The guys at Samsung certainly couldn’t keep their cards to themselves. The proof is the fact that we already know so much about the Samsung Galaxy S8 even before its actual launch.The leak, curiously, came from the South Korean tech giant itself. The company recently put up a support page on its site for the model number SM-G955FD, which it referred to as Galaxy S8 Plus. They quickly took the page down, though.
What else do we know about the Galaxy Note 7’s highly anticipated successor? Read on to find out.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Design
Leaked photos of Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus tell us that Samsung’s latest handsets will be both beautiful and bold. The combination of a curved Edge-style screen (covering 80% of the front panel), an incredibly thin bezel, and an edge-to-edge display makes the S8 look oddly enticing.
The leaked images also seemingly confirm the rumor on where the S8’s fingerprint sensor will be. We can also tell from the picture that Bixby, Samsung’s newest digital assistant, may be launched through a physical button.
The Galaxy S8 may have gotten rid of the traditional home button, too.
Price
Wondering how expensive the Galaxy S8 will be? One thing we’re certain is this: it’s pricier than previous Galaxy S devices.
Leaks say that the S8’s price may even be higher than the Galaxy S7. Estimates and rumors say the handset may be sold around $850, more or less. Some leaked data even had the phone costing from $950 to $1,050, depending on the model.
Camera
With some rating the Galaxy S7’s camera as better than iPhone 6S in some respects, it isn’t surprising to hear speculations that the S8 would have an even better hardware. If we are to believe recent reports, the S8 will feature an autofocus selfie camera. So far, only a few handsets on the market have rear cams with autofocus. The said camera’s lens will have a focusing actuator that is reportedly capable of optimizing group shots, too.
The Galaxy S8 is rumored to sport a dual-camera setup—a 12MP front cam and 13MP rear-facing lens. Actual tests will be needed to assess how good these cams will be, though.
Latest Technology
If rumors turn out to be true, the Samsung Galaxy S8 could well be the first smartphone to offer Bluetooth 5.0. Regarded by its makers as the best version of Bluetooth, the latest Bluetooth doubles the technology’s current transfer speeds and broadens its range while significantly reducing power consumption.
And with Android 7.0 Nougat update out, we’re certain Samsung wouldn’t want to miss launching its latest creation without the latest Android OS. The Korean brand wouldn’t want to lag behind Google Pixel in that department!
Processor and Memory
The Galaxy line takes pride in the fact that its phones showcase the latest and most powerful hardware possible on a smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S8 won’t be deviating from such a tradition.
To begin with, rumor has it that the S8 will be using Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 835 processor. This means it’ll deliver better processing power while consuming less energy than previous iterations.
It’s rumored to use Exynos 8895 processor with ARM’s new Mali-G7 GPU (graphics processing unit), too. Meaning, the Galaxy S8 may be more than capable of handling high-end 4K viewing and VR experiences. There are even speculations that Samsung’s upcoming flagship phone will have a 6GB RAM and an internal storage of 256GB.
Samsung Dex & Bixby
You’re probably wondering what feature sets the Samsung Galaxy S8 apart from other smartphones. Good question. Well, it has the capability to run in “desktop mode”. That makes it the direct rival to Microsoft’s Windows Phone and its groundbreaking feature, the Continuum.
According to multiple rumors, the company has patented the application software named “Samsung Dex” that will project a mobile device’s screen to display on computers. The rumored “DeX” dock will enable users to connect a keyboard, mouse, and other peripherals to the S8. We just hope it can run all Android apps while in desktop mode, though.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 will also debut the potential rival to Apple’s voice assistant. Quirkily named Bixby, this next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been built by the same team behind Siri and it may be better than the well-loved talking AI.
Technical Specs
Image Source: VentureBeat
Although initial leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S8 wouldn’t have a headphone jack, the latest reports say otherwise. In fact, some new Galaxy S8 case renders we’ve seen are showing a space for a 3.5mm jack. It’s a relief to know you can pair the S8 with your favorite headphones.
Another interesting development we’ve heard is that the S8 might come with integrated stereo speakers from Harman. Keep in mind that Samsung recently bought the audio company for $8 billion.
And learning from the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, Samsung has reportedly gone to three different battery suppliers for its latest phone. Wall Street Journal reports that Amperex, Samsung SDI, and Murata are all on board in sourcing batteries for the S8. Previously, South Korean news sources reported that Samsung had talks with LG to supply the battery for the Galaxy S8. Looks like that contingency plan didn’t push through.
In terms of battery capacity, reports say that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will likely sport the same ones as that of the ill-fated Note 7. The smaller, 5.7-inch handset may be fitted with a 3,000mAh battery and the 6.2-inch S8 Plus with 3,500mAh. Meaning, Samsung’s latest smartphones could have a shorter battery life.
The Galaxy S8 may be adopting the USB Type-C reversible charging port for quicker data transfers and faster charging. It will also feature another Note 7 security feature: an iris scanner. Rumor has it that it will be placed along the phone’s top side, but it’ll be separate from the front-facing camera.
Launch Date
In a few days, Samsung will officially reveal the Samsung Galaxy S8’s launch details. We’ve got some leads on when they’ll unveil the much-awaited handset, though.
Insiders on Twitter-verse and several reputable news sources have all talked about an April date for a while now. Speculations suggest that the S8 may be out in the 17th week of the year, which is the final week of April.
This is an odd move on Samsung’s part as it had the habit of releasing new Galaxy devices in March. Rumors reveal that the extension will be used to execute plans to recover consumer confidence in the brand.
If these rumors prove true, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 could well be one of the worst-kept secrets in the smartphone business. To be honest, though, we think it’s a wise move on the tech giant’s part. Just the fact that the Internet has been buzzing about the upcoming phone shows you how much they’ve tickled our collective imagination.
Do you think the Galaxy S8 will be a boom or would it be another bust? Tells us what you think down in the comments!
