While Samsung is yet to unveil the Galaxy Note 8 officially, rumours have surfaced on the Web to reveal its key features. But what all would be there in the new Galaxy model to fierce the competition?
Release date
Samsung is in plans to mainly take on the 10th-anniversary iPhone model by launching the Galaxy Note 8 weeks ahead of Apple's schedule. Thus, the Galaxy Note 8 is debuting on August 23 at an Unpacked event in New York City. The company is expected to begin the sale of the new Galaxy Note model in a couple of weeks after the official launch.
Build
Similar to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is likely to come in an IP68-certified body that would have a metal and glass mix. Some of the recently leaked renders confirmed that the South Korean company would continue with its Infinity Display technology that covers the entire front panel of the handset with a curved screen. On top, the frontal area of the new Note handset is presumed to have Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The smartphone will also include an S Pen stylus that could be overhauled with enhanced pressure sensitivity.
Hardware
After the Galaxy Note 7 mishap last year that resulted in its official discontinuation, it is the Galaxy Note 8 that needs to be an attractive package to improve Samsung's image in the market. The last Note series model got exploded in some instances, and the reason for the distress was turned out to be the flaws that were existed in the battery pack. Therefore, Samsung is apparently quite cautious in delivering the best with its new Galaxy Note.
If we believe the specifications reported by prolific leaker Evan Blass, the Galaxy Note 8 will include a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with an odd, 1440 x 2960 pixels resolution with 18.5:9 aspect ratio. This is the same resolution that was first arrived on the flagship Galaxy S8.
The smartphone is rumoured to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor in the US, while in Singapore and other global regions, it would debut with an Exynos 8895 chipset produced using Samsung's 10nm FinFET fabrication process. Further, the next Galaxy Note is reportedly coming with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. There would also be a microSD card.
Samsung is rumoured to be deploying a 3,300mAh battery that would support rapid and wireless charging technologies. Moreover, there would be a USB-C port to offer fast data sharing.
Camera setup
Leaving behind its original dual-pixel technology and entering the era of dual-camera systems, Samsung is now reportedly set to bring a dual, 12-megapixel camera sensor setup on the Note 8 with one f1.7 aperture and dual-pixel autofocus lens and the another f2.4 telephoto lens. The telephoto lens would bring 2x optical zoom -- just like the iPhone 7 Plus.
An 8-megapixel camera sensor is reported to be available on the front with an f1.7 lens. Additionally, the smartphone is likely to have some tweaks on the software front to deliver competitive image results.
Price
It is quite presumable that the top-end specifications on the Galaxy Note 8 would make it the most expensive offering in Samsung's portfolio. Blass claimed that the new Galaxy handset would go on sale in Europe at a starting price of €999. This translates to nearly SG$1,597 in the Singapore market.
All in all, the Galaxy Note 8 is likely to be a robust offering by Samsung to take some charm of the new iPhone lineup that would be unveiled sometime in September. The smartphone would also help the company to retain its Galaxy Note family -- after months of suffering from the tragic end of the Galaxy Note 7.
