Live from Samsung’s ‘Unpacked’ event at IFA 2014!
Samsung may have already announced a smartwatch that can make phone calls (and also one covered in Swarovski crystals), but that doesn’t mean it’s showing up to IFA empty-handed. The company is holding its annual “Unpacked” press event today, where it’ll almost certainly unveil a new Galaxy Note phone, like it has every year since 2011. Who knows? We may also see that forthcoming virtual reality headset we’ve been reading so much about. Something tells us, though, that you won’t be seeing another Samsung smartwatch so soon. We don’t think so, anyway.
Hello! Welcome to Samsung’s IFA event here in Berlin. We’re gonna have lots of fun.
Dana here, your neighborhood friendly reviews editor. I’m joined today by Zach Honig on photos and Ben Gilbert for color commentary (and my, is he colorful).
I kind of deliberately spared you guys a play-by-play of the lead-up, but don’t worry: We’ve got plenty of theatrics right now.
I mean, you know, just a band playing. (There’s always a live band at Samsung events.)
And we’re counting down from five, the music’s done, and we’re leading up to…presumably Samsung execs speaking about products?
Ah, not so much. First up we’re seeing an advertisement for the various uses of the Galaxy Note brand. “Samsung Galaxy Note is a tool for the way we live today,” it proclaims.
We’re meeting our hosts for the night: Rachel Riley, Rory O’Neill, and David Park.
That’s two Samsung execs and one “media personality” for those playing along at home.
Everyone’s very excited about Unpacked, and they’re giving shoutouts to the simultaneous events happening around the world.
First up: Samsung president Samsung Electronics DJ Lee is the first big name up today at Unpacked.
He’s very happy to be here at IFA, and he appreciates you joining him. Shoutouts to everyone!
“We are here today to talk about new technology, of course,” he says. But it’s not “just” about exciting new products.
More than just products, Lee says we’re gonna be hearing about his “dreams for the future.” Hoverboards? HOVERBOARDS?!
He’s speaking about the evolution of smartphones. “This innovation has opened unlimited possibilities in our lives.”
He’s speaking to the Note group right now, starting with love for the original Note back in 2010.
Lee’s speaking to the evolution of the Note brand to new devices, like the Galaxy Gear smartwatch.
He says right now is a “very important moment,” with industries changing. Smartphones specifically.
Lee’s speaking to the burgeoning uses of smartphones: as a television, as a bank teller, as a work tool, as a health coach.
He says that smartphones are becoming a tool that integrate into our lives. “We, at Samsung, continue to make sincere efforts to bring forward new products and services that will improve peoples lives.
The theme today is innovation. There’s a giant all caps sign behind him with the world. “We will never slow down” Lee says, to applause.
Along the innovation theme, he brings up the Note. “We created this category.”
“With that in mind, ladies and gentleman, let me introduce the next Galaxy Note”
And here we have the next Galaxy Note…
Seeing a video with close-ups of different parts of the device,
It is, as you’d expect, called the Galaxy Note 4.
First up, the S Pen and S Note experience have apparently been refined.
Totally new design language, too.
But that’s not all…
There’s also the Galaxy Note Edge, a variant of the Note 4 with a curved screen.
The screen is mostly flat but, as the name suggests, folds over at the edges.
There’s a custom UI there too, with small icons and other controls lining those narrow edges.
Switching gears, we’re now seeing the Gear S smartwatch, but you guys already saw that one, if you’ve been reading Engadget.
It’s this guy:
A smartwatch with a built-in nano-SIM so that you can reply to emails from the tiny screen, as well as make calls.
But hey hey hey, we’re still moving.
We’re about to hear about a new form factor for wearables.
And whaddya know? It’s the Gear VR, the virtual reality headset we thought we might see today.
First thing you should know: the headset is meant to be used with the Galaxy Note 4.
For now, we’re being told this was just a brief first look.
Such teases, Samsung are.
If I do say so, this is a weird, weird presentation.
Lee is already out!
Where’s the showmanship?
If you’re looking for details on the Note 4, Note 4 Edge, Gear S and Gear VR, we’ve got far more details on Engadget right now y’all.
Okay, okay. We’re not quite done here.
Ah okay, it looks like these hosts are doing more than just showing up briefly and peacing out. We’re all details here now. First up: the Note 4.
The Note 4′s glass is apparently far stronger than previous versions.
Black, white, gold and pink versions of the Note 4 on the way.
.CPlase_panel display:none;
AIVAnet 