Samsung Galaxy S8 should get revealed in Q1, 2017. The upcoming device is already one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2017. Since the Galaxy Note 7 eventually faced a huge disaster, due to massive battery problems, the Korean company has to make the upcoming flagship devices very unique and special in order to get back strong sales numbers.
The Galaxy Note 8 should feature top-notch specs, as well as the Galaxy S8. Other than powerful hardware, the two models might sport radical design changes, as some reports and rumors talk about the two models coming with foldable screens.
Korean tech site, ET news reported that “Samsung Electronics is developing two types of foldable smartphones that are totally different from each other, and this development will be part of its ‘two-track strategy,'” adding that “Samsung Electronics is developing a ‘dual-screen’ smartphone that uses a flat display on each side and a foldable smartphone that bends a single flexible OLED display.”
So, the new “two-track” strategy may end up with Samsung releasing two foldable-display smartphones during 2017. According to ET news, the first model to be released will be the dual-screen one, followed by the foldable display device. Samsung already patented a couple of flexible and foldable screens, and it won’t be surprising if the Korean giant decides to release one of the two (or maybe even both) models during the next year. On the other side, it is highly unlikely that one of the two will be the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy Note 8 since flagship devices can’t pack features that are still in early stages of development.
Out of the two foldable-screen models, one will sport a rectangular design along with a foldable OLED screen, while the other should feature a tablet-like design, with a foldable screen allowing the device to be bent in half, and deliver a dual-screen smartphone experience. As we said, chances for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8 to sport foldable screens are pretty slim.
Although Samsung probably won’t equip two flagship models with foldable screens, the company will make some big design changes, along with equipping the two models with top-of-the-line specs.
Samsung Galaxy S8 should feature all-screen design, with virtually invisible bezels. Since the phone won’t have a place for a physical Home button, the Home button will probably be a virtual one. Along with the Galaxy S8, the Galaxy Note 8 should also arrive without a physical Home button. Further, Samsung may pack the two flagships with a dual-camera solution; the two devices will be powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 835, coupled with 4 GB (maybe even 6 GB) of RAM. If Samsung decides to release two versions of each device (one powered by Exynos chipset), Exynos 8895 processors will probably be used.
Regarding other specs, it is almost certain by now that Samsung will ditch 3.5 mm headphone jack on the Galaxy S8, following Apple’s example. The two flagships will use USB Type-C port for audio playback. The screen should receive a large upgrade, sporting a 4K resolution instead of sporting “just” 2K resolution. Since 4K resolution drains the battery a bit too much, the phones should probably come with a dynamic resolution feature (similar to the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium), using 4K resolution when playing games or watching videos.
Finally, Samsung could pack its own virtual assistant (which is in the works), competing against Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant. The assistant will have its own physical button on the side of the two devices, allowing users to quickly call upon it. Since the AI button is in testing, there’s a high chance for it to debut with the Galaxy S8.
Most of the predicted features are still just rumors. The most probable features that will be found on the upcoming flagship models are Snapdragon 835 processor, 6 GB of RAM, and an edgeless design.