Verizon and T-Mobile begin shipping Samsung's new Galaxy Note7 a few days early

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy Note7 flagship earlier this month, and said that it would be released on August 19. But the wait for the stylus-toting high-end handset will end a bit sooner than expected for some.

In the US, both Verizon and T-Mobile have already started shipping the device to those who pre-ordered it. Numerous customers have reported that their credit cards have been charged by their respective carriers, and some have also received emails confirming that the device has been shipped, including tracking details.

A lucky few will receive their Galaxy Note7 later today, while many others will receive theirs in the days before its official release on Friday. In many other parts of the world, including India and Europe, the Note7 won't be released until September 2 - although in certain markets, its launch has been slightly delayed.

Priced around $850 in the US, the Galaxy Note7's key specs include:

5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD (2560x1440px) resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and dual curved edges
Octa-core Exynos 8890 Octa processor
4GB RAM
64GB onboard storage (plus microSD card support up to 256GB)
12MP rear camera with phase detection autofocus, optical image stabilization, LED flash, auto HDR, and 4K video recording at 30fps
5MP front-facing camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2
NFC support
USB 3.1 with Type-C connector
Iris scanner
Fingerprint sensor
IP68-certified for dust-proof and water-resistant to 1.5m depth for up to 30 minutes
'S Pen' stylus support
Non-removable 3500mAh battery
153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9mm; 169g
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow (upgradeable to Android 7.0 Nougat) with Samsung TouchWiz UI