AT&T’s launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note might be preempted by a very wide Canadian release. Bell, Rogers, and Telus have all committed early this week to carrying the LTE version of the 5.3-inch phone and tablet crossover. Although Bell and Telus have only listed it as “coming soon,” Rogers has officially committed to a mid-February launch, making it probable that all three will launch at or near the same time.
Unlike Galaxy S II variants, every carrier is getting the same device. They have HSPA+ 3G as a data fallback and continue to ship with Android 2.3. The centerpiece of the Note is its 1280×800 display and the S Pen, which when combined can be used to draw or take handwritten notes. They all share a dual-core 1.4GHz processor, an eight-megapixel back camera, a two-megapixel front camera, and 16GB of space.
Pricing hasn’t been given out, although it’s probable that the smartphone will cost over $200 but under $300 on a contract. Rogers is timing it around a coverage expansion and just Monday switched on LTE for the outskirts of Montreal, including areas like Laval and Longueuil.
A mid-February date supports a leaked AT&T roadmap that had the American carrier also having the Galaxy Note LTE at about the same time. Its version should be identical besides having AT&T branding.
