Samsung has already set the stage for Galaxy S8 speculations and rumors, stating that the flagship will come with a slick design, an enhanced AI service as well as an improved camera.
A lot can be said from these statements and in fact, that is probably what Samsung wants by making such vague statements. With every hope that was placed in the Galaxy Note 7 now gone, the South Korean tech giant must make sure everything is perfect as far as Samsung Galaxy S8 is concerned. This is especially if the tech giant wants to win back its straying customer base, which according to recent reports, might see about 50% shift to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
So, what do we know about the Galaxy S8 so far?
Price and release date
Samsung quashed away rumors that the Galaxy S8 could be facing an early release as the company tries to bring a new flagship to the market now that that Galaxy S7 is almost a year old. With this in mind, we could still be facing a February launch date for the flagship, probably at around the same time when the MWC 2017 will be held. Apparently, this annual event will be held on February 27th, 2017. This launch should be followed by an official release about two or three weeks later, just like it happened with the S7 and S7 Edge.
As for the price, it is possible that Samsung Galaxy S8 could debut with a higher price tag than this year’s model, especially if the company goes all the way to include most of the rumored features and upgrades. But given the Galaxy Note 7 scandal, Samsung might be tempted to go with slightly cheaper prices for the S8 just so as to attract more buyers. Better still, the 2017 Samsung flagship could come with the same price tag as the 2016 models, with the base model priced at $650 and the Edge variant starting from $770 for unlocked models.
If the base storage of Samsung Galaxy S8 moves up to 64GB as some rumors say, the price could be higher. This could even get worse in case an iris scanner and dual-lens camera are added.
Design, specs, and features
As noted earlier, Samsung has only promised to unveil a Galaxy S8 that features a slick design. What really entails this slick design is still a mystery, however, sources point towards a curved display for both variants. This will do away with the case where the 5.1-inch model comes with a flat screen and the 5.5-inch model an Edge screen, instead, both will have this design.
It has also been suggested that Samsung will do away with the physical home button, bring back the removable battery as well as ship the Galaxy S8 with a bezel-less display screen, much more like what Xiaomi recently did with the Mi Mix.
In terms of specs, we expect huge improvements under the hood, just like what happened with the Galaxy S7 when compared to the S6. A new Exynos 8895/Snapdragon 830 will power the phone alongside a 6GB RAM, the same amount that made its debut on the Galaxy C9 Pro. Reports further add that the smaller Galaxy S8 could come with a QHD resolution while the 5.5-inch variant will ship with a UHD panel.
Samsung Galaxy S7 has been ranked among the best smartphone cameras in 2016, with only the new Google Pixel beating its 12MP snapper with a DxOMark score of 89 as compared to the former’s 88. According to rumors, the Galaxy S8 will carry an improved rear camera with 16MP dual lenses alongside an 8MP selfie sensor. It has been suggested that these lenses will all have an aperture of f/1.4, which is much bigger than the f/1.7 used on the Galaxy S7 cameras.
As for the new features, Samsung has promised an AI-based service for the Galaxy S8. We could probably be looking at a competitor to the Google Assistant, Apple Siri or Microsoft Cortana, especially since the South Korean tech giant recently acquired the services of Viv Labs, an AI firm associated with the development of Apple’s Siri. Rumor has it that this AI service may be poised to take the place of S Voice, but it is still too early to tell.
Google’s Daydream VR platform is now available and as such, Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to be part of it. The jump of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 from microUSB to USB-C is also expected to be evident on the Galaxy S8, meaning that the phone will be compatible with the latest Gear VR headset from the company.
What features would you like to see on Samsung Galaxy S8 when it is released?