Samsung today launched its next big Galaxy, the Galaxy Note 7. Successor to the Galaxy Note 5 and meant to take on the likes of the upcoming iPhones from Apple, the Note 7 is filled to brim with new features and technology. 

In case you are planning on buying the device or are just wondering what new features it packs, read below. These are the top 5 things that you need to know about the Galaxy Note 7.

#5 No IR Blaster

Just like the Galaxy S7/edge and the Note 5 before it, the Galaxy Note 7 does not feature an IR blaster. While its exclusion is unlikely to bother a majority of its buyers, it is sure to tick off a vocal niche of potential customers who are too used to having an IR blaster on their previous smartphones. The move definitely is a strange one from Samsung, especially since most budget Android devices are coming with an IR blaster nowadays.

#4 IP68 Rating

The Galaxy Note 7 is the first Note from Samsung to feature an IP68 certification. This makes the phone resistant to dust and water for 30mins in up to 1.5m of fresh water. And unlike the Galaxy S5, Samsung has achieved this without introducing any ugly flaps for the USB port on the phone. The new S Pen on the Galaxy Note 7 is also water resistant, and while it does not work underwater, it works just fine on wet screens as per Samsung.

While an IP68 rating might not seem like a big deal, it is definitely a handy feature to have and helps set the Galaxy Note 7 apart from other flagship phones in the market.

#3 USB Type-C Port

The Galaxy Note 7 is the first device from Samsung to make use of the new USB Type-C port. Google made the switch to the port with its Nexus devices last year and every other flagship handset barring the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge have also made use of this port.

The inclusion of a USB Type-C port also means that all your existing accessories that plugged into the microUSB port will not be compatible with it. You can, however, buy some USB Type-C to microUSB adapters to avoid running into any compatibility issues.

#2 Iris Scanner & Samsung Pass

After years of rumors, Samsung has finally added an iris scanner to the Galaxy Note 7 making it the first smartphone to feature it. The iris scanner on the Galaxy Note 7 can be used to quickly unlock the device by simply looking at it. Additionally, it can also be used to login to the Secure Folder, logging into websites when using Samsung’s stock browser app, verifying transactions on Samsung Pay, and more. However, like with the first iteration of any technology, there are some drawbacks here. (spellpundit.com) First, the iris scanner does not work properly in low-light; and second, it will not work accurately for users who wear spectacles.

Nonetheless, it is still commendable to see Samsung push the boundaries of smartphones by including an iris scanner on the Galaxy Note 7, something which many people thought was technologically impossible until a few years back.

Samsung also unveiled Samsung Pass which will allow Galaxy Note 7 owners to login to their banking apps using the iris scanner. The feature is currently supported by six banks, including three American banks: Bank of America, Citi, and US Bank.

#1 Curved AMOLED Screen

The Galaxy Note Edge was the first device from Samsung to make use of its curved Super AMOLED screen. Since its debut in 2014, Samsung has gone ahead and used its curved AMOLED screen on devices like the Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, and the Galaxy S7 edge. The company ensured that it offered users the option to decide between a curved and a non-curved version of their flagship phones. With the Note 7 though, Samsung is going all out with its curved AMOLED panel as it will only be offering the device in one variant that comes with a curved screen on both its edges.

The curved edges of the screen don’t really improve the functionality of the phone in any way, but they do help in differentiating the phone from a sea of other smartphones out there. Unlike the Galaxy S7 edge though, the degree of the curve on the screen is less pronounced. This should make them less of an ergonomic disaster, especially while trying to reach the top corners of the display.

Are you impressed with the Galaxy Note 7? Will you be buying it? Or are you going to buy something else? Drop in a comment and let us know!