The Galaxy Note 6 is months from being official but there are already rumors that Samsung may be developing a version of the smartphone that would have less powerful specs and a lower price tag. Hints about a Galaxy Note 6 Lite smartphone recently surfaced on the Chinese social media platform Weibo , and were reported by tech blog SamMobile .
Rumors for this device are so new that there are no prospective specs for the smartphone. However, if such a device does launch, it could be Samsung’s attempt to challenge Apple in the affordable smartphone market.
Apple launched a new smartphone, the iPhone SE, in March. The SE includes many of the updated specs found in the iPhone 6s, in a smaller 4-inch frame, similar to older iPhone models. The device starts at $399, making it the cheapest iPhone introduced to the market.
Smartphone manufacturer LG followed suit by launching an affordable version of its LG G5 flagship, called the LG G5 SE . The smartphone is the same size as its flagship counterpart but includes less powerful specs like a lower RAM capacity and a less powerful processor.
With the Galaxy Note line being a series of phablets, knowing for being larger than the average smartphone, it is unlikely Samsung would make the device smaller, so to make it affordable the manufacturer would likely also include less powerful specs.
Samsung has released similar devices in recent years. Many smartphones in its Galaxy A line include a mix of high-end and lower end specs to keep the overall price of the smartphone low. Updates to the Galaxy A line launched in late 2015 with features including Full HD displays, now considered a more low-end component, coupled with high RAM capacities and large batteries. But if the Galaxy Note 6 Lite is similar to the LG G5 SE, it could have a high quality QHD display coupled with less powerful internal hardware.
At this time, Samsung has made no comment about the development of a Galaxy Note 6 Lite smartphone.
