Although the Galaxy S8 has undoubtedly been a standout of the technology year, it did fail to deliver in one department. It was widely expected that the flagship smartphone from Samsung would feature a dual-camera, yet this did not come to fruition when the device emerged. However, it is increasingly expected that this will be rectified when the Galaxy Note 8 is released, and the latest concept video of these forthcoming phablets indeed suggest that this dual-lens will be included.
YouTube concept
YouTube channel Concept Creator is responsible for the video in question, which has also been broken down into informative images. The designer imagines the Galaxy Note 8 based on existing sketches and leaks, with a 3D printing Galaxy Note 8 concept unit resulting from these efforts.
And there are two standout aspects to this concept. The first is a virtually all-screen design visible on the front of the handset, with a vertical dual-lens camera included on the rear of the unit. The camera is placed centrally, but it is also interesting that there is no visible fingerprint sensor included in this concept.
With Samsung highly likely to retain the fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy Note 8, this means that the YouTube creator believes that it will ultimately be embedded within the display. This design element has also been linked with the forthcoming iPhone 8, with smartphone trends are definitely heading in this general direction. We should therefore expect much slimmer bezels, wraparound displays, and traditional features such as Home buttons to be eliminated in the continuing effort to produce larger screens without increasing the overall device size.
Weibo effort
This is the second concept of the Galaxy Note 8 to emerge recently, after the Chinese microblogging site Weibo recently featured a similar device. This was pulled rather quickly from the social media website, suggesting that perhaps this leak has some credibility. This is another 3D printing prototype image based on a raft of preliminary concept sketches.
The render in question also suggests that the Galaxy Note 8 will feature a dual-camera; this will be an increasingly exciting prospect for fans of the Android-driven series. The inclusion of this technology could help the range to regain its market position, after the disastrous exploding Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.
Camera units in this particular render are placed in a vertical manner, with an LED flash located below. It is suggested that one of the lenses will be a 12-megapixel unit, with the other marginally more powerful, delivering 13-megapixel resolution. The 12-megapixel lens is intended to assist with low-light shooting, with the 13-megapixel lens being a telephoto unit with 3x zoom.
4K teaser
This concept also omitted the fingerprint scanner from the rear of the device, while also suggesting that it will be embedded within the display. This designer envisaged the screen being 6.3-inches, with an Infinity display delivering 4K resolution. This last suggestion will be particularly tantalizing for those intending to purchase the Galaxy Note 8, as there has been considerable speculation over when Samsung will choose to embrace display technology.
It is also believed that the Galaxy Note 8 will come complete with a built-in heart rate monitor, with three separate speakers enhancing the audio capabilities of the device. Samsung will also certainly include an S Pen stylus, as this is one of the most obvious ways that the Korean company can distinguish this phablet from the recent Galaxy S8 Plus release.
Indeed, some reports have suggested that the S Pen will feature a unique speaker system in 2017, although whether this will come to fruition considering that Samsung must err on the side of caution with the Galaxy Note 8 remains to be seen. There is obviously an onus on the Korean manufacturer to produce a stable handset after the debacle of the Galaxy Note 7.
Galaxy Note 8 specs mooted
The concept creator also indicates that the Galaxy Note 8 will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 /Exynos 8895 processor depending on the geographical region where one purchases it. It is probable that the United States marketplace will once more receive the Snapdragon version, with the Exynos model destined for Samsung’s native East Asian region.
It is also suggested that Samsung will increase the specs included in the Galaxy Note 8, arming the device with 6GB of RAM memory. Android 7.1.2 Nougat will be included, while the smartphone is expected to garner an IP68 rating for its water and dustproof capabilities. Meanwhile, a recent leak has also surfaced revealing that a software is being tested on Galaxy Note 8 as build N950FXXU0AQE9.
There is no doubt that the standout prediction in the concept is the inclusion of 4K technology, which would certainly be welcome if Samsung can indeed implement it. 4K resolution has become more mainstream over the last 12 months, but even though it is undoubtedly more common than was the case until recently, there can still be problems in implementing 4K resolution.
Battery issues
And with the Galaxy Note 8, one such difficulty will be the strain that the resolution would put on the battery included in the device. This would be a potential problem for any manufacturer, but Samsung will be loathe to include a particularly large battery after the problems it experienced with the Galaxy Note 7.
Thus, the consensus of opinion is that the Korean consumer electronics giant will be rather conservative in this department, and this would therefore suggest that a smaller cell is to be expected. But this could lead to a very paltry battery life for the Galaxy Note 8 should Samsung also implement 4K resolution.
Nonetheless, with Samsung particularly interested in the prospect of delivering virtual reality technology in this phablet, we could see 4K implemented. Samsung executives have previously indicated their belief that 4K technology is far from a gimmick, and will become mainstream in the foreseeable future. And with Galaxy S8 resolution having been increased over previous devices, it would certainly make sense for Samsung to include 4K in the Note 8.
With a release possible in August, we only have three months left find out.
