According to a rumor, Samsung might be rekindling its "mini" offering, and this time around, it could be one worth having. Why? Because it could be the Galaxy S8 mini.
Now the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S7 skipped out on the mini deal. And sure, the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy S5 all have mini versions, but even during their time, they didn't really fit the bill of compact and powerful.
While the case isn't that different for the Galaxy S8 mini in which it had its specs toned down too, it's expected to keep pace with the likes of the Google Pixel, a flagship Android phone.
Samsung Does The Mini Right
Assuming that the rumor is true, the Galaxy S8 mini will sport a 5.3-inch display crammed into a body that measures at about 4.7 inches. Think something along the lines of Apple's 4.7-inch iPhones, such as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7.
That's allegedly made possible thanks to its 18:5:9 aspect ratio, just like what the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus brought to the table.
It's said to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, the same chip running the show on the OnePlus 3T and Google Pixel. That's going to be paired with 4 GB worth of RAM, as well as 32 GB of native storage.
It could even have an iris scanner in the mix, which is a feature that's available only in the Galaxy S8 line among the current brood.
On an interesting note, Samsung introduced the iris scanner with the Galaxy Note 7, but as everyone knows, the phablet has been discontinued due to exploding battery issues. Now it's more or less succeeded by the repackaged Galaxy Note Fan Edition.
As a quick refresher, Samsung offers two Galaxy S8 phones: the standard 5.8-inch version and the 6.2-inch Galaxy S8 Plus. Depending on the market, they're available with either an Exynos 8895 under the hood or a Snapdragon 835, which is the processor of choice in the United States and China.
More than that, the Galaxy S8 is loaded with 4 GB of RAM and a 3,000 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S8 Plus comes with 6 GB of RAM and a 3,500 mAh cell.
Galaxy S8 Mini vs Google Pixel
The Google Pixel has a Snapdragon 821, 4 GB of RAM, and a storage option of 32 GB. That means the Galaxy S8 mini is in the same playing field on at least three counts, though it's actually one step above with the iris scanner.
That said, it's worth mentioning that Google is expected to refresh the smartphone with minimal bezels and a Snapdragon 835, so its flagship isn't exactly getting left behind the competition by a mini handset. However, only the Pixel XL 2 could have narrow bezels and a 3.5mm audio jack, while the Pixel 2 gets neither.
To boil things down, the Galaxy S8 mini could be the compact Android phone that everybody's been waiting for — if the rumor turns out to be true, of course. It won't be equal with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus in terms of performance, which isn't a surprise, but it's on par with other flagship phones, such as the aforementioned Google Pixel.
As usual, it's recommended to take this news with the proverbial grain of salt until Samsung says anything official, though.
