This Could Be The First Official Galaxy Note 8 Render

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Yeah, we have been bombarded with dozens of Galaxy Note 8 leaks, concepts, rumors, and renders in the last few months. And the leaks are likely to continue until Samsung unveils the device. The Korean company hasn’t said anything about the phablet, except that it is working on a successor to Galaxy Note 7 that will be better, safer, and more innovative. However, Samsung might just have accidentally shared the first official Galaxy Note 8 render.

Is it a general mockup or an official Galaxy Note 8 render?

On Thursday, Samsung’s official Exynos Twitter account shared a promotional image for the Exynos processor, which is expected to run the Note 8. However, the device included in the photo is garnering more attention than the processor itself. At first glance, some may mistake it for the Galaxy S8 Plus. But the phablet is distinctly different from the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus that were launched earlier this year.

https://twitter.com/SamsungExynos/status/885483958112223232

Is it a general mockup of a smartphone or an official Galaxy Note 8 render? It certainly is not an actual image of the Galaxy Note 8. The device lacks power button on the visible side, which indicates that it’s a render rather than the actual device. Samsung is unlikely to cram all the buttons on one side of the phone.

The phone’s top bezel is thinner than the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, which is in line with recent supply chain leaks. The Infinity Display stretches further on the sides than ever before. The top bezel houses a speaker cutout that appears larger than that on the Galaxy S8. The image does not reveal whether the fingerprint sensor would be integrated into the display or sit on the back panel.

Interestingly, Samsung hasn’t removed the photo yet. It could be an indication that the device is not an official Galaxy Note 8 render. Of course, vendors have accidentally leaked their upcoming devices in the past. It’s not uncommon for social accounts to use generic mockups as backgrounds if the post is promoting a different product. Even in this case, the focus of the ad was supposed to be the Exynos processor, not the phone in the background.

Galaxy Note 8 release date: August 23

Meanwhile, the Korean media has revealed that the Note 8 could be unveiled as early as next month. Sources familiar with Samsung’s plans told The Bell that the company would hold an Unpacked event in the New York City on August 23 to announce the phablet. Previously, there were speculations that the device would be unveiled at the IFA trade show in Berlin.

Citing a Samsung executive, The Bell added that the Note 8 would be available for purchase in major markets from “early September.” It means Samsung is planning to bring its device to the market ahead of Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone 8. Though the iPhone 8 would be announced in September, it is unlikely to go on sale until October due to technical issues.

If the report turns out to be true, the Note 8 will hit the stores just a couple of months after the company launched refurbished Note 7 in South Korea. The rumor mill claims the Galaxy Note 8 could be Samsung’s first flagship phone to cost upward of $1,000 in the US. It would be interesting to see whether only one or all storage options of the device would cost above $1,000.

The Galaxy Note 8 would borrow the Infinity display from the Galaxy S8, but it would have a slightly bigger screen at 6.3-inch. The display is rumored to offer 2k resolution and 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Recent reports claim it would be powered by Exynos 8895 or Snapdragon 835 processor. Though most markets would get the device with 6GB RAM, Samsung is said to launch a special Emperor edition for the Chinese market with 8GB RAM.

The phone is expected to have 64GB and 128GB of internal storage, and a 3,300mAh battery. It would run Android Nougat 7.1.1 out of the box, instead of the upcoming Android O.

What you need to know about the Note 8 dual camera

The Note 8 will be Samsung’s first flagship smartphone to have a dual camera system. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it would have two 13-megapixel lenses on the back.

Leaked renders suggest that the dual camera setup would be arranged horizontally. The heart rate sensor and LED flash sit next to the camera system. Samsung has also placed the fingerprint sensor on the back panel. But this time, the camera and the fingerprint scanner are separated by the LED flash and heart rate sensor. A Samsung executive has confirmed that the Note 8 wouldn’t feature the in-display fingerprint scanner.

Samsung recently unveiled four new ISOCELL sensors. One of them, ISOCELL Dual, is reportedly intended for the Galaxy Note 8. The ISOCELL Dual includes two 13MP sensors with an f/2.0 aperture. Samsung will reportedly source the Note 8 camera sensors from its sister firm Samsung Electro-Mechanics instead of Sony, which supplies the sensors for the Galaxy S8 line.

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