UPDATED 01:39 EDT / JULY 18 2017

EMERGING TECH

Reported specs for Samsung’s Galaxy Note8, set to launch next month

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has announced that it will launch its next phablet, the Galaxy Note8, next month.

An exact date for the launch wasn’t provided, but DJ Koh, mobile chief for Samsung, told reporters in Taiwan that the launch event would take place at the end of August. Rumors point to a launch date of Aug. 23 or Aug. 26 in New York.  

Koh also added that the Note8 will go on sale in two waves in September and October, depending on location. The Note8 will sneak in ahead of the new iPhone 7s and 7s Plus as well as the premium iPhone 8, which is facing possible shipment delays. The Note8 will also arrive ahead of LG Corp.’s launch of its flagship V30 device taking place on Aug. 31 at IFA in Berlin, Germany.

Following the disaster of the Note7 and the subsequent massive recall, the Note8 launch will be a big event for the company. Despite the Note7 exploding battery fiasco, Samsung has enjoyed success with the Galaxy S8 and has posted record profits.

Leading up to the launch, there have been plenty of reports and leaked images, even from Samsung itself (pictured above) which tweeted an image of what many believe to be the Note8 together with the new Exynos chipset.

Here’s a look at the reports making the rounds about the Note8 set to launch next month:

Similar design and display as the Galaxy S8

The Note8 is expected to closely resemble the Galaxy S8, at least on the outside, launched in March, but with a slight bump in screen size to 6.3 inches compared with the 6.2 inches of the S8+.

The Note8 will have a 3,840 x 2,160 Quad HD Infinity Display and an almost bezel-free display. On the rear of the device, the Note8 will retain the horizontal camera setup and the fingerprint sensor, which consumers were hoping would be incorporated into the display, but this feature is not yet ready for mass production.

A leaked image from Poyoco Tech has the usual ports at the bottom of the device, including 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C charging port, speaker and S-Pen slot.

The image also shows a dedicated button for Samsung’s voice assistant Bixby. Samsung has faced significant delays bringing Bixby to other locations outside Korea, but rumors suggest it could finally launch July 18.

Color options for the Note8 on launch include black, silver, blue and gold.

Upgraded camera

The Galaxy Note8 could have the best smartphone camera on the market if the rumors pan out.

Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said back in April that the Note8 will have a dual-camera setup with a 12-megapixel wide-angle sensor and a 13MP telephoto sensor. It will also include dual optical image stabilization and 3x optical zoom.

The improved camera will likely bring back the camera bump to the rear of the device.

Under the hood

Compared to the Galaxy S8 lineup, the Note8 is reported to get upgraded specs under the hood. For the U.S., Samsung will likely stick to Qualcomm Technologies Inc.’s Snapdragon 835 processor while the rest of the world is expected to get the updated Exynos 8995 chipset.

The Note8 is also expected to get a bump in RAM, from 4 gigabytes in the S8, to 6GB. Rumors also suggest, in addition to the 64GB base model, Samsung will also launch a 128GB model. The Note8 will likely retain the Note7’s SD slot, IP68 water resistance rating and wireless charging.

The device will also likely incorporate an iris scanner, a feature that hasn’t proved foolproof for the Samsung Galaxy S8. Earlier this year, hackers were able to break the iris-based authentication in Samsung’s Galaxy S8 using everyday items, including a digital camera, a laser printer and a contact lens. While subsequent hacks have even been demonstrated to work using only a photograph.

Recent reports for the iPhone 8 suggest that Apple Inc. will incorporate facial recognition into its next flagship, which is expected to replace TouchID. The technology will use a 3D sensor built into the front-facing camera and wouldn’t be fooled by a 2D photograph, according to reports.

Battery

Following the battery fiasco with the Note7, Samsung introduced an Eight Point Battery Safety Check for batteries in all Samsung devices. To avoid a repeat performance, reports suggest, Samsung will play it safe with the Note8’s battery, opting for a 3,300mAh versus the 3,500mAh battery found in the S8+.

Price

Samsung’s Note devices have always had a higher price tag than the Galaxy S lineup and the Note8 will be no different. The speculated price tag for the Note8 is around $900, $50 higher than the S8+.

Image: Samsung Exynos

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