Galaxy Note 4 images leak with new sides and back design

Samsung's next jumbo smartphone made an unscheduled appearance on Monday courtesy of leaked photos obtained by GSM Arena.

The images show a new leather-like texture on the back, sans the fake stitching of its predecessor, as well as a frame that at least looks metallic. The front of the purported Note 4 image looks similar to prior models.

The Galaxy Note 4 is the second prong in Samsung's two-prong annual smartphone attack. While the Galaxy S5 serves as its mainstream flagship smartphone, the Note 4 is intended to go after high-end power users who prefer a larger display and longer battery life. The jumbo sized smartphone, referred to as a phablet, is a category that Samsung essentially created and popularized.

A Samsung spokesman declined to comment on the images.

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Note 4 at an event on September 3, just ahead of the IFA electronics trade show in Berlin (Samsung will hold simultaneous events in New York and Beijing). The company last year unveiled the Galaxy Note 3 at a similar "Unpacked" event ahead of IFA.

Samsung is hoping for a bit more of a spark out of the Galaxy Note 4. Sales of the Galaxy S5 have been disappointing, leading to weaker-than-expected second-quarter results from the company and a warning that the rest of the year could also be weak. The company teased two high-end smartphones in the second, believed to be the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Alpha.

The Galaxy Note 4 is expected to feature a 5.7-inch high-resolution display, similar to the Galaxy Note 3, as well as a stylus, and faster processor. CNET editor Jessica Dolcourt said she expects to see a 2,560 by 1,440 pixel Amoled screen resolution, a 2.5 gigahertz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 16-megapixel rear camera, 3-megapixel front-facing camera, 3 GB of ram, and a minimum 3,000 mAh battery.