T-Mobile is first carrier to sell the Galaxy Note 2
T-Mobile will sell Samsung's extra-large "phablet" today, but for more than rival carriers.
T-Mobile is the first carrier out of the gate to bring its customers the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 2. As of today, any T-Mobile user can snap up the device.
Rumors floated this week that the carrier was already receiving shipments of the "phablet" in its retail stores. Samsung had planned a Galaxy Note 2 launch event today, but until T-Mobile's announcement it was unclear when exactly users would be able to get their hands on the device.
T-Mobile will sell the phone for $369.99 with a new, two-year service agreement. That makes it the priciest initial cost of the phone among the carriers so far. T-Mobile's "value plan" costs $249.99 up front with 20 equal monthly payments of $20, along with a new service agreement.
The Galaxy Note 2, sometimes called a "phablet" for its extra-large size, sports a 5.5-inch screen, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, an 8-megapixel camera, and will be the second U.S. phone to pair a quad-core processor (Samsung's Exynos brand) with 4G LTE (LG's Optimus G for AT&T and Sprint got those honors first.) The device is notable for its immense display, its S Pen stylus, and the productivity and creativity software that goes with it. It will ride T-Mobile's fastest HSPA+ 42 network.
T-Mobile's Note 2 will differ from versions on other carriers with a few preloaded apps and services, including the full version of Electronic Art's Need for Speed game.
In addition to offering the Note 2, T-Mobile also announced that it'll offer the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, which runs Android 4.0, in "the coming weeks."Five carriers will get the Galaxy Note 2, including U.S. Cellular, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Besides T-Mobile's release today, Sprint has confirmed an October 25 launch and AT&T will start selling the device on November 9 for $299 with a two-year contract.
Article updated 10/24/2012 at 6:50am PT to correctly state the handset's price, the first quad-core LTE phone for the U.S. market and to add a second product announcement.