Samsung finally confirmed yesterday when it's going to unveil the Galaxy Note 8. The company has sent invites to the press for an event in New York City on August 23 where it's going to officially announce the successor to the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.
There's a lot of anticipation surrounding this handset given that it takes the baton from the spectacular failure that was the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung has to prove with the Galaxy Note 8 that its flagship phablet lineup is capable of taking one on the chin and not only surviving but thriving.
As I pointed out yesterday, there haven't been a lot of leaks concerning the Galaxy Note 8, at least not as many as we saw with the Galaxy S8 earlier this year. Nevertheless, here's what we know so far about the Galaxy Note 8's specs, design and price.
Galaxy Note 8 Display
As we've seen in the latest leaked renders, the Galaxy Note 8 is going to have a 6.3-inch Infinity Display. This makes it seem like a stretched version of the Galaxy S8 and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Given that the handset is going to feature an Infinity Display, it won't have a physical home or navigation buttons. The front of the device will likely have a gorgeous 6.3-inch dual-edge curved panel with an impressive screen-to-body ratio.
Galaxy Note 8 Specs
If history is any indication, the Galaxy Note 8 is going to have specs similar to the Samsung flagship that preceded it earlier in the year. Since Samsung has opted for the Exynos 8895 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor for different models of the Galaxy S8, it's highly likely that Samsung will retain those chips for the Galaxy Note 8 as well. There have been rumors about an updated chip, the Snapdragon 836, but we haven't heard enough to be sure if that chip will find its way inside the Galaxy Note 8.
There's a very good possibility that the Galaxy Note 8 might be the first flagship smartphone from Samsung to ship with 6GB of RAM in all markets. Samsung has previously released variants of its flagship devices with 6GB RAM in select markets but the Galaxy Note 8 might be the first handset to bring 6GB RAM to all customers across the globe.
Like the Galaxy S8, it's expected to have 64GB of internal storage with support for external expansion via microSD cards. There have been rumors that the Galaxy Note 8 may also be offered with 128GB of internal storage, although it remains to be seen if the 128GB model will be offered in more than just the company's home country.
Galaxy Note 8 Camera
The camera will likely be one of the biggest selling points of the Galaxy Note 8. If the rumors are to be believed, it's going to be Samsung's first flagship smartphone with a dual camera system. Samsung will finally join the long list of manufacturers who have already opted for such imaging systems on their mobile devices.
There isn't a lot of information available about the dual camera system at this point in time, though. It's unclear just how the system is going to be put to use – whether it's going to be used for depth of field or if one of the senors will be monochrome in the interest of capturing pictures in better quality.
Galaxy Note 8 Battery
Many will view the Galaxy Note 8's battery with suspicion after what happened with the Galaxy Note 7 last year. The flagship phablet had a defective battery that combusted at will. It forced Samsung to recall and discontinue the Galaxy Note 7. However, Samsung has taken several concrete steps since then to ensure that something like that never happens again. It has established a new 8-point battery safety test to ensure the safety of its devices' batteries.
The Galaxy S8's battery has gone through that test and there have been no reports about it catching fire. Even the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 has a new battery that's free from that fatal defect. There's absolutely no reason to believe that history will repeat itself with the Galaxy Note 8. As far as the capacity is concerned, it may leave you wanting more.
Recent reports suggest that it may have a 3,300mAh battery. In that case, it would be smaller than the Galaxy S8+'s 3,500mAh battery. If that is true, quite a few people will have concerns about the battery life. There were similar concerns with the Galaxy S8 as well, but our recent battery review shows that it's performing quite well on a daily basis. Perhaps Samsung will squeeze more life out of the 3,300mAh battery cell through software and system optimizations.
Galaxy Note 8 Design
All of the reports and leaks we've seen so far suggest that the Galaxy Note 8's design will be quite similar to the Galaxy S8. It's going to have a beautiful metal and glass construction that will feel really good in the hands. The edges are likely to be curved so that it's easier to hold the device in the hand. As is the case with recent Samsung flagships, the Galaxy Note 8 is going to be dust and water resistant.
Like the Galaxy Note 8, there's a very good chance that the device will have a dedicated Bixby button placed alongside the volume keys on the left side. There will be a power button on the right side and a fingerprint sensor at the back of the device. It's likely going to be slightly thicker than the Galaxy S8 in order to accommodate the S Pen.
Galaxy Note 8 S Pen
Since this is a Galaxy Note device, it's definitely going to come with the S Pen stylus. We can expect Samsung to further improve the stylus so it's going to be more precise and will get some new software features. The S Pen's design may not change, if leaked images of the Note 8's stylus turn out to be accurate.
However, the thinner display on the Galaxy Note 8 might potentially pose some challenges with regards to the S Pen. Samsung would have taken steps to make it work so we look forward to the company detailing those steps.
Galaxy Note 8 Software
The flagship phablet will be powered by Android 7.1.1 and might get an updated version of Samsung Experience. Additional software features will include fast charging and Bluetooth 5.0 support. It's also going to come with Bixby, the voice assistant that Samsung launched with the Galaxy S8. Whether some new S Pen-related features will be offered remains to be seen, although we can expect Samsung to have something or the other to enhance the phone's stylus capabilities
Galaxy Note 8 Price/Release
Some reports have suggested that the Galaxy Note 8 could very well be the most expensive smartphone that Samsung has ever released. Multiple rumors have suggested that the price may be as high as $1,000 but nothing is set in stone as yet.
As far as the release is concerned, it may take a couple of weeks from when the Galaxy Note 8 is announced on August 23 to when it starts showing up at customers' doors. Samsung will gradually release the handset in more countries across the globe in the following weeks. The US and South Korea could be the among the first markets to see the Note 8 go on sale, as they have been with recent flagship releases from Samsung.
This is all that's known about the Galaxy Note 8 at this point in time. Going by everything we know so far, it seems that Samsung will be bouncing back in spectacular fashion with the Galaxy Note 8 (a task that may not be too difficult, going by the excellent Galaxy S8 and S8+). We'll keep you in the loop when we receive any more information about the Galaxy Note 8.
