The Galaxy Note 8 Won’t Be Samsung’s First Dual-Camera Phone, But It Might Have 3D Touch And A Wicked Speaker

The Galaxy Note 8 continues to make headlines in the rumor mill, despite the device still months away from being released. With speculations, concepts, and leaks trickling in at a steady stream, the Note 8 continues to take form. With recent reports and rumors in mind, however, it appears that the upcoming flagship phablet from the South Korean tech giant would include a number of features that would be revolutionary, as well as some that are entirely evolutionary.

Over the past few months, speculations were high that the Galaxy Note 8 would feature Samsung’s first dual-camera sensor. Considering that the recently released Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were fitted with single cameras, expectations were high that the Note 8, Samsung’s second flagship for 2017, would be the first device to pack the powerful imaging setup. Recent leaks, however, have emerged stating that this might not be the case.

A notable Chinese leaker, posting a message on Twitter, stated that the first Samsung dual camera phone would not be the Galaxy Note 8. Instead, the honor would belong to one of the future devices in Samsung’s midrange C-series. The sleek midrangers debuted last year with the Galaxy C5 and the Galaxy C7. Thus, there is a good chance that the smartphones would indeed see a boost in specs and features this year. Among these improvements, of course, would most likely be the dual-camera configuration, which would definitely be a selling point for the 2017 C-series smartphones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 News & Update: Dual-Lens Camera And 4K Resolution Display Not Impossible; S… https://t.co/qs5AIhzaMI #samsung #galaxy pic.twitter.com/lQS20SCEY7

— Wrighter (@Wrighter) May 6, 2017

This does not mean that the Galaxy Note 8 would not be released with a dual camera sensor, however. On the contrary, the fact that the camera system is most likely debuting in the 2017 C-series is all but a confirmation that Samsung is actually taking the emerging smartphone trend seriously. Thus, while the Note 8 would not be the first Samsung device which would employ a dual camera sensor, the snapper on the upcoming flagship phablet would most likely be the best in its class.

While many Samsung fans were a bit disappointed with the news that the Note 8 would not be the first smartphone from the South Korean tech giant to feature the powerful camera configuration, other rumored features about the upcoming phablet have been extremely encouraging. Among these include speculations about the device’s rumored pressure-sensitive display and a speaker system that is as unique as it is powerful, according to a PC Advisor report.

Apple has so far dominated pressure sensitive screens since the release of the iPhone 6S almost two years ago. While rumors have been abounding about Android devices being equipped with the feature, no notable 3D Touch-enabled handsets have so far been released by prominent smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung to date. With the Galaxy Note 8, however, Samsung’s first pressure-sensitive display might finally make a debut. 3D Touch is, after all, an extremely useful feature, since it expands users’ interaction with their devices.

The Galaxy Note 8’s speakers have also triggered a wave of speculations from the rumor mill, especially after fans noticed that Samsung filed a patent for a speaker system that is integrated closely with the flagship phablet’s S-Pen stylus. While not officially confirmed by Samsung for the Note 8, the patent involved placing speakers on the S-Pen itself. If the stylus is removed from the device, the patent suggested that the sound would simply travel through the opening of the S-Pen’s slot.

“When the pen is being stored in the Galaxy Note body, the speaker, which is in the pen shaft, carries sound through the pen and exists at the top of the pen via a new speaker. When the pen is removed from the Note device, the sound simply travels from the internal speaker through the pen shaft opening.”

While the application of the actual technology remains unknown, the patent does describe a fairly innovative manner to deliver a premium audio experience to the phablet’s users. Coupled with the fact that Samsung has recently acquired Harman Kardon, the firm behind popular speaker brands such as JBL and AKG, it definitely appears that the Note 8, when it finally gets released, would offer one of the best mobile audio experiences in the mobile market.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to make its debut sometime around August 2017. Pricing for the device remains unknown, though speculations are high that the upcoming flagship smartphone would be priced somewhere above $1000.

[Featured Image by Ahn Young-joon/AP Images]