After the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, Samsung is under immense pressure to deliver a blockbuster smartphone in the form of Galaxy S8. Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the S8 could feature a true edge-to-edge display. The report claims that Samsung’s next-gen flagship smartphone will feature an “all-screen front” and kill the physical home button.
Increasing display size without increasing the phone’s size
The home functionality and fingerprint sensor will be embedded in the display itself, most likely using Qualcomm’s ultrasonic fingerprint reader which works from under the glass. The Korean company will use Super AMOLED display in the Galaxy S8. However, a report from SamMobile claimed earlier this month that the display would have a full RGB arrangement rather than the Diamond PenTile layout.
Bloomberg added that the size of the Galaxy S8 smartphones would be similar to 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 and 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 Edge. Thanks to the bezel-less display, Samsung will be able to offer bigger screens without increasing the size of its upcoming smartphone. The Galaxy S8 is said to be available in two screen sizes: 5.7-inch and 6.2-inch, the latter aimed at Galaxy Note 7 customers.
Galaxy S8 release could be pushed back to April
Samsung is also reportedly considering ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack from the Galaxy S8, following the footsteps of its arch-rival Apple. The S8 is said to have a single USB Type-C port for both headphone use and charging. Samsung may encourage users to go wireless or use an adapter if they choose to use their own headphones. Removing the headphone jack will free up space that can be used to make the phone slimmer or pack a bigger battery.
Sources told Bloomberg that Samsung was planning to release the Galaxy S8 in March. But the release could be pushed back to April as the company has adapted “tougher testing procedures” following the Galaxy Note 7 disaster. HMC Investment Securities analyst Greg Roh said how safe the upcoming smartphones turn out to be is “more important than any hardware innovation.”
Galaxy S8 to have Viv AI assistant
The report further adds that the Galaxy S8 could be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset or Samsung’s own Exynos 8895 depending on the region they are sold. The next-gen Galaxy S device would come with a “significantly differentiated” AI assistant. Samsung has acquired the American AI assistant firm Viv Labs to take on Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri.
Among other things, the Galaxy S8 is rumored to feature a 4200mAh battery, 6GB RAM, fast-charging technology, an iris scanner, and up to 256GB of internal storage. Samsung was previously considering to incorporate a dual-camera system in the Galaxy S8. But latest reports indicate that the company will stick to a single-lens camera, though there will be significant improvements.
