The first few weeks after launch are crucial for the success of any flagship smartphone, and the Galaxy Note 8 will be no exception. Samsung is all set to unveil the Galaxy Note 8 today. Here’s how you can watch the livestream of Galaxy Note 8 event. Samsung’s flagship phablet will not be the only premium device hitting the store shelves in the next few weeks. Apple’s iPhone 8 and Google Pixel 2 are also set to debut soon, and they could seriously affect the initial Galaxy Note 8 sales.
Will you pre-order Galaxy Note 8 or wait until the iPhone 8 and Pixel 2 debut?
Consumers looking to buy a premium phone will have a lot of options including the iPhone 8, Galaxy Note 8, Google Pixel 2, LG V30, and of course Nokia 8. The Note 8 is gearing up to be the best phablet Samsung has ever launched. It will be the Korean company’s first smartphone to offer a dual camera system. The Note 8 will have an improved Bixby voice assistant and an S Pen stylus.
Just like Galaxy S8, the upcoming Note 8 will have a gorgeous edge-to-edge Infinity display. Powering the device will be 6GB RAM, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 or Samsung’s Exynos 8895 SoC, and a decent 3,300mAh battery. The phablet is said to launch with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, though we can expect it to receive the Android Oreo update in the near future.
The Note 8 pre-orders will begin soon after the announcement. And Samsung will reportedly offer some free goodies on Galaxy Note 8 pre-orders to attract more customers, including a 360-degree camera, a 256GB microSD card and a convertible wireless charger. But customers may choose to wait until the iPhone 8 and Google Pixel 2 announcements, which could badly hurt the Galaxy Note 8 sales during the launch month.
The 10th anniversary iPhone 8 is expected to be announced in September, while Google would take the wraps off the Pixel 2 in October. A large number of potential buyers will be curious to see which of the three flagship phones is the best before making a purchase decision, rather than pre-ordering the Note 8 only to regret later. Who knows how good the Pixel 2 and iPhone 8 would turn out to be?
iPhone 8, Google Pixel 2 to eat into the Galaxy Note 8 sales
After all, the iPhone 8 is rumored to be the biggest upgrade in Apple’s smartphone lineup in years. It is said to have a 5.8-inch bezel-less OLED display. It would feature a 3D infrared sensor for facial recognition and augmented reality. The phone’s dual camera system is expected to be more advanced than the iPhone 7 Plus dual camera. The 10th anniversary iPhone will also offer wireless charging and water-resistance.
Besides its new design, the biggest highlight of the iPhone 8 is said to be augmented reality features. It will add a virtual layer of information over the real-life scenes, allowing you to interact with the phone and your surroundings in new ways. The iOS developers have already received a set of tools called ARKit to build AR experiences into their apps.
The Google Pixel 2 will not be just another Android phone. The original Pixel had a pretty ordinary design, but it was one of the best Android smartphones launched last year. The Pixel 2 will offer pure Android experience, meaning it will be blazing fast and will receive more timely software updates than Galaxy Note 8. However, the Pixel 2 is said to do away with the 3.5mm audio jack.
The Pixel 2 is tipped to be the first Android smartphone to run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 836 SoC, an upgraded version of Snapdragon 835. It is also rumored to have a squeezable frame similar to HCT U11, which would allow users to perform different actions or launch specific apps by pressing the phone’s frame. It would also feature an Always-On display.
Samsung needs to regain the faith of consumers
While anticipation for these smartphones could affect the Galaxy Note 8 sales to some extent, a lot will depend on how Samsung will reassure consumers that the Note 8 is safe and reliable. It will be the official successor to the Galaxy Note 7, which injured hundreds of users worldwide due to faulty batteries. Samsung will have to talk about quality control, changes in production and testing procedures to regain the faith of consumers.
The Note 7 debacle has tarnished the Galaxy Note brand. Samsung will have a tough time persuading potential buyers to purchase the Note 8, especially when a revolutionary iPhone 8 and Google’s next-gen Pixel 2 are just around the corner. The competitive scenario this time is entirely different from last year when the Galaxy Note 7 debuted.
LG makes fun of Note 8
Other vendors such as LG Electronics are also hoping to eat into the Galaxy Note 8. Right before the Note 8 unpacked event, LG released video teasers for its upcoming V30 smartphone, which will be announced on August 31st. LG took potshots at the Note 8 and its S Pen stylus, saying in one of the videos “there’s a reason to break up with you.” At this point, the iPhone 8 and Google Pixel 2 seem to be a bigger threat to the Galaxy Note 8 sales than LG V30.
