Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs. iPhone 5: The Two Handsets Are Different Beasts

The two biggest handset launches in the fall of 2012 will be coming from competitors Apple and Samsung. The iPhone 5, which was revealed yesterday, September 12, by Apple will be releasing eight days from now on September 21. Samsung pulled the curtain back on the Galaxy Note 2 on August 29 at a Samsung Mobile Unpacked event in Berlin. 

Samsung has not released any information regarding pricing, carrier information, or an exact U.S. release date for the Galaxy Note 2. All we know is that it will hit the states before the end of 2012. The Galaxy Note 2 will be out in mid-October in European, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets according to Samsung and a look at pre-orders.

The two phones aren't exactly head-to-head competitors, as each one caters to a different audience. The iPhone 5 a traditional touchscreen smartphone, while the Galaxy Note 2's massive size and S Pen stylus make it more of a niche handset.

The Galaxy Note 2 comes with a 5.55-inch Super AMOLED display, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, and Samsung's S Pen stylus. Samsung is touting its multitasking capabilities how the S Pen can turn the Galaxy Note 2 into a "digital notepad."

The Galaxy Note 2 will be available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models. The Galaxy Note 2 also features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.

Pre-orders in the United Kingdom and other sites indicate that unlocked Galaxy Note 2s could run around $870. Reports from around the web now indicate that the Galaxy note 2 could be headed to the four major U.S. carriers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. 

The iPhone 5 is the largest iPhone yet with a 4-inch Retina display, but Apple still managed to figure out how to make the device the thinnest iPhone iteration. It will run Apple's iOS 6 and sport an 8-megapixel iSight camera. The front-facing camera will be 1.2-megapixels and allow for 720p recording. 

The iPhone 5 will be priced at $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB version, and $399 for 64GB of storage. It will be available through AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint with carrier Cricket gettings own iPhone 5 a little after the September 21 launch. Pre-orders for the iPhone 5 will start on September 14.