Any suggestion that Samsung may be about to ditch the Galaxy Note branding appears to be dead in the water, with information circulating suggesting that the Korean corporation is already working on the next generation Galaxy Note 8.
Model leak
Indeed, reliable tech tipster Evan Blass has suggested that this smartphone is already very much under development, and has even leaked the model number SM-N950 to prove this. The Note 7 was model SM-N930, so this would certainly seem to make sense, and it seems the Samsung hasn’t been too discouraged by the recent disastrous explosion issue. It is interesting to note that the number four is considered unlucky in Korea, explaining the fact that Samsung has chosen to skip the SM-N940 moniker.
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as reports from Samsung’s native Korea have already suggested that the Galaxy Note 8 was to be included in an upgrade program. Blass also revealed the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge model numbers, which are said to be SM-G950 and SM-G955, up from SM-G930 and SM-G935 on the Galaxy S7 range. So it seems that Samsung is making preparations for an exciting device portfolio in 2017.
There is no doubt that the recall of the Galaxy Note 7 was a catastrophic blow for Samsung, but it seems that the company is already recovering. The Samsung share price actually hasn’t been affected too disastrously, and although the image of Samsung has taken something of a kicking, it is generally thought by analysts that the reputation of the company is durable enough to overcome any residual damage.
Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the Galaxy Note 8 will need to be an outstanding handset if it is to recover the image of the device range. In the history of smartphones, it is difficult to think of a more disastrous release than the Galaxy Note 7, and certainly in recent years it stands out as a particularly unfortunate incident.
Galaxy Note 8 edge-to-edge display mooted
Samsung has particularly concentrated on producing outstanding display technology in recent years, and it is perhaps not surprising that the Korean company will offer something unique with the Galaxy Note 8 in this department. Reports have indicated that Samsung is working on delivering unique Edge displays for the Galaxy Note 8 generation, building on the fact that the Galaxy Note 7 had previously eliminated flat versions of the phablet.
The success of curved screen technology has led Samsung to concentrate much more heavily on this device feature than the traditional flat smartphone, and it will be interesting to see if Apple responds with a curved screen variant of the iPhone 8 in 2017. Certainly it seems that the Californian corporation has been left behind somewhat in this department, although patent leaks have indicated that Apple already has the technology available to deliver a curved screen iPhone at some point.
In an attempt to entice consumers back to the Galaxy Note range, it has also been suggested that Samsung will offer an enlarged display when the Galaxy Note 8 is released. There has been something of a mania for ever larger phablet screens over the last few years, and Samsung has always been a central player in this design trend.
Thus, reports have emerged that the Galaxy Note 8 could debut a 6.2-inch screen size, with a bezel-less design providing the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 with a 90-percent screen-to-body ratio. Previous rumors have linked the Galaxy S8 with this screen size, but this model size could be instead intended for the Galaxy Note 8 series. It certainly seems that designs with extremely minimal bezels are becoming the norm and the desired approach in the smartphone marketplace, reflecting this increasingly common aspect of television design.
AI features
One of the most interesting features linked with the Galaxy Note 8 ahead of its release is the idea that Samsung will incorporate artificial intelligence functionality. This will be built into a future Android operating system release, enabling users to activate commands via voice activation. This newly developed artificial intelligence feature would then compete with Siri of Apple and Google Assistant, ensuring that utilizing the Galaxy Note 8 is more user-friendly than any previous phablet.
Virtual reality
With virtual reality becoming part of the mainstream for the first time in 2016, it is also suggested that the Galaxy Note 8 will concentrate on a VR tie-in. Samsung has its own virtual reality technology available, but it is also possible that the smartphone will be compatible with the Oculus Rift headset.
Outstanding specs
Samsung has always previously packed the Galaxy Note 8 with some of the most outstanding specs in the smartphone niche, and this is highly likely to continue when of the Galaxy Note 8 is released. Indeed, if Samsung is to attract customers back to the Galaxy Note 8, it surely must deliver something truly outstanding in pure spec terms.
4K resolution
This could begin with the first ever 4K resolution smartphone released by the Korean corporation. This has been perpetually linked with the Samsung Galaxy series, particularly as the Korean company is associated with outstanding display technology.
Additionally, early rumors indicate that the Note 8 will benefit from 6GB of RAM, while an Exynos 8895 processor could deliver true octa-core processing. While previous Galaxy Note releases have claimed to have eight cores, the reality is that they have been built on the two bundles of quad-cores.
Samsung will also enable users to remove the battery in the Galaxy Note 8, in order to provide more flexibility to consumers. This will also possibly help the Korean company avoid a repeat of the Galaxy Note 7 disaster. Customization is considered increasingly important in the technology sphere, and Samsung could perhaps take a lead from Apple in this department, in offering a more flexible Galaxy Note 8 device with more choices for consumers.
Camera
Finally, Samsung will also upgrade the camera included in the Galaxy Note 8, with some of the more extreme and exciting reports suggesting that a 30-megapixel snapper could be in the offing. What is certain is that we will see a dual-camera setup, possibly for both the front and rear-facing lenses included in this important device.
Release date
With Samsung looking to recover from the Galaxy Note 7 problems, it is suggested that we may see an early Galaxy Note 8 release, possibly even alongside the Galaxy S8 in Q1 of 2017.