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Earlier this week we reported on an issue that Samsung Galaxy Note 4 owners in South Korea noticed upon picking up their handsets. The device seems to have a gap between the edge of the display and the chassis. The gap isn’t terribly big, though it’s apparently big enough to slot a business card inside. This is concerning mainly due to the possibility of dust, dirt or water getting lodged inside.
Funnily enough, Samsung already acknowledged this defect — in their Samsung Galaxy Note 4 manual. The troubleshooting section of the manual touches on the issue with the following explanation:
A small gap appears around the outside of the device case
- This gap is a necessary manufacturing feature and some minor rocking or vibration of parts may occur.
- Over time, friction between parts may cause this gap to expand slightly
We’re not so sure the word “feature” is an accurate way to describe what’s going on, but that’s Samsung’s take. Even more troubling is the acknowledgement of possible rocking and vibration with some of the device’s parts, and the possibility of the gap expanding over time. That doesn’t sit well with us at first thought, though only time and a good amount of use can tell if this would become a big issue down the line.
The user manual didn’t have many other details to share about the device that we didn’t already know. Its main purpose is to teach you how to use the device and all its features, so be sure to download it and take a read ahead of the Galaxy Note 4’s arrival around the rest of the globe later next month.
[via SamMobile]
Another samsung gimmick, damn you!
feature how?
Wow. The fact that they acknowledge this before shipping, didn’t rectify it, and have the nerve to call it a “feature” is ridiculous. I’m reconsidering buying this device. Probably more embarrassing than Bendgate, since they ship this knowingly.
Not quite the same, as speculation of this being a problem is not the same as an actual problem. Hell, the iphone actually bends for Christ sake! LOL
This exactly.
I couldn’t agree more. I was looking forward to the Note 4 being my next big phone. Quite disheartening.
they actually put it in the manual meaning it’s not something the missed. It was intentional. they know what they’re doing. go see one at the store, youll see it will be a big non issue in a few weeks when it’s released.
There’s a gap all around the edge of my Note 3, too. It’s not a big deal unless you had an unrealistic expectation of perfection.
(The gap on my Note3’s big enough to hold Post-It notes, but not quite wide enough for a business card)
Clearly it’s a built in Maraca instrument! Once the gap gets nice and wide you can shake it to make some awesome noises to go along with milk music! true innovation at it’s finest! ;)
Curious to whether the NOTE EDGE has this same “defeature”………..
Maybe! But it would probaly be on just one side. It is not a gap betweent the screen or something. Its just the metal band according to the picture. Can easily be cleaned and shouldn’t mess with the phone at all.
As if I needed more reason to not buy Samsung after the trouble they gave me over a warranty repair.
Gapgate.
Yes! I am getting the gapgate over bendgate as speculation of dust and dirt (which can be cleaned) is no where close to Bendgate, which is a non speculative issue.
You sound like you work for Samsung. Have you ever tried cleaning dust and dirt from under a screen?
I just started working at a Cell Phone repair shop. I heard one of the workers groan at the thought of needing to clean a phone. =.S
LOL…my man, look at the picture again, please. the metal band is on the outside of the phone. Take the back off of a Note 3 and look at the band. it does not touch the screen at all. The gap wraps around the phone (poor design i admit) but it is not around the screen.
No,I do not work for Samsung but I do like to voice my opinion on topics just like everyone else in here does from time to time.
Care to address my actual point about the difficulty of removing dust trapped in the glass.
well i have owned all galaxy’s starting with the captivate, And with all the hoopla about bending phones, cracked screens, and what not.The whining why Samsung don’t use more premium materials?. I can actually say without a doubt I have never had any physical Issues with ANY of the Samsung phones. they may not always look the best or feel the best,But guarantee one thing they are durable and reliable and almost always have the best specs and high end guts! BTW getting the Note4!!
enjoy brotherman…btw, they arent durable, maybe the note line was, and the s5 but all others… thats a bs statement
I agree. I only like Samsung’s Note series when it pertains to phones.
I’m still using the S3 I preordered. Never had an ounce of trouble.
fea·ture
noun
1.
a distinctive attribute or aspect of something.
Nothing wrong with calling it feature. If the gap ruins your life, just don’t buy the thing. No reason to get all butt hurt.
As long as it does not bend, I am alright with this purchase, especially if it is as good as the previous notes.
Mind the gap.
HAHA welp that made the shamu vs Note 4 decision easy for me.
It’s obviously a paper holder.
http://www.cosmofiber.com/images/b16_red.jpg
I don’t think I want a Samsung that big.
So don’t buy it. You typed that for nothing.
No biggie. If dust and dirt get caught in the gap. I can use a business card to clean it out. : )
LOL…Really? I guess you could. You could just go with the edge that eliminate at least one gap.
I’m liking the edge. I’m always willing to try something new…
Ditto! Its the Note 4 specs with a futuristic design.
You found the necessary feature!
Outta line. This is just making things so much worst. I have a lot of friends moving to iPhone because “Galaxy” devices just don’t work for them.
But hey, now they have a built in business card holder. =.=
So they would rather have a phone with minimum specs that bend over a phone that has a gap between the metal band on the outside of the phone?
Which phone has “minimum specs”?
