ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 SPECS, RELEASE DATE, NEWS, RUMOURS, PRICE AND MORE
We’re all amped up for the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, so here’s the ultimate resource on Samsung’s 2017 flagship phone. In this article, I’ll cover:
- What’s the latest Galaxy S8 news?
- What is the Galaxy S8 release date?
- What’s new about the Galaxy S8 design and specs?
- What’s the Galaxy S8 price?
- Should you wait for the Galaxy S8?
Update (March 25, 2017): Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have leaked out in just about every available colour option, the latest of which is blue. Scroll down this page to check out the new hue.
Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S8 is nearly here, and there’s no shortage of rumours and leaks detailing exactly what we should expect. We’re also expecting a Galaxy S8+ model, which will replace the usual ‘Edge’ variant we’ve come to expect.
Here’s a breakdown of the most recent Galaxy S8 news, as it happened.
March 24, 2017 – Colours...again! It seems as though there's no shortage of colour leaks, as the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ leaked out in a 'Blue' colour option.
March 21, 2017 – More colours: Tipster Evan Blass has been busy on Twitter, revealing a whole load of renders for the Galaxy S8 in a range of colour options.
March 19, 2017 – Pricing and colours leak: A handful of leaks over the weekend suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S8 would cost €799 at launch, and would come in a range of colour options including 'violet', 'orchid grey' and 'arctic silver'.
March 17, 2017 – Galaxy S8 camera: The Samsung Galaxy S8 will reportedly be able to capture 1,000fps video thanks to the addition of dedicated DRAM to the camera sensor.
March 16, 2017 – Bixby confimed by official Galaxy S8 listing: A listing spied on Samsung's Italian website specifically referenced "comandi vocali con Bixby," which roughly translate to "voice commands with Bixby." The oft-rumoured AI helper is now a dead-cert to debut with the Galaxy S8.
March 15, 2017 – Samsung admits Note 7 debacle still looms large: Speaking to Samsung, the South Korean company admitted that the exploding Note 7 fiasco still cast a shadow over the S8 launch.
March 15, 2017 – Samsung won't rest on the Galaxy S8 this year: An early candidate for non-shock of the year, Samsung appears to be preparing to launch phones not named the Galaxy S8 in 2017...you heard it here first?!
March 14, 2017 – Galaxy S8 killer feature in doubt: Reports out of South Korea claim that the Galaxy S8 won't be getting an on-screen fingerprint scanner, because Samsung and one of its partners 'ran out of time' developing the technology. It's a big blow for Samsung, and one that opens the door to bitter rival Apple.
March 13, 2017 – Galaxy S8 TV ad lands amid leaks: Samsung released a TV commercial for the Galaxy S8 in South Korea as the phone passed through China's CCC certification process. We also saw a leaked image of what appeared to be a Galaxy S8+ battery posted online, seemingly confirming the 3,500mAh cell capacity.
March 8, 2017 – Galaxy S8 coming in new colour option: A leak suggested that the Galaxy S8 would be available in Black, Silver, and Violet (new!) colour options.
March 7, 2017 – Galaxy S8 launch delayed: A report from Evleaks suggested that the Galaxy S8 would launch later, on April 28, blaming low yields on 10nm processors.
March 3, 2017 – Samsung trademarks ‘Infinity Display’: Samsung applied to trademark the term ‘Infinity Display’ for smartphones, tablets, and OLED screens.
March 1, 2017 – Official render leaked: Evleaks posted what appeared to be an official Galaxy S8 render to Twitter, revealing an edge-to-edge display with hardly any bezel when viewed from the front.
February 26, 2017 – Samsung confirms Galaxy S8 debut: At MWC 2017, Samsung revealed that the Galaxy S8 would be announced on March 29.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 RELEASE DATE UK: WHEN DOES IT COME OUT?
At MWC 2017, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy S8 would be formally unveiled at a dedicated launch event in New York on March 29, 2017.
But that leaves us in the dark about when we’ll actually see the phone released. We’ve seen several conflicting reports, with Forbes citing April 14, South Korea’s ETNews suggesting April 21, and Venture Beats’ Evan Blass claiming April 28. We’d be inclined to believe Blass given that his post is most recent, combined with the fact that he has an exceptionally accurate track record for mobile leaks.
For good measure, here’s the history of Galaxy phone launch dates:
- Galaxy S7 release date – March 11, 2016
- Galaxy S6 release date – April 20, 2015
- Galaxy S5 release date – April 11, 2014
- Galaxy S4 release date – April 27, 2013
- Galaxy S3 release date – May 29, 2012
- Galaxy S2 release date – May 2, 2011
- Galaxy S release date – June 4, 2010
And here's the (supposedly) official poster for the Galaxy S8 launch event, which Samsung declined to verify to TrustedReviews:
SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 DESIGN: WHAT’S NEW?
The first thing to note is that we’re expecting two different models: Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+. In previous years, Samsung has launched Galaxy S smartphones alongside an ‘Edge’ variant with a curved edge-to-edge display. But in 2017, it appears that both phones will feature the ‘Edge’ display, and the ‘S8+’ will simply be a larger version of the handset – just like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
The next major change is that Samsung is reportedly planning a very high screen-to-body ratio for the Galaxy S8. That means a higher percentage of the phone’s front will be occupied by display, compared to the Galaxy S7. It’s all thanks to the rumoured removal of the Home button, which means Samsung is able to fit more screen into the same size handset body.
The screen looks set to be branded as an “Infinity Display”; a term which was first reported by the Guardian, and eventually revealed by Samsung through a trademark filing.
We’ve seen plenty of image leaks, but the best to date is this seemingly official press render that was posted to Twitter by Evan Blass:
WILL THERE BE A SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 EDGE?
As I alluded to earlier, it appears that there won't be a Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge.
Samsung first introduced the 'Edge' design to the Galaxy S range back in 2015, with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. This trend of launching a larger spin-off device with a curved 'Edge' screen continued into last year with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.
But it seems that Samsung is now so keen on the design that both core Samsung Galaxy S8 models will feature the curved 'Edge' design. To denote the fact that one handset is larger, it's believed that the bigger model will be called the Samsung Galaxy S8+.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 SPECS: WHAT’S NEW?
The most notable change is that we’re expecting a bump in screen sizes. Apparently, the two new Galaxy handsets will feature larger 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch displays, up from 5.1-inches and 5.7-inches on the old phones. But importantly, the new ‘Infinity Display’ aesthetic means we’re expecting that the rough body dimensions of the phones will stay the same as before. A higher resolution panel is also tipped – specifically, 2,960 x 1,440 pixels compared to 2,560 x 1,440, creating an 18:9(-ish) aspect ratio.
It’s also likely that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be available with different processors in different markets, as has been the case previously. Some units will almost certainly feature Samsung’s custom-built Exynos 8895 chip, while others seem certain to use Qualcomm’s new processor – which Samsung manufactures.
What’s important about both chips is that they’re built on a new 10nm FinFET manufacturing process. That means that the transistors can be more densely packed, offering more power (up to 27% improved performance) or better efficiency (up to 40% lower power consumption) compared to older 14nm chips.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 ACCESSORIES: WHAT’S IN THE WORKS?
Samsung always debuts a flurry of accessories alongside flagship smartphones, and the Galaxy S8 looks set to be no different.
According to Sammobile, Samsung is developing a ‘Gear 360 Pro’, a 360-degree camera that will succeed last year’s. The camera is tipped to launch alongside the Galaxy S8, although it’s not necessarily an accessory per se.
Then there’s a report from journalist and tipster Roland Quandt, who believes that Samsung will introduce a new wireless headphones alongside the Galaxy S8. These headphones are supposedly intended to be a direct rival to the APPLE AIRPODS, and will feature active noise cancelling. The price is tipped at €130, which is a fair whack cheaper than the €179 AirPods:
SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 PRICE: HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
The bad news is that we haven’t seen any UK pricing leaks so far. But a tip from aforementioned journalist Roland Quandt suggests that the handsets will cost €799 (Galaxy S8) and €899 (Galaxy S8+):
At current exchange rates, €799 equates to £695. That’s a long way above the Galaxy S7’s £569 UK launch price. So what gives? Firstly, it’s likely there won’t be an exact currency translation, so the phone probably won’t launch at £695. Secondly, there’s no reason why the Galaxy S8 shouldn’t be more expensive than the Galaxy S7, given the fallen value of British Sterling. Thirdly, smartphones are getting better, and thus more expensive, over time.
Still, pricing a phone’s entry model at nearly £700 would be tough to chew for many British consumers, even if the cost was spread over a 24-month contract. Here’s hoping that Samsung launches the Galaxy S8 at a price closer to £570.
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