Though Samsung has not made an official announcement about its next flagship smartphone, a number of leaks and rumors have finally been confirmed. Thanks to a notorious leaker, best known as Ice Universe, images of the Galaxy Tab 8 design have been released to the public. Furthermore, these pictures are consistent with an earlier VentureBeat report that details just about everything there is to know about the device.
For fans of Samsung’s most popular phablet, the leak was bittersweet. The bad news is that the Galaxy Note 8 will be priced at $999, making it the most expensive Samsung phone ever. But, on the bright side, it will be available worldwide by mid-September. Plus, the price hike is justified by a wide range of upgrades and a number of brand new features.
What’s New?
With one of the most advanced octa-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835) chipsets on the market, the phablet is bound to become the fastest device in its class. To top that off, it’ll be powered by a whopping 6GB of RAM. As for battery life, Samsung decided to opt out for a smaller 3,300mAh version. This came as no surprise since it was the Note 7’s huge battery that caused all the explosions.
Most importantly, the leaks confirmed that Samsung’s first dual camera system will be integrated into the smartphone. With two 12-megapixel sensors and a pair of independent lenses featuring optical image stabilization, it’s at least a step ahead of the iPhone 7’s dual camera. It seems the only flaw is the fingerprint scanner being located right next to the lenses – users will inadvertently miss the sensor, smudging a lens with their fingers.
The device will have an AMOLED Infinity Display with the same edge-to-edge design as the Galaxy S8. At 6.3 inches, it will be a bit larger than the S8’s screen at the same aspect ratio. However, aside from a plus-sized display and an S Pen stylus, it doesn’t have any of the signature Galaxy Note design features. Instead, the Samsung flagman goes for a futuristic look and a slick, seamless feel.
Considering the expected release date, Samsung is expected to release an official first look at the Note 8 by the end of July. After last year’s exploding Galaxy Note 7 recall, most experts expected the line to be discontinued altogether. So, the timely release means Samsung is confident that the Note 8 will surpass all expectations.
Dil Bole Oberoi
