Samsung’s Note 9 stresses power of stylus

Samsung Electronics’ next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note9, will hit the Korean market on Aug. 24, according to sources.

The phablet, scheduled to be unveiled in New York at 11 a.m. on Aug. 9, can be preordered starting Aug. 14 and will be shipped on Aug. 24, around three weeks earlier than its predecessor, the Note8, last year.

Samsung is advancing the release date to chalk up some sales before Apple launches its next flagship phone in three versions in September.

In an online invitation to the so-called unpacking event for the Note9, Samsung emphasized its S Pen stylus, indicating its features will become more varied.

Last Thursday, a Galaxy fan renowned for leaks who goes by the user name Ice Universe tweeted a photo presumed to be the Galaxy Note9’s official poster. An image showed a yellow S Pen lying on a blue Note9. The S Pen is rumored to be able to remotely play music and set timers on the smartphone over Bluetooth.

The image of the Note9’s rear shows a fingerprint scanner and heart rate module underneath dual camera lenses.