If you’re a lover of big smartphones, we come bearing good news–if you like the Galaxy Note line. According to BusinessKorea, Samsung has no plans of ditching the ailing Note series of phablets. Instead, it plans to release the Galaxy S8 and S8 Edge handsets in April and then, much to the surprise of many, the Galaxy Note 8 later in 2017, probably in the second half of the year.
Image Source: ReleaseDatePortalGalaxy Note 8 rising from the ashes
This information came to BusinessKorea via one of the Korean tech giant’s partners: “Samsung will introduce 2K resolution displays in the Galaxy S8, but it will use 4K resolution displays in the Galaxy Note 8 to realize improved virtual reality (VR) functions. I heard that it will connect with new Gear VR wearable.”
Nothing about its specifications has been revealed, so all we have to go on are some rumors. However, in addition to the 4K display, the insider said it will have the rumored Bixby AI assistant.
But what about the small matter of the exploding Note 7 handsets? Apparently, Samsung is scheduled to release its findings as to what caused the battery problem this month. However, from rumors circling the internet, it appears that the answer will not be a simple one, as apart from it being a battery issue, it could also have been related to electronic hardware design.
We don’t think this could affect the launch of the Galaxy Note 8 because it has widely been reported that Samsung officials have been negotiating with LG to secure batteries for its future devices. How that ties in with an electronic hardware fault is not known at this point, however.
New handsets
Before the launch of the next Note, Samsung is expected to launch both the Galaxy S8 and S8 Edge. Each handset is expected to feature Samsung’s next-generation personal assistant, said to be called Bixby, and offer the usual premium design. Previous iterations of the phablet have launched around the same time of the year, with the Note 4 on September 26, Galaxy Note 5 on August 20, and the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 on August 19. No exact date has yet been given for the Galaxy Note 8 launch. However, some suggest that it will be later in the year, while rumors suggest an earlier launch would be more prudent.
Critics of the potential next Note point out that in allowing one of its partners to suggest openly that the Note 8 exists, Samsung is demonstrating that it’s not fazed by the worldwide recall of the Note 7.
The future
It’s not clear if Samsung already knows the results of the investigation conducted by the U.S.-based safety organization UL. But according to the Express, it would appear as if Samsung is going to move forward as if nothing has happened.
In fact, to help give it some confidence, an industry insider said on January 2: “The Note 7 was popular before user reports began circulating about devices that exploded or caught on fire while charging. As the phablet market was developed by Samsung, and has been growing, it will release the Note series this year.”
So the second half of 2017 is the unofficial consensus surrounding the Galaxy Note 8’s release date. In reality, we realize that isn’t much to go on due to it covering a whole six months. However, as time moves on, more information will inevitably become available. In the meantime, if you want to find out what the rumored specs of the handset are, see here.
