Samsung Galaxy Note 8: After the disaster that was the Galaxy Note 7, which resulted in a mass recall, we look at the Galaxy Note 8 leaks, rumours and hearsay, and debate whether Samsung will actually launch a Note 8 or replace it with the Galaxy S8+.
To call the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 a catastrophe is perhaps an understatement, after overheating units triggered a mass recall of all shipped handsets. Yet despite this widely-reported and rather embarassing disaster, Samsung is still rumoured to be working on a successor in the Galaxy Note 8.
Read next: What went wrong with the Galaxy Note 7?
Samsung’s mighty Note smartphone that comes packing a super-smart stylus seemed to be dying out before the Note 7 debacle, of course. After all, the Note 5 never made it to UK shores, or to many countries outside of Asian and US markets. However, the outcry from fans was so fierce that Samsung brought the Note back to a global market in 2016 in the form of the Note 7.
Sadly it wasn’t a glorious return, despite the fact that the handset was a masterpiece (outside of the burny-hot-ow-ow issues that triggered the recall). And now that the problem has been isolated, so it shouldn’t ever happen again, it looks like Samsung is set to crack on with a Galaxy Note 8.
The rumour mills suggests that Samsung is going to release the next generation of the Note smartphones as if nothing happened. Business as usual, then, which is to be admired.
So what can we expect from the Galaxy Note 8? Here’s everything we think we know so far.
Read next: Most disturbing Galaxy S8 rumours
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 release date is set for 2017
According to sources with insider knowledge of the company, Samsung is planning to release the Galaxy Note 8 in the second half of 2017.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone and its bigger brother, the Galaxy S8+, are expected to be revealed at an event on March 29, for release in April 2017. You can definitely expect a gap between the launch of these flagship handsets and a new Note, especially as the Note 8 and S8+ will both boast big design and premium specs.
The Galaxy Note 8 should be out later in the year to take on the like of Apple’s latest iPhone, which is generally revealed nearer to September time.
Read next: Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7, what’s the difference?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will be 4K and VR ready
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to continue the trend in the larger phone segment with a premium display. This Super AMOLED panel is likely going to pack a super-crisp 4K UHD resolution, not to mention HDR support. We’re fully expecting it to be one of the most gorgeous smartphone screens out there.
The reason for such a high resolution is thought to be virtual reality, as well as 4K movie streaming, claims Business Korea. When placed inside a VR headset (like the Samsung Gear VR), smartphone resolution often appears poorer since the screen is so close to the eyes. Full HD panels which produce such crisp visuals when streaming video suddenly appear pixelated.
By jumping to 4K UHD, Samsung should be able to offer a more impressive VR experience for headset wearers.
Bixby AI will run on the Galaxy Note 8
Samsung is rumoured to be fully revealing its Bixby artificially intelligent assistant at Mobile World Congress 2017. So by the time the Galaxy Note 8 arrives later in the year, this should be a well established and fully integrated part of existing Samsung phones.
Bixby is based on Viv Labs’ work, a splinter group of former Siri developers. They showed off the AI last year taking on a huge list of commands with ease. This could be a very impressive offering if it’s even half as good as that demo.
Read next: The most exciting Galaxy S8 rumours so far
The battery in the Galaxy Note 8 will be safe
Unlike the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung is going to have to release a super-safe battery in the Galaxy Note 8. The company lost billions over the Note 7, so splashing out with a new supplier won’t be an issue, just for ease of mind at least.
Samsung is rumoured to be slotting a smaller 3,000mAh battery in the Note 8, which has been more thoroughly tested and will guarantee no issues this time around.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 should button-free
Rumours suggest the Galaxy S8 is button free and pictures have leaked showing the lack of home button, as the screen covers most of the front panel instead. This is a design cue the Galaxy Note 8 is likely to follow. That should mean not only a lack of home button on the Note 8, but a new identity recognition system.
The Note 8 could feature either a fingerprint reader built into the display or it may use iris recognition, or most likely both. There are also rumours that Samsung will ditch the headphone port in favour of a USB-C only access point, something found on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and HTC U Ultra, among others.
Camera and processor improvements for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to launch and be released later in 201,7 when lots of flagship phones will also be launching. So it will need big specs to compete.
Expect to see an all-new Qualcomm Snapdragon processor or Exynos, as in previous models, backed by loads of RAM. The Note series has always been RAM heavy and with rumours of 8GB of RAM on the S8, the Note 8 will have to pack at least that to keep up.
Previous Galaxy Note models have always boasted decent cameras so expect that trend to continue. If there is iris recognition, the front-facing selfie cameras could be greatly improved too for greater accuracy.
There is a chance of dual-rear cameras, as is the trend, but we’re not holding our breath here as the Galaxy S8 looks likely to only have a single snapper suggesting Samsung isn’t going down that path.
