Camera, Design & More
Camera & Design:
The camera is another feature that's seen a lot of rumors. Leaks peg the Galaxy S8 with two camera specifications, just like the iPhone 7. The smaller device will feature a single camera, with its larger brother sporting a dual camera setup. Concrete information on resolutions of these setups is scarce. Sources peg pixels to stand around 12MP-16MP, with some also making claims as large as 21MP, courtesy of Sony's sensors. Furthermore, latest reports also suggest the complete absence of a dual camera. However, looking at Samsung's operating environment and the need to make up for lost ground, we doubt that this will be the case.
According to the Guardian, the camera will see incremental upgrades for the Galaxy S8. The publication also suggests incremental upgrades for the rear camera. These include upgrades to image quality, low light performance and overall speed, combined with the introduction of object recognition. Duo Pixel will also make a reappearance, as expected. Should Samsung launch the larger Galaxy S8 with a dual camera, it'll become the first smartphone maker in history to introduce four camera sensors on a flagship. Iris recognition will also make an appearance on the Galaxy S8, allowing users the advantage of advanced biometric recognition on their device.
For design, the biggest change this year will be the removal of a front home button. Initial rumors claimed that the Galaxy S8 will feature 'on-screen' biometric recognition. Latest leaks suggest this to be complete hogwash. While there won't be a home button on the device's front, the latest image leaks suggest that Samsung will shift the fingerprint sensor to the rear. Samsung's so called 'Infinite Display' will take up 83% of screen real estate, suggest sources. This will specifically cater to VR. Rather than a fingerprint sensor, you will get a virtual home button on the device's screen as well. It'll mark a nice turn in smartphone design and is a change one would rather expect from Apple's end, with Cupertino's mantra of 'minimalism' coming to mind.
Samsung won't remove the 3.5mm earphone jack from the equation either. Talking materials, the rear of the device will feature glass, marking a nice shift in the smartphone world. Apple's special 'iPhone 8' for 2017 will have a similar feature, according to several leaks and rumors. For the display, rumors also suggest a QHD resolution, more pixels on the smartphone. This does make sense, when looked in tandem with battery life constraints for smartphones. The edge to edge display will be Samsung's major design win, with other features just playing a supporting act.
Software, Miscellaneous & Conclusion:
Software is another end due major upgrades on Samsung's flagship.The most important one of these will be Bixby, the company's very own virtual assistant. Bixby will be able to make phone calls, open apps and do a lot more for users. It'll be developed using technology from the company's acquisition of Viv Labs. Samsung's already patented the name Bixby in South Korea, and the software is described as personal management software for electronics. Two more software upgrades on the Galaxy S8 will be a Beast Mode and DeX.
The former will provide the mandatory performance boost for VR, while the latter will allow for Continuum like connectivity on the device. The Snapdragon 835 will support x86, allowing for ARM's designs to gain a stronger influence in mobile markets. The Galaxy S8 will come with base and expandable storages of 64GB and 256GB respectively. Samsung will also launch a new range of accessories for the smartphone, and focus on those which will enhance DeX. The S8 will launch in March and carry price tags of $649 and $749 for the S8 and S8 Plus. Battery capacities are rumored at 3000mAh and 3500mAh for the smaller and larger variants respectively. The latest information also suggests that the logo on the device will be fixed on top of its screen. This marks the end of our writeup for the Galaxy S8. Thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comments section below and stay tuned for the latest. We'll keep you updated in the meanwhile.
Contents
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
