Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, Galaxy Tab S3 & Note 8 All Getting Q1 2017 Release Date?
It seems like the Samsung Galaxy S8 is not the only device from the Korean conglomerate expected to get a Q1 2017 release date. If the latest speculations will pan out, the tech world might see an army of new Samsung Galaxy devices early next year, including a new tablet, the next Note device, and two models for the Galaxy S lineup.
Based on a tweet posted last month by famous tipster Ricciolo1, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will still follow the typical release schedule for the Galaxy S flagship devices, which is right before the Mobile World Congress. Accordingly, the Galaxy S8 will not get an earlier launch, contradicting initial rumors. Instead, it might possibly