Samsung Intros Galaxy S6 edge+, Note5, Gear S2

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Samsung shows off its latest smartphone flagships at Unpacked 2015-- the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5. Also revealed are more details on the Samsung Pay payments service and the round-faced the Gear S2 smartwatch.

Galaxy S6 Edge+The S6 edge+ and Note5 are fairly similar, being equipped with 5.7-inch Super AMOLED 2560x1440 resolution displays, octa-core 64-bit processors, 4GB RAM, 16MP rear-/5MP front-facing cameras and 3000mAh batteries. The S6 edge+ retains its predecessor's curved display, while the Note5 includes a stylus.

The two devices get an interesting accessory in the shape of a keyboard case-- a hardware keyboard user snap on the bottom half of the display. The device recognises the case and adjusts the UI accordingly, essentially turning into a BlackBerry-style phone.

Both phones support Samsung Pay, the Korean company's take on mobile payments. Launching in UK and Spain sometime during 2015, the service uses Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC) and allows users to make payments by simply swiping up and scanning a fingerprint.

Gear S2A final Samsung announcement involves the Gear S2, a smartwatch update replacing the original rectangular display with a smaller, round face. The company fails to further detail the wearable device, but a radically different UI consisting of a circle of apps around the face suggests the OS in use is Tizen, not Android Wear.

The Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note5 hit the market from August 2015 in white, black, gold and silver, while more Gear S2 details should be available next month at IFA 2015.

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