If there was any doubt about the name of Samsung’s next smartphone, that’s all over now.
Samsung has applied for a trademark on the Galaxy S8 branding, which is as close as we’ll get to confirmation of the handset’s name prior to launch. The trademark application was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which published the documents earlier this morning. However, the application was originally filed last week, on January 12.
In the application, Samsung outlines a bunch of different devices that the trademark can be applied to. The list, unsurprisingly, includes: smartphones, tablets, data cables, headsets, earphones, phone cases, and even portable speakers.
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S8 next month, at a dedicated event in Barcelona that will likely fall just before the city’s annual Mobile World Congress tech tradeshow – MWC 2017. Similarly, we’d expect rival brands like Sony (Xperia X2?) and LG (LG G6?) to show off their new wares, as was the case last year.
Pressure on Samsung is higher than usual for the Galaxy S8 launch, as it will be the company’s first high-end phone launch since last year’s Galaxy Note 7 debacle. For the forgetful amongst you, Samsung was forced to recall the Note 7 last year after users reported that their handsets were exploding. After multiple gaffes, the phone was eventually scrapped for good.
That’s why we’re expecting great things from the Galaxy S8 this year. It’s highly likely that we’ll see some regions get a version of the handset with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 chip, while other versions could ship with a Samsung-built Exynos processor. It’s also tipped that Samsung will ditch the Home button and move its functionality underneath the display, integrating the fingerprint scanner below glass too. This should allow for a significantly thinner bezel, which will thoroughly please smartphone design nerds.
Of course, Samsung hasn’t confirmed any such information, so we’re still in the dark for me. And don’t forget that just because Samsung has applied for a trademark does not necessarily mean that the trademarked branding will ever be used on a consumer device.
Related: iPhone 8
Watch: MWC 2017 – What to expect
What would you like to see from Samsung’s Galaxy S8? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
