Though it’s yet to be confirmed, it’s almost certain that Samsung will soon be launching its ultra-ruggedised version of the Galaxy S8: the Galaxy S8 Active.
The phone has leaked a couple of times, with a few specs appearing here and there, but now it seems we’ve had our first real look at the device.
An image posted by the Wireless Power Consortium – the group behind the Qi wireless charging standard – seemingly reveals the design of Samsung’s upcoming rugged smartphone, and it certainly looks different to the standard model.
Related: Galaxy Note 8
The most obvious difference between the Active model and the standard S8 is the lack of a curved-edge screen on the former.
It seems, for the sake of increasing the durability of the Active model, Samsung has opted to keep a standard display on the upcoming device, while increasing the size of the bezels.
It’s certainly not quite as visually striking as the “infinity display” on the S8 and S8 Plus, but when combined with what looks like reinforced corners, it should allow the phone to hold up much better during any drops.
The addition of larger bezels also lends the phone a distinctly LG G6-esque look, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and overall it seems Samsung has done a decent job of retaining much of the S8 aesthetic.
In particular, the company looks to have resisted putting any physical buttons on the front of the device, which looks sleeker, but might put off those looking for a more reliable way of controlling the phone than the touchscreen in harsh conditions.
Unfortunately, the Wireless Power Consortium did not post any specs along with the image, so we don’t know any more about what the phone will feature hardware-wise.
However, previous leaks have suggested the S8 Active will pack a bigger battery than the standard S8, with a 4000mAh cell tipped to appear, alongside MIL-STD-810G certification to provide advanced damage protection.
Samsung is expected to officially announce the phone in June, so stay tuned for the latest.
Let us know what you think of the design in the comments.
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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.
