feature introduced on the Galaxy Note 3 has been extended by a so-called Intelligent Selection feature that allows for optical character recognition of highlighted screen areas.[11][12]

Battery

The Note 4 also incorporates a user-removable 3,220mAh lithium-ion battery for the global model and a 3,000mAh non-removable lithium battery variant for the model sold in China. The global model is the last Samsung Mobile flagship to be equipped with user-replaceable battery.

The device is the first flagship phone by Samsung to support Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 for fast charging up to 15 Watts.[13][14]

The Note 4 features a USB 2.0 charging port instead of USB 3.0 (as was in the Note 3 and S5), in favor of a new feature called Fast Charge, which Samsung claims can charge the phone from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes and from 0% to 100% in less than 100 minutes.

With the wireless charging rear cover accessory, which exists in both a plain rear cover form factor and an S View flip cover (or S Charger View) form factor, the battery can be charged wirelessly using Qi technology.[15][16]

Miscellaneous

The Galaxy Note 4 uniquely features an ultraviolet ray measurement sensor.[17][18]

Like the Galaxy S5, it is also equipped with heart-rate monitor, oximeter, among other, more common sensors (barometer, digital compass, front-facing proximity sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope). However, the Note 4 lacks the thermometer and hygrometer sensors which the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 from 2013 were equipped with.[19]

The Air View feature is no longer useable with fingers like it is on the S4, Note 3, S5 and Alpha. However, it is still useable with the stylus.

The capacitive key on the left side of the home button is now a task key, whereas it has been a menu key for previous Galaxy Note series models. However, holding the task key for one second simulates a press of the menu key.[20]

Unlike its successor, the Galaxy Note 4 supports Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL), which can be used to connect the mobile phone to an HDMI display.[19]

Next to the wireless charging S View cover, another accessory for the device is the LED flip wallet (or LED dot case), which allows displaying the clock time through barely visible small pin holes on the front cover while closed.[21]

S-View cover

The S-View cover, a horizontal flip case with preview window, shares the functionality of the predecessor's, except the ability to create Action Memos (digital post-it notes) without unfolding the cover.

A flashlight shortcut, optional analogue clock designs (next to the default, digital clock), as well as the ability to record video, a shortcut to dial contacts (phone numbers) marked as favourite, and access to the heart rate monitor, all without opening the cover, have been added.[22][23]

Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 originally shipped with Google's mobile operating system, Android, specifically KitKat 4.4.4, with its user interface modified with Samsung's custom skin named TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0. The Note 4 contains most of the original Note's software features and functions, but also adds more significant upgrades from the predecessors, such as a new multitasking interface, expanded S-Pen functions, gestures, and refreshed menus and icons.

However, some Samsung Smart Screen and air gesture control functionality which was present on the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Alpha, including Air Browse, Smart Pause, Smart Scroll and Air Call Accept, has been removed.[24][25]

Multi-window

The new multitasking interface merges the Galaxy Note 3's “S-Pen window” feature and the split-screen feature known from the Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5, into one feature. Applications (including the camera application[26]) can be transitioned from floating pop-up view to flexible split-screen view and vice versa, and can be put from normal into pop-up view by dragging diagonally from an upper corner.[27][28]

Gallery software

The Galaxy Note 4 uses a gallery software very similar to the one of the Galaxy S5, with support for functionality such as "Shot & More" and "Selective Focus". Additional camera modes can be downloaded from a store provided by Samsung.[29][30]

The gallery software is compatible with the Air View feature that allows previewing photos from albums when hovering the stylus above it.

User reports suggest that the Exif (meta data) viewer has been removed from Galaxy Note 4.[31][32]

Software updates

The device can be updated to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop in many regions, bringing a new, refined UI, and new runtime. This version has been criticized for poor battery life. A further update to 5.1.1 is available, depending on the wireless carrier.

Most Note 4 devices can also be updated to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, bringing Android features like Android Doze (a feature introduced in Marshmallow that saves battery life) and greater control over app permissions to the device. The Note 4 TouchWiz UI was also evolved featuring the home screen icon pack known from the Galaxy S6 and also features new S Pen features known from the Galaxy Note 5 such as the new Air command menu design with custom shortcuts and Screen-off memo. However, the UI is still very similar to the previous UI and slightly similar to the S6 UI, but most of the TouchWiz UI resembles the original UI for the Note 4.

Camera

Rear of Note 4 featuring Camera, Flash and Heart Rate Monitor

The main (rear-facing) camera is a 16 Megapixel (5322×2988) autofocus camera with 16:9 aspect ratio image sensor (Sony Exmor RS IMX240),[33] featuring Smart OIS (Optical Image Stabilization + software image stabilization), being the first mobile phone of the Samsung Galaxy Note series and the first original variant Samsung flagship phone to feature an optically stabilized rear camera.

It allows optically stabilized 4K (2160p) video recording at 30 fps, 1080p video recording with 30 fps and 60 fps (Smooth Motion) options and also 120 fps slow-motion video recording in 720p resolution. An option for 1440p video has been added in the camera software. Like the Galaxy S5, its rear camera supports high dynamic range (HDR) video recording with up to 1080p at 30fps.

Digital zoom is allowed up to eight times, twice as much as on the S5, Note 3 and earlier. The option to separately preserve the standard dynamic range version from high dynamic range (HDR) photographs has been removed.[34]

The secondary (front-facing) camera is a 3.7 MP camera with an f1.9 aperture that can record 2560×1440 QHD videos and capture wide-angle pictures.

The Galaxy Note 4's front camera is the first front camera in any mobile phone that is able to record videos at 1440p (WQHD) resolution.

After the LG G3, the Galaxy Note 4 is the second mobile phone to be able to record optically stabilized 2160p (4K) video.

[35]

Sales

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 was released around the start of October 2014 and was available in most major markets by the middle of October. The first regions to receive the device were South Korea and China where it gained huge popularity. In the first month only, the Galaxy Note 4 reportedly sold 4.5 million units, which is a little less than its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 3, which was able to report 5 million sales in the first month after release.[36][37] Samsung says that sales of the Note 4 were lower than those of the Note 3 at launch because the Note 4 was initially unavailable in some major international markets due to manufacturing issues, delaying release until early November in markets including the United Kingdom and India.

Plug-in for Samsung Gear VR

Only Snapdragon variants of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, sold by US and European mobile carriers, may be plugged into the Samsung Gear VR headset, which was created in partnership with Oculus VR.[38]

Reception

The phone was met with critical acclaim. When the Note 4 was released in late 2014, DisplayMate measured the performance of the display and said it was the best performing smartphone display ever tested and raised the bar for display performance.[39]

Note 4s were used to film Cai Lan Gong, the world's first feature film shot with a smartphone at 4K resolution.[40]

Successors

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (branded and marketed as Samsung Galaxy Note5) is an Android phablet smartphone developed and produced by Samsung Electronics. The Galaxy Note 5, along with the Galaxy S6 Edge+, was unveiled during a Samsung press conference in New York City on 13 August 2015. It is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The phone became available in the U.S. on 21 August 2015.

In the United Kingdom, the successor to the Note 4 is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, because the Note 5 was never released there, there never was a Note 6, and the Note 7 was withdrawn due to battery hazard. However, the Note 8 has neither a replacable battery, nor a custom colour case window, nor a 16 Megapixel camera. With the S Charger View case, user-replaceable battery, Micro SD-XC-expandable storage and 15 Watts of charging performance, the Note 4 still performs well 6 years after release.

White background by default

On the Galaxy Note 4 (since Android 4.4.4), and also the S4, Note 3 and S5 (Android 5.0 update), the default theme of the user interface software utilizes white backgrounds with black text instead of vice versa (as previously), which defeats the main benefit of AMOLED displays, which is power saving for darker pixels. Additionally, white backgrounds shorten the lifespan of AMOLED panels significantly and could cause additional eye strain, especially in dark surroundings, even at minimum screen brightness.

