Samsung plans to kit out the Galaxy S8 with an “all-screen front”, according to a new report.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is tipped to look significantly different from this year’s Galaxy S7, as Bloomberg reports on plans to create a “bezel-less” phone. Unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy S8 will reportedly “provide more viewing real estate”, with Samsung expected to ditch the physical Home button and bury its functionality in the lower section of the glass instead.
The report also claims that the handset will only be available with “wraparound displays” using OLED panels – that’s the ‘Edge’ design we’re already very familiar with. Sources also believe that screen sizes will be a “similar size” to the Galaxy S7, which came in 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch variants. And unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S8 is reported to feature Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 835 chip in some markets, while other regions will get a Samsung-built Exynos processor instead.
Related: iPhone 8
Unfortunately, the report reiterates a recent rumour that Samsung is considering scrapping plans for a dual-camera on the Galaxy S8. It was expected that Samsung’s next flagship would borrow the feature, which was recently debuted on Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus. However, it’s said that “higher manufacturing costs” have become a prohibitive factor.
It also claims that while Samsung is aiming for a March release, the actual rollout could be delayed until April. The potential delays are said to be thanks to tougher testing procedures introduced after the exploding Galaxy Note 7 debacle that saw Samsung’s most recent flagship phone permanently recalled globally just one month after it launched.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Greg Roh, an analyst at HMC Investment Securities Co., said: “Since the phones have a record of burning up, [Samsung] needs time for these phones to be verified as safe. How safe the phones turn out to be is more important than any hardware innovation. It will take about a month or two for people to actually start opening their pockets.”
Samsung is expected to reveal the Galaxy S8 next year, with the most likely date being February 26, just one day before Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress technology tradeshow kicks off.
Related: CES 2017
Watch: Samsung Galaxy S8 – Everything you need to know
What would you like to see from next year’s Samsung Galaxy S8? Let us know in the comments.