If you’re referring to an iPhone 6: A8 has 2 billion transistors, Intel Haswell has about 1.6B
That aside, specs aren’t everything. The Note 4 is definitely compelling, but these tolerances are unacceptable.
Tolerances? LOL..the Iphone bends. This is a small gap around the metal band that is on the ouside of the phone. How is that not tolerable but bending is exactly?
Do some quick research. The bending was WAY overblown.
It is. Just like Facebook Messenger and it’s permissions.
And this is not overblown? what problem has this cause as of yet?There is an actual report of a guy who accidently bent his iphone in his pocket. http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/23/iphone-6-plus-bending-pockets/
Yet people maintain brand loyalty and decide they would rather create pants to counter this problem LOL!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/09/27/iphone-pants-pockets/16227889/
This is really crazy. ipants? Where is your research?
*tolerances* in engineering terms
Please, don’t compare the Samsung made A8 to the an Intel chip:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/03/10/apple-to-stick-with-samsung-for-a8-chip-final-manufacturing-prep-underway—report
That link is from Apple insider by the way. Besides specs the Note is the most feature packed phone.
You linked me to an article talking about the A7 chip; I’m talking about the A8. TSMC manufactures the A8:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/09/19/tsmc-confirmed-as-manufacturer-of-apples-20nm-a8-processor
I’m not defending either side; I carry an iPhone 6 and a Sony Xperia Z Ultra but it’s important to have the facts straight.
I agree and i made a mistake with a quick Google check. The headline said “Apple to stick with Samsung for A8”. Now how does this chip compare to an Intel i5 or i7 again?
1 GB of RAM, THATS minimum
It sucks, truly. My main concern is that they think Galaxy devices are the only Android phones. There are MANY different and great options.
I’d rather them find another Android phone then go back to iPhone. They left for a reason.
I can understand where you are coming from on that.
They can go with the M8 if they were not caught in itrend.
Except the M8 has a terrible camera :-/
No, it has a horrible camera (i actually have one), but it does not bend ;)
well maybe if you told them stop being sheep and actually open there minds, theyll find that the galaxy line isnt the best line of androids anyway
Except it is. And as a geek, it’s the only option I have. The Note series.
I only agree with the first part. I tried other phones but I only end up missing my feature packed Note 3
Let them run with the flow. Everybody wants those slippery, bendable things. Let them queue in thousands and scream like little girls over the new mind blowing features.
The next big thing is, apparently, the gap.
Another phone I won’t be getting! Fuckin fix this!
Billions of dollars and you still can’t get it right.
HA!
never settle!
Being up front and honest about something rather than acting like it simply doesn’t exist?
There’s nothing that this ‘alleged’ gap does that result in a compromise of the Note 4’s structural integrity, which is far more than can be said for a device so poorly designed/engineered that it bends if stressed at a certain point in it’s structure. (SEE: iPhone 6 Plus)
Exactly. A gap between the metal band and the outside of the phone will comprise nothing when it pertains to its performance or structual integrity. People are acting like the gap is between the outside and screen. Not the case.
Oh now you’re just reaching. It says right in their documentation that it will cause rocking and vibration of parts. This is equally as bad as the iphone folks defending their bendy device.
Do you actually think a company a huge as Samsung would acknowledge this defect before launch if and still release the device if they felt it would cause performance issues?
I wonder if Apple will have something to say about this?
Maybe the gap prevents the bend
lol yeah, fortunately for Samsung, however, images of people shoving business cards into their phones’ displays aren’t as potent as the images of bent iPhone 6 Plusses that Apple has been dealing with.
Mind the Gap ;)
The “feature” tag sounds like it was taken from OnePlus One when the uproar over the yellow screen/band appeared. They too called that a “feature”. Ughh!
Two words….. caulking gun. Nothing a bit of silicon bathroom sealer won’t fix.
I’ll get the Note 4 when this is proved not to be a problem.
duct tape fixes everything!
I’m not interested in phablets, but this would certainly turn me away from any device I was interested in.
These two sentences are in all the Samsung user manual.
It’s present in Note 3, Alpha, S5 mini and S5.. please control better
#motoxmasterrace
I think so.
What’s funny is when I went to a Best Buy today to check them out, the 3 demo units on display were absolutely flawless.
Unit 1: http://imgur.com/shZxebp
Unit 2: http://imgur.com/YPaUqZ1
Unit 3: http://imgur.com/R4CVin1
I took these at pretty high 2448×3264 resolution and uploaded them at full size, so you can zoom all the way in. Zero gap.
Apologies for the blurriness, I know the first two are out of focus. I’m still on a Galaxy S3 (but getting a Note 4 soon!). The aim is just to show the lack of gap in high detail.
What’s funny is even samsung admits to the gape in their owners manual.
Is it big enough to be considered a gape?
It gets bigger with time. Samsung’s word not mine.
hahah
The metal frame expands and contracts at different rates than the plastic body and glass screen — to reduce stress on those parts in certain temperature conditions (cold weather, warm SoC) while maintaining a thin bezel.
thanks!
To paraphrase Gen. Buck Turgidson, Samsung must not allow a hone craft gap!
LOL
It’s not a defect. It’s a Samsung new feature. Watch.
I’ll Take A Gap Over Bend Any Day!!
Bends are 9 in 10 million. Gaps are in all of them.
Well I’ll still take a note 4 over i6 any day!