With its ongoing Note 7 woes, Samsung is facing heaps of pressure to get the Galaxy S8 right – both versions of it, apparently.
Samsung is reportedly working on two different versions of the Galaxy S8, one of which will have a significantly higher spec display. According to a tip on China’s leading social media platform Weibo (via specialist blog Sammobile), the Galaxy S8 will feature either:
- (1) A 5.1-inch display with a QHD resolution
- (2) A 5.5-inch display with a 4K resolution
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard whispers of a 4K display debuting on the Galaxy S8, either. Many speculate the handset will finally make the leap to Ultra HD in a bid to improve performance when docked in a Gear VR headset. After all, using phones in VR headsets puts them in stereoscopic mode, which halves the handset’s resolution. Combine that with the fact that you’re using the phone very close to your eyes, and suddenly 4K becomes a very attractive feature – despite the added power drain.
But despite the VR benefits, almost no major smartphone manufacturers have adopted 4K displays. That’s likely due to a perceived lack of consumer demand, and thanks to the added cost (and hefty power requirements) of 4K screens. Samsung might break the mould however, in a bid to get a leg up over rival handsets like the iPhone 7 and HTC 10.
Unfortunately, as with any pre-launch leak, and especially leaks coming via Weibo, it’s important to take these rumours with due caution. We’ve got no verifying this information, and it’s still early days – Samsung could still re-jig the design so far away from release.
Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S8 on February 26 next year, just before Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress technology tradeshow. The handset needs to impress, as it will be a direct successor to the flagship Galaxy Note 7, which has currently been abandoned by Samsung thanks to a battery fault that has caused a number of users’ handsets to spontaneously catch fire.
Related: iPhone 8
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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.