FCC visits for three Samsung GALAXY Note II variants

Three versions of the Samsung GALAXY Note II have just visited the FCC The models heading for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are now each one step closer to being released. For those who keep track of these things, the model number are SGH-i317 for AT&T, SCH-i605 for Verizon and the SGH-T889 for T-Mobile. All three are LTE enabled, even the T-Mobile model despite the carrier's lack of an LTE signal. It's a smart move really, because it will keep the phone relevant when T-Mobile turns the switch on its LTE pipeline sometime next year.

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S III, the carriers are offering versions of the Samsung GALAXY Note II that are different from each other on the outside. Even minor design changes can lead to that f word-fragmentation-and then you are talking about different accessories for each model. Coming after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S III delivered the same exact device to each U.S. carrier, (after accounting for individual wireless service of course) this seems like a step backward for the Korean manufacturer. One bit of carrier customization appears to be the branded home button on the Verizon version of the phablet, although that shouldn't require a separate line of accessories for the Big Red branded model.

We should know more on October 24th when Samsung introduces "The Next Big Thing" to the United States.

source: FCC (1), (2), (3) via Engadget