Samsung to release Galaxy Note 2 on Sept. 26

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, said Friday that it will release its brand new Galaxy Note 2 phablet in Seoul next week.

The official launch is earlier than the October date given by Shin Jong-kyun, head of Samsung's IT and mobile unit, at the IFA 2012 trade fair in Berlin last month when the phablet was first unveiled.

The company said the start of sales in the home market is timed so it can give consumers a chance to check the device out before the launch of the new iPhone 5.

It can also check sales of domestic rivals that have moved to showcase new mobile devices such as the Optimus G and Vega R3.

The new smartphone-tablet computer hybrid comes with a 5.5-inch screen sporting a resolution of 1,280 x 720 and a quadcore 1.6 gigahertz application processor.

It also has a new S-pen with an "air view" feature that permits users to check emails and schedules without the stylus device touching the screen.

Samsung, however, said the exact date of the release is subject to change depending on the need to examine details. (Yonhap News)