The US version of Samsung’s flagship phones lacks dual-SIM support. Smartphones with dual SIM card slots are incredibly popular in Asian markets. Samsung adds dual SIM slot to most of its smartphones intended for the Asian countries. The Galaxy S8 launched in India and other Asian countries featured dual-SIM support and Exynos 8895 processor. Now the dual-SIM Galaxy Note 8 has been spotted on the Indian certification agency’s website.
Dual-SIM Galaxy Note 8 gets BIS certification
We can expect the dual-SIM Galaxy Note 8 to be available in markets such as India, Pakistan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, and others. Weeks before Samsung’s Unpacked event in New York, folks at Phone Radar found a Note 8 with dual SIM support passing through the BIS certification. The Bureau Of Indian Standards (BIS) is the main certification body in India.
The dual SIM version carries the model number SM-N950F/DS. The certification indicates that the dual-SIM Galaxy Note 8 is on its way. The phablet will likely come with a hybrid dual SIM. It means there will be two SIM card slots, but you can use one of them for microSD card to expand the storage. Users will have to choose whether they want to insert the second SIM or microSD card. The current Galaxy S8 also has a hybrid dual SIM slot.
Samsung launches the Exynos-powered variant of its flagship devices in India. While the US will be one of the first markets to get the new Galaxy Note 8 upon release, it is expected to arrive a few weeks later in India. The Korean company manufactures the Indian variant of its phones locally. The BIS certification comes just days after the Note 8 received the FCC certification in the US.
Last week, the Galaxy Note 8 obtained certification from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The US agency certified four different variants of Note 8: SM-N950U, SM-N950U1, SM-N950XU, and SM-N950W. The N950U is said to be the base model of the phablet. The Note 8 will be compatible with LTE band 66, and will support both GSM and CDMA networks in the United States.
The ‘final specs’ of Galaxy Note 8
We have come across many leaks on Samsung’s upcoming phablet, but the BIS certification is the first time we found evidence of the dual-SIM Galaxy Note 8. A few days ago, noted leaker and VentureBeat contributor Evan Blass leaked the “final specs” of the Note 8. He claims the phone will have a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display, slightly bigger than the Galaxy S8 Plus.
Though the Note 8 will have an Infinity display, its screen corners are said to be more squared off than the Galaxy S8 line. The Asian variant will ship with Samsung’s octa-core Exynos 8895 chipset, but the units sold in Western markets will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 SoC. Sources told Blass that the Galaxy Note 8 would feature 64GB internal storage and 6GB RAM. There have also been speculations that Samsung would launch an 8GB RAM version for the Chinese market.
Blass revealed that the phablet would feature Samsung’s Bixby AI assistant, and would run the latest Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The phone measures 162.5 x 74.6 x 8.5mm. Just like Galaxy S8, it will launch with an IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance. As for the color options, the Note 8 is expected to be available in Maple Gold, Midnight Black, Orchid Grey, and Deep Sea Blue.
Note 8 dual camera details leaked
The Galaxy Note 8 will have a dual-camera system on the rear. Reports coming out of Asia suggest that dual camera sensors will be supplied by Samsung Electro-Mechanics. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo commented earlier this year that the dual camera on Note 8 would be better than the iPhone 7 Plus. According to Evan Blass, it would consist of a 12MP wide-angle lens with f/1.7 aperture and a 12MP telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture.
Both camera sensors on the back will offer 2x optical zoom and support optical image stabilization (OIS). The Note 8 will be able to capture better photos in low-light conditions than any other Samsung smartphone. The phablet will have an 8-megapixel front camera with autofocus and f/1.7 aperture for selfies. It will also come with an S Pen stylus, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and Samsung DeX support.
Note 8 to hit the stores on September 15
Samsung will take the wraps off the new phablet on August 23 in New York. Pre-orders are likely to begin soon after the unveiling. Recently leaked documents suggest that the Note 8 pre-orders would open on August 25 in Australia. Samsung could also start taking pre-orders in other markets on the same date. It is rumored to go on sale in South Korea on September 15th, roughly three weeks after the announcement.
Sources at a telecom carrier told ETNews that the September 15 launch date had been finalized, and there was “almost zero chance” of it being changed. Samsung hasn’t decided the price yet, but Evan Blass claims it will cost nearly €1,000 in European markets. The Note 8 is said to be Samsung’s most expensive flagship smartphone.
