As the rivalry between Apple and Samsung hots up in 2016, Samsung is expected to innovate massively when the Galaxy S8 is released next year. Samsung has been emboldened by its decent performance in the market recently, and could look to usurp a conservative iPhone 7 by producing an outstanding Galaxy S8 early next year.
Samsung Galaxy S8 – 4K finally coming?
And central to the portfolio of features included in the Galaxy S8 could be the 4K display that many Samsung smartphone fans have been awaiting for some time. This has been a rumored feature linked with Samsung devices for several months, but now some publications believe that 4K resolution will finally land with the release of the Galaxy S8.
Samsung has become renowned for the quality of displays which it arms its mobile devices with, and the company is, of course, strongly associated with the curved screen technology which is now so popular in both smartphones and television sets. Thus, it always seemed natural for Samsung to stretch the capabilities of its engineers and include 4K sooner rather than later, even if this technology has yet to come to fruition in any Samsung handsets.
Virtual reality influence
However, the time could be right for Samsung to switch to 4K resolution in its flagship smartphone range, as the technology would enable virtual reality to run more smoothly in conjunction with the handset. 2016 is seen as being a breakthrough year for VR technology, with both the PlayStation VR headset and Oculus Rift garnering a consumer marketplace for the technique.
And it is suggested that Samsung could announce the 4K UHD Galaxy S8 at the Mobile World Congress, which will take place in February next year. The Barcelona event has become a mainstay of Samsung strategy over the last few years, and the 27th edition of the trade show could be particularly exciting if the first truly mainstream 4K mobile is announced (with apologies to Sony which has already included 4K resolution in its Xperia range).
With Samsung looking to tap into the new interest in virtual reality, it is expected that the Galaxy S8 will ultimately ship with Android N Daydream VR support. Most of the existing virtual reality headset platforms required pairing with smartphone devices in order to function, and Samsung is looking to be placed as strongly as possible to benefit from this increasing technology trend.
Of course, it should be emphasized that there is absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that virtual reality will ultimately be a success; witness the flop which is 3D cinema and television. Consumers do not automatically take up all new technological innovations with unabated enthusiasm, and there is no guarantee that the Galaxy S8 will ultimately benefit from any VR hook-up.
Biannual policy
However, there is a another valid reason for Samsung to include a 4K display in the Galaxy S8, which is that the Korean corporation has a habit of refreshing its displays on a biannual basis. Samsung previously switched from a HD display in the Galaxy S3 to a 1080p display in the Galaxy S4. This was retained for the Galaxy S5, with Samsung integrating a quad HD display in the Galaxy S6. Despite fevered speculation, this was retained for the Galaxy S7 so if the Korean company follows its previous policy then the Galaxy S8 could benefit from a resolution upgrade.
An official from UBI Research has also suggested that the display in the Galaxy S8 will be significantly larger, probably with the intention of ensuring that 4K resolution really pays off. “Considering various factors including the production yield rate for the next-generation display expected to improve in the coming months, the 5.5-inch AMOLED will be deployed in the next Galaxy smartphone, presumably, named the S8,” the official asserted, as quoted by the Korea Herald.
Other specs
Aside from this ultra-impressive display, the Galaxy S8 is expected to include a fingerprint sensor with the intention of beefing up the security in the device. It is also anticipated that Samsung will improve the photographic capabilities of the device, and this could see an 18-megapixel camera included in the smartphone.
Samsung will also upgrade the RAM memory included in a Galaxy S8, with 5GB expected by many analysts. A massive 4,000 mAh+ battery cell is also anticipated for the handset, while the Korean corporation is also expected to upgrade the dustproof and water-resistance of the smartphone, possibly exceeding the IP68 rating. Some analysts have even suggested that the Galaxy S8 will feature 5G connectivity when it is released, although this notion should be filed under ‘possible’ rather than ‘likely’.
The forthcoming Galaxy Note 7 will provide users with some clues as to what we can expect from the Galaxy S8 next year. But the Samsung flagship is shaping up to be an extremely exciting addition to the mobile marketplace.
