SEOUL - Samsung Electronics, the world's No 1 smartphone maker, launched on Wednesday its latest Galaxy device as part of efforts to better compete with Apple's newly released iPhone 5.

After being introduced at IFA trade show in Berlin late last month, the latest Galaxy Note 2, called phablet or a hybrid of smartphone and tablet PC, was rolled out at Samsung's headquarters in central Seoul, adding a new Galaxy device to Samsung's various product mix.

The Galaxy Note 2, which opened a new chapter of smart mobile devices, was expected to help Samsung maintain its dominance over Apple in the global smartphone market by positioning itself as a niche with a large screen, multitasking, upgraded operating system and competitive hardware.

The Galaxy Note 2 came with a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, the biggest display in smartphone market. It was powered by 4.1 Jelly Bean, the latest version of Android operating system, featuring a 1.6GHz Quad-Core processor and HSPA Plus or 4G LTE connectivity.

"Galaxy Note 2 will take over the fame of Galaxy Note that opened a new category of smart mobile devices," said Shin Jong- kyun, president of Samsung's mobile business.