ITWire

Samsung’s first Galaxy Note was a 5.3-inch phone/tablet hybrid known as a phablet, and not only distinguished itself with a large ‘tween screen, but also included a stylus, something fingertip phones don’t offer.

It sold in very respectable numbers, and helped to not only finally offer a quality and powerful phablet at that size, but also to further differentiate Samsung’s growing product line from that of Apple’s.

After all, Samsung sells a range of Galaxy-named phones and tablets, from the Galaxi Mini through to the Galaxy Note 10.1-inch ICS 4.0 tablet and quad-core processor with stylus coming reportedly on August 15 to challenge the new iPad, too.

However, it’s in the midst of Samsung’s legal battles with Apple (and vice versa) over patents and copied designs that the 5.5-inch screened Galaxy Note 2 has been pre-announced, with Reuters quoting a nameless Samsung official stating the Note 2 was being unveiled at the “Samsung Mobile Unpacked event in Berlin on August 29”.

Clearly, the large screen size and included stylus certainly helps the Note series of the Galaxy range to become the new flagship Galaxy series while much better differentiating its capabilities, features and benefits against those of Apple’s iPhone 5 – even though there will obviously be huge amounts of crossover in what both devices are able to do.

Unsurprisingly, the news has caused Galaxy Note prices to drop, according to PopHerald, which is probably the reason why Apple never says anything about anything until its ready and it wants to.

Keen observers will have noted this is less than two weeks before Apple’s expected introduction of the iPhone 5, iPad Mini and potentially the iPod Touch 5, iPod nano, iMac and other iDevices, too.

It’s also two days before the IFA consumer electronics trade fair, which itself will be awash in massive amounts of the latest gadgetry, smartphones, tablets, accessories and plenty more.

Expected specs include the same Samsung Exynos quad-core processor as in the Galaxy S3, as well as an S3-esque design, alongside that 5.5-inch display with what is sure to be gorgeous and rich colour, improved cameras, better graphics and all the cool things that make the S3 the superphone that the bigger and stylus-equipped Note 2 will be.

Whatever happens, we can be certain of one thing: the launch is sure to be Note2ble – and a powerful new entrant in the battle between iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8, BlackBerry 10 and everything else!