Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Release Date: Leaked Memo Claims US Availability From Aug. 19; Sprint, T-Mobile May Offer Free Gear Fit 2

Just a day ahead of the unveiling of the much-awaited Samsung Galaxy Note 7, an anonymous Verizon employee leaked a memo Monday, revealing the upcoming handset’s U.S. pre-order and release dates.

According to the leaked memo, which was reportedly sent by the carrier to store employees, the new Galaxy Note 7 will be available for pre-order on Verizon starting Wednesday — one day after the device is unveiled at an event, which will be held in New York City at 11:00 a.m. EDT, Phone Arena reported.

The memo also revealed that Verizon stores will receive the Samsung Galaxy Note and the wireless charging pads for the phone on Thursday, while the handset will be launched by the nation’s largest carrier on Aug. 19.

According to the memo, Samsung is also likely to introduce a new version of the Gear VR made for the Galaxy Note 7 during Tuesday’s “Unpacked” event. While the existing Gear VR doesn't support the Type-C USB port expected to be found in the Galaxy Note 7, the new Gear VR will be compatible with both the Type-C and microUSB ports, Phone Arena reported, adding that the new Gear VR will also have a wider 110-degree view, compared to the 96-degree look provided by the current model.

Meanwhile, 9To5Google reported Monday that Samsung was working with both Sprint and T-Mobile to offer the Gear Fit 2 smartwatch free of cost with every purchase of a Galaxy Note 7.

The report, which was based on information provided by “multiple sources,” also said that Sprint will offer the $180 smartwatch as one of the two options for customers who pre-order the Galaxy Note 7 early. The other option will be a 256 GB memory card, which could be a 256 GB UFS card, provided the Galaxy Note 7 supports Samsung’s new UFS storage, the report added.

As far as other specifications of the Galaxy Note 7 are concerned, a leaked Sprint planogram has listed some of the key specs that have been rumored for quite some time now.

According to the planogram, the next Galaxy smartphone will come with the “most powerful and precise S-Pen yet,” while sporting other features, including a dual-edge Super AMOLED display, 64 GB internal memory, water-resistant certification and fast autofocus for clear photos, even in low-light conditions.