Samsung Galaxy Note Edge release date: Japan gets curved-screen smartphone first

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge[Photo credit: Samsung Mobile | Facebook]

The world finally got hold of the much-awaited Galaxy Note Edge on Oct. 23, as the tech giant rolls out the product to its international markets.

The cutting-edge phone, which was unveiled during the company's press briefing during the IFA 2014 conference in Germany, was first introduced to the Japanese market Thursdsay via NTT DoCoMo and KDDI network carriers.

It features a sleek semi-wraparound screen and impressive specs that could give other smartphones a run for their money.

The curved Galaxy Note Edge is said to feature high-end specs, including a crystal-clear Quad HD resolution screen, a 2.7 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 805 CPU with 3 GB of RAM, as well as the Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Samsung TouchWiz operating system. It lso has an impressive 16-megapixel primary camera with Optical Image Stabilization.

The new Samsung smartphone has a massive battery capacity, as well as a thin 8.3-mm body frame.  In addition, the Galaxy Note Edge comes with a smoother S Pen stylus that is also featured with the Galaxy Note 4.

The Galaxy Note Edge is a bit pricier compared to the Galaxy Note 4, as the Japanese network providers are offering the units for 93,312 yen or about US$875, while the Note 4 is only priced between US$700 up to US$826 per unit.

The Galaxy Note Edge is considered as a "limited edition concept" from the South Korean tech brand. As of the moment, only about a million units will be released worldwide.

Other countries where the curved Galaxy Note variation will be released include the U.K., Australia, China, Canada, Russia, as well as South Korea. The release dates vary according to the country.

The Galaxy Note Edge might also be released to the American market as soon as the smartphone earns an FCC approval. According to reports, several U.S. network carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T will carry the new smartphone once they get the go-signal to sell the product.