Samsung has left the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco behind and is looking to retain its dedicated customers and reputation by releasing a perfect Galaxy S8. Rumors are abuzz that the Galaxy S8 will come with new memory configurations, a new voice assistant and much more.
Galaxy S8 to feature AI-based voice assistant
Various reports and speculations suggest that the Galaxy S8 will come with an artificial intelligence-based voice assistant. The new assistant will reportedly have both male and female voices, namely, Bixby and Kestra, respectively.
An EU patent application reads that the nature of Bixby and Kestra is defined as “computer software for hands-free use of a mobile phone through voice recognition and “computer software used to process voice commands.” Both assistants will reportedly be featured for the first time in the Galaxy S8, which is reportedly coming in February.
New storage options with the Galaxy S8
On the storage front, the Galaxy S8 is expected to come with 6GB of RAM, an upgrade from 4GB of RAM, according to a Techtastic. Also the phone is expected to pack 256GB of storage. It is not yet clear if the Korean firm will launch only this variant. If the company goes by its tradition, users can expect an additional microSD slot in the upcoming Galaxy S8. Its predecessor was available in only 32GB and 64GB variants.
Samsung has not yet revealed if the microSD slot is here to stay. However, some dedicated consumers rely on the microSD feature to store and back up large files and transfer data without the need of a desktop PC and internet connection.
Autofocus could be a game changer
Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is expected to pack a front-facing camera with autofocus, which is expected to be one of its unique selling points. The Korean news site etnews claims the feature will automatically adjust camera lenses to offer the best focus level based on the position of the subject. The feature comes in the wake of cut-throat competition among smartphones when it comes to offering the best selfies.
Often autofocus is included in rear cameras, which are more important than front-facing cameras. The technology is a little pricey, and therefore, companies limit it to rear cameras.
An industry representative told etnews that people “are starting to take more selfies and number of demands for cameras that take selfies with higher qualities is increasing.”
Further, etnews reported that Samsung is planning to use a slimmer technology for its front camera’s autofocus module to make sure that it does not stick out from the phone. Samsung will reportedly use an encoder method that consists of coils on the side in place of the voice coil motor that is normally used in rear cameras.
Samsung has not commented on the rumor, stating that it cannot discuss anything related to new products that are not commercialized yet. Auto-focus in the front camera could be a game-changer for Samsung if Apple is not planning to launch its iPhone 8 with the feature on the front-facing camera.
Other possible additions
On the mobile wallet front, Samsung Pay is already competing with Apple Pay, and that’s not all. The Galaxy S8 will supposedly feature voice payment integration. One of the major difference between Apple Pay and Samsung Pay is that the former works only on NFC, whereas the latter will support NFC and magstrip, the technology on which most credit cards are based. Including magnetic strip support in the S8 means the acceptance range of Samsung Pay will be much larger than that of Apple Pay.
Among the various features that are rumored to be included, the Galaxy S8 is also expected to sport a pressure sensitive display, an optical fingerprint sensor, an improved camera, and two screen sizes: 5.7 inches and 6.2 inches. On the display front, the phone will reportedly have a 4K Super AMOLED display with a striking pixel display density of 806 ppi. Further, the phone is expected to run on its own Exynos 8895 SoC with 6GB of RAM.
