Rumors of a mighty Galaxy Note 8 have already been making rounds for a good while, but Samsung just confirmed it.
At one point after the two Galaxy Note 7 recalls, it seemed uncertain whether Samsung would continue the series and launch a Galaxy Note 8. Rumors started to intensify nonetheless and it seemed like a given that a Galaxy Note 8 would arrive this year, and it's now pretty much official.
Samsung Confirms Galaxy Note 8 Release Timeframe
In a press release announcing its Q1 financial results, Samsung mentions that it has a new flagship set to launch in the second half of this year. While it doesn't specifically mention the Galaxy Note 8, it's almost a given.
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ already made their debuts and went on sale recently, so the other upcoming flagship could only be the much rumored Galaxy Note 8, which is expected to hit the scene sometime this fall.
Samsung notes that it expects an increase in demand for smartphones in the mid- to high-end segment of the market, but also tougher competition with recently launched smartphones. The company will bank on its flagships — the Galaxy S8 series and the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 — to fend off competition and improve its year-over-year performance.
"The company will aim to improve performance YoY by maximizing sales of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ and successfully launching a new flagship smartphone in the second half," Samsung notes.
Samsung typically launches new Galaxy Note iterations in August or September, so the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to arrive around that time this year.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Rumored Specs
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are already powerful flagships, but the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to take things to the next level. The new Note flagship is rumored to boast in-display fingerprint authentication and dual rear cameras, two features that Samsung reportedly planned for the Galaxy S8 but ultimately had to ditch.
Trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said the dual cameras will be "the most important upgrade" for Samsung and will be far better than the ones found on Apple's iPhone 7 Plus, but will "likely match that of the OLED iPhone." Kuo expects the Galaxy Note 8 cameras to have 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, 3x optical zoom, optical image stabilization and other advanced features.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is further rumored to rock the same Exynos 8895/ Snapdragon 835 processing options as the Galaxy S8 line, depending on market. Other rumored specs include 6 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of expandable storage, and potentially a 4K display. The iconic S Pen stylus of the Note series is also expected to sport upgraded capabilities with the Galaxy Note 8.
Samsung has a lot riding on the Galaxy Note 8 after the Note 7 fiasco, but top-notch specs and a sleek redesign should wipe away that painful memory. The Galaxy Note 8 specs are still in the rumor stage at this point, but at least now we know for sure that the flagship is on track to launch in the second half of this year.
What would you like to see on the Galaxy Note 8? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
