We’re still getting over the excitement of the official Samsung Galaxy Note 3 introduction at yesterday’s Unpacked event. The initial release date has been given as September 25. However, there may be some frustration for US buyers, as they will have a longer wait for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 than many other regions. We do however have details of pre-orders for the phone on Verizon.
Demand for this Android phablet-style smartphone is likely to be huge, and we’ve seen a massive amount of interest in the Note 3 from readers. We’ve already given initial details and specs on the Galaxy Note 3, and we feel that most of the people waiting for this phone are likely to be very pleased with the finished article.
Nevertheless, one thing that could irk potential customers in the US is that they will not be able to get hold of the device in September when it first releases elsewhere. No specific dates have been given yet for US availability, but Samsung did say that the Note 3 will release from September 25 in 140 countries worldwide.
Unfortunately Samsung also announced that in the US (and also Japan) the phone would not be available until sometime in October. This is not the first time that US buyers have had to wait longer than those in other countries to purchase a Samsung device, and it probably won’t be the last.
We know this has caused plenty of consternation among eager buyers of Samsung devices in the US on previous occasions, and this time around this is unlikely to be any different. Many comments we’ve received about this regarding past Samsung device launches have expressed disappointment and exasperation at having to wait.
One piece of good news for US Galaxy Note 3 buyers though, is that when it does release stateside it will be carried by all of the big 4 carriers, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, as well as US Cellular. Verizon has already announced that pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 3 and also the Galaxy Gear smartwatch will be taken on Friday September 6 from 9am ET (see here).
Pricing for the Galaxy Note 3 has not been confirmed by Big Red, although we do know that the Galaxy Gear smart watch will cost $299. We’ll bring you more news on availability from other US carriers as we hear it, and you may also be interested in our specs comparison of the Note 3 vs. Note 2. In the meantime we’d like to hear from you regarding the Note 3.
Are you a potential customer for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in the US? How do you feel about the fact that once again, you will have to wait longer than those in other regions? Let us know with your comments.