The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is expected to be launched in some European countries in January 2016.

Samsung launched the much-awaited Galaxy Note 5 in mid-August and the handset was available in many countries including the U.S. in the same month. However, Samsung decided not to launch the smartphone Europe. The Korean company has not also officially revealed its plans to officially bring Galaxy Note 5 to Europe.

European customers waiting for the Galaxy Note 5 may still have to wait for another few months to lay their hands on the handset. A Romanian website called Gadget Talk cites sources familiar with Samsung Romania and reports that the Galaxy Note 5 will reach Europe sometime in January 2016.

Handsets in the Galaxy Note series are one of the most popular phablets and this is the first time that Samsung did not launch its new Galaxy Note smartphone in Europe, leaving many fans disappointed.

The Gadget Talk report also suggests that the Galaxy Note 5 will be offered by local carriers in Romania, which suggests that the handset may also reach other European destinations soon.

The Galaxy Note 5 was launched along with another phablet, the Galaxy S6 Edge+, which is already available in some European countries. Many hardware specs of the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+ are identical. In comparison to the Galaxy Note 5, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ has side screen and does not have the S Pen.

Samsung may have thought that the launch of one phablet was enough for European markets. Moreover, the Galaxy Note 5 also suffered from an S Pen issue, which probably was another reason for Samsung to omit the fifth-generation smartphone from Europe.

The Galaxy Note 5 has top-end specs but also has a premium price tag. The Galaxy Note 5 is a stiff competition to the likes of iPhone 6s Plus, Nexus 6P, LG V10 and other big-sized tablets. However, the Galaxy Note 5 will be late to join the party in Europe and it may lose some fan following due to the late arrival in the continent.

Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr