Samsung is set to continue its line of ruggedised ‘Active’ phones this year with the launch of the Galaxy S8 Active expected imminently.
There’s been numerous leaks in recent months, with the more robust version of the Galaxy S8 gaining Wi-Fi certification in May, and a diagram of the phone cropping up at the FCC earlier this month.
Now, a new leak has seemingly provided the biggest load of pre-release info yet, with purported images and spec details emerging over at Reddit and Android Central.
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Someone claiming to be in possession of the as-yet unreleased handset conducted an AMA, seemingly confirming the lack of a curved-edge screen, and the inclusion of a substantial bezel.
And while the standard S8 measures 8mm thick, the Active model will apparently add about a further 4mm to that dimension, making for a hefty handset.
What’s more, the frame is said to be made of metal, but images provided appear to show the back will shun the glass of the standard S8 in favour of more durable plastic.
All of which makes sense, seeing as the S8 Active is designed to hold up better in harsher conditions than the regular offering.
One aspect of the standard S8 that seems to have been included in the Active version, however, is the Bixby button – an inclusion that some may find disappointing as it seemingly replaces the S7 Active’s mappable hardware button.
Still, despite the lack of edge-to-edge display, it seems the Active will retain the super-widescreen 18.5:9 aspect ratio of the Galaxy S8, and that’s not all it will keep.
The same Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage are said to be reappearing on the Active model – as is the 12-megapixel camera.
One area where the newer phone will outdo its standard counterpart, however, is in the battery department, with a 4,000mAh cell tipped to be included on the Active.
That should provide considerably more juice than the 3,000mAh battery in the S8 and the 3,500mAh cell in the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.
It’s also likely to be the main reason for the increase in thickness, when combined with Sammy’s general attempts to bolster durability.
It’s worth mentioning that all the above is yet to be confirmed as legitimate at this point, so take the information provided with due caution.
The S8 Active will likely be exclusive to the US on the AT&T network, at least at first, so stay tuned for more in the coming weeks.
Let us know if you’d like to see the Active make it to the UK and Europe 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.
