Samsung Galaxy Note 7 could light up your face, and your notifications

Galaxy Note 5

Samsung packs its Note phablets full of high-end tech and new features. The Galaxy Note 7 is expected to be the same, but alongside rumors of a curved screen and masses of power there's now a suggestion that even its notification light will get an upgrade.

According to GalaxyClub, Samsung will soon start adding a new feature to its phones, called 'Smart Glow'. This is a ring of LEDs around the rear camera lens, which can flash to alert you of notifications when your phone is face down.

But they can also be customized to light up in different colors for different types of notifications and can even help you take selfies with the rear camera by lighting up once your face has been detected and a picture is about to be taken.

Smart Glow

This could be quite useful to anyone who enjoys looking at their own face, since rear cameras are typically better than front-facing ones, but are tricky to take selfies with since you can't use the screen to line up the shot.

GalaxyClub claims that the feature is likely to debut on the Galaxy J2, but will probably arrive on other phones as well, which makes the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 a good candidate for one of the first to get it.

Iris scanner incoming

Another new feature we're hearing a lot about in reference to the Note 7 is an iris scanner. This has been rumored time and again, with trademarks and even a screenshot suggesting it's coming.

But now we're hearing yet more evidence of it, as the Korea Herald reports that Patron (a South Korean camera module-maker) will be supplying modules for Samsung's "next premium smartphone", having apparently won a bid to do so months ago.

Originally this seemed like an unlikely addition, but it's a rumor that refuses to die and is now looking quite likely. With talk of a 5.8-inch curved QHD screen and 6GB of RAM alongside these features the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 could end up being the flagship to beat in 2016.

TOPICS

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Latest in Samsung Galaxy Phones
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in Paris in front of the Louvre pyramid
I switched to a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 five months ago and I haven’t looked back – here are five things you need to know before buying a foldable phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in Paris in front of the Louvre pyramid
5 things I want from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series of phones lying face down.
Samsung announces One UI 7 is coming to older phones after all, but the launch is still a mess
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
A fresh Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge benchmark leak has eased my worries about its performance
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on blue background with lowest price text overlay
Selling out: Samsung's incredible Galaxy S25 Ultra deal is still up for grabs - get $300 off upfront or a $900 trade rebate
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Leaked Galaxy S25 Edge pricing gives us a clearer idea of how the super-slim phone will fit into Samsung's lineup
Latest in News
Girl wearing Meta Quest 3 headset interacting with a jungle playset
Latest Meta Quest 3 software beta teases a major design overhaul and VR screen sharing – and I need these updates now
Microsoft
"Another pair of eyes" - Microsoft launches all-new Security Copilot Agents to give security teams the upper hand
Hatch Restore 3 in Putty
You can finally start your day with The Office theme song, and I couldn't be more excited
Cassian Andor looking nervously over his shoulder in Andor season 2
New Andor season 2 trailer has got Star Wars fans asking the same question – and it includes an ominous call back to Rogue One's official teaser
Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who
Disney+ drops new trailer for Doctor Who season 2 that promises an epic adventure across time and space
23andMe
23andMe is bankrupt and about to sell your DNA, here's how to stop that from happening