As Samsung makes preparations for what is arguably the most important Galaxy Note release in the short history of the phablet range, one of the top Apple tipsters has been speaking out on the Android device.
Galaxy Note 8 rumor roundup
Dual-camera coming
Ming-Chi Kuo, more associated with predictions regarding the handsets of the Californian corporation, has turned his attention to the Galaxy Note 8. And Kuo believes that Samsung will place a particular emphasis on camera technology when the next generation mobile is released.
Kuo suggests that the Galaxy Note 8 will feature a dual-camera, which will be a departure from both its predecessor and the recent Galaxy S8 releases. Park Kang-ho, an analyst for Daishin Securities, concurs with the verdict of Kuo, with the two analysts also providing details on how they believe the Samsung snapper will turn out.
Kang-ho and Kuo indeed believe that the camera in the Galaxy Note 8 will be the most important upgrade of this eighth generation device, featuring a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens. A 13-megapixel telephoto lens will also be included, according to the analyst, while the duo also suggest that dual optical image stabilization will feature alongside a 3x optical zoom option.
Apple battle
The legendary Apple analyst even goes as far as suggesting that the dual camera included in the Galaxy Note 8 will be superior to the unit in the already existing iPhone 7 Plus. There will be something of a battle between Apple and Samsung in this department in 2017, as the Cupertino-based company is expected to fit the iPhone 8 with an outstanding camera when it is released later this year, alongside a new curved, wraparound OLED display. Having said that, Samsung has made little impact on the smartwatch niche, which is completely dominated by the Apple Watch.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if a dual-camera turned up in the Galaxy Note 8, as this technology had previously been strongly linked with the Galaxy S8 series. Samsung deemed this to be too logistically complex in the case of its flagship smartphone, while the need to distinguish the Galaxy Note range may also have played a major part in this decision.
However, the fact that a leaked prototype featuring dual-lens technology existed ahead of the release of the Galaxy S8 suggests that Samsung was at least considering this possibility. But reports from close to the Korean corporation’s supply chain have indicated that Samsung deemed the value of including a dual-camera in the Galaxy S series to be negligible at the current time.
Meanwhile, Samsung has now officially confirmed the existence of the Galaxy Note 8, which will be encouraging for all fans of the phablet range. There was definitely some doubt that Samsung would continue this branding following the disastrous tendency of the Galaxy Note 7 to explode. The recall and withdrawal of the phablet contender led many to speculate that Samsung would discontinue the brand, with the Galaxy Note name simply having taken too much damage.
Galaxy Note 8 plans
However, with Samsung having now indicated that there will indeed be a Galaxy Note 8, and even that a refurbished Galaxy Note 7R will be released, it is clear that the Korean company intends to reinvigorate this brand. Considering the excellent financial results the Samsung has managed to achieve recently, it is clear that the Galaxy Note 7 has not been the PR disaster that many predicted, although obviously the company would rather have avoided this eventuality.
Samsung has yet to confirm when the Galaxy Note 8 will be released, although it is expected that the phablet will follow a similar schedule to previous iterations of the series. However, the Korean corporation has declined to even indicate when the Galaxy Note 7R will be made available.
But the hierarchy of the mega-corporation is a positive about the road ahead. “As for the year ahead. Samsung anticipates market demand in smartphones to slightly increase with solid replacement demand growth in the mid- to high-end segment,” the company commented in a press release.
Yet the same statement also acknowledged that the smartphone and mobile marketplace is becoming increasingly crowded, challenging and complex. “However, competition is expected to intensify with newly launched smartphones in the market. The company will aim to improve performance YoY by maximizing sales of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus and successfully launching a new flagship smartphone in the second half. In addition, the company will maintain profitability in the mid- to low-end segment,” Samsung noted.
It seems in this climate that a new Galaxy Note 8 device is absolutely essential, in order to enable Samsung to continue diversifying its approach.
iPhone competition
One of the big decisions for Samsung in this context will be whether it releases the Galaxy Note 8 before the tenth generation iPhone 8, or after the Apple flagship. Big things are expected from the iPhone range in 2017, with Apple expected it to mark the landmark tenth anniversary of the iPhone series with a particularly outstanding device. This means that timing will be of the essence for Samsung in deciding the release date of the Galaxy Note 8.
Some media reports have suggested that Samsung could wait until around October or even November to release the Galaxy Note 8, pointing to the need for caution and care with this phablet following the Galaxy Note 7 disaster. This makes sense on one level, but it actually seems more likely that Samsung will be keen to release this premium mobile ahead of the iPhone 8, considering the attention that Apple’s mooted new design is bound to generate.
There is also considerable debate over whether Samsung will finally embrace 4K resolution with the Galaxy Note 8. There is an onus on the corporation to indeed do this considering that it has already increased the resolution of the Galaxy S8 series to beyond the standard quad HD of previous releases. Additionally, 4K is becoming a more valid part of the mainstream consumer electronics landscape, and Samsung has always become very much associated with innovation in display technology.
A Galaxy Note 8 with dual-camera and 4K display could potentially be an iPhone beater, and the prospect points to an extremely interesting ending to the technology year.
