The device is a phone and tablet designed to be stiff competition for Apple.

The new version of the note is thinner with a slightly larger screen powered by a powerful processor.

It operates on JellyBean - the latest version of Google's Android-operating system. 

The Galaxy Note is Samsung's second most-popular smartphone after the Galaxy.

Samsung first introduced the model last month at Europe's biggest electronics show, shortly after losing a U.S. patent battle with Apple.

The South Korean firm has been under pressure to differentiate its lineup from the iPhone.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)