See also

• Comparison of smartphones

References

1. Rubin, Ben Fox (September 3, 2014). "Samsung unveils Galaxy Note 4, Note Edge". CNET. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
2. TELUS Communications Company. "TELUS - Wireless, TV, Internet and Home Phone service". telusmobility.ca.
3. http://www.Rogerswireless.ca Archived 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
4. Rogers uses LTE-A (150 to 200mb/s) in the 10 largest cities in Canada, however can drop down to HSPA+ during low coverage. Also, Wind Mobile uses only the fallback networks of HSPA+ and HSUPA, due to its cheaper cost, and speeds closer to the maximum because of their low usage.
5. "Samsung's Exynos 5433 is an A57/A53 ARM SoC". AnandTech. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
6. "Samsung Introduces the Latest in its Iconic Note Series – The Galaxy Note 4". September 3, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
7. "Samsung GALAXY Note 4 – S Pen". September 18, 2014. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
8. Brad Molen (October 15, 2014). "Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review". Retrieved October 21, 2014. [The S-Pen] didn't properly mimic the behavior of the old-school ink and paper; doing the same brush strokes at the same angles and with the same amount of pressure produced entirely different results. Lines were light where they should've been heavy, and vice versa.
9. "Samsung Galaxy Note 4 S Pen secrets revealed". Carphone Warehouse. 2014-10-03.
10. "The evolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note S Pen". Android Authority. 12 August 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
11. "Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Tipps & Tricks: Scrapbook". Samsung Mobile. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
12. "Galaxy Note 4: Scrapbook | Samsung Service DE". Samsung de (in German). Retrieved 29 July 2020.
13. "Galaxy Note4: To use fast charging, what kind of charger should be used?" — Samsung.com
14. "Galaxy Note4: How to set the fast charging feature?" — Samsung.com
15. "S View Lade-Cover EP-VN910I für GALAXY Note 4". Samsung de (in German). 2014.
16. "Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Wireless Charging S View Cover (White)". Samsung uk.
17. Exclusive: Samsung Galaxy Note 4’s Ultraviolet (UV) sensor explained! (SamMobile, 2014)
18. Video: Playing with the Note 4's new UV and SpO2 sensors (Phone Arena, 3 minutes, September 6th 2014)
19. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specification sheet on GSMArena
20. Review pf the Galaxy Note 4 by GSM Arena – Page 2: Retail package, 360-degree spin, design and handling, controls
21. "Samsung EF-NN910B Charcoal Black - Handyhülle | SAMSUNG". Samsung de (in German). 2014.
22. "The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 S View Cover vs Protective Cover Hard Case Review". GadgetNutz. 22 February 2015.
23. "S View Cover for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review". The Daily Note. 2014-10-05.
24. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review – Page 4: User interface
25. How to enable motion and gesture controls on the Galaxy Note 4 – AndroidPit – March 21, 2015
26. "Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Die besten Tipps und Tricks". computerbild.de (in German). 2014. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
27. Review of the Galaxy Note 4 user interface by GSMArena
28. [Video: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Tip: How to use the Multiwindow feature (5 minutes, October 22nd 2014)
29. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 camera tips and tricks — AndroidCentral.com
30. "How to add more camera modes on Galaxy S5 and Note 4" — CNet.com
31. User reports lack of EXIF viewer on the Galaxy Note 4's gallery application
32. AndroidCentral user reports lack of metadata viewer on the Galaxy Note 4 gallery application
33. Review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 camera by GSM Arena − Mentions that the Galaxy Note 4 uses the IMX240 image sensor type.
34. "Samsung Galaxy Note 4 - Common Camera Settings | Verizon". www.verizon.com. Verizon knowledge base. 2014.
35. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review − Page 8: Camera
36. Pavithra Rathinavel (2014-10-27). "Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Hits 4.5M Sales In 30 Days And A New Samsung Ad Celebrates Note 4's Brilliant Camera". International Business Times. Retrieved 2014-10-27.
37. Todd Haselton (2014-10-24). "Galaxy Note 4 Sales May Be Off to Slower Start Than Galaxy Note 3". Retrieved 2014-10-24.
38. "Samsung Gear VR is real: Samsung plus Oculus turns a Note 4 into virtual reality (hands-on)". CNET. September 3, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
39. "Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge OLED Display Technology Shoot-Out". displaymate.com.
40. "Cai Lan Gong Mendapat Penghargaan MURI Sebagai Film Layar Lebar Pertama yang Dibuat dengan Menggunakan Samsung Galaxy Note". Samsung ID. 20 October 2015.

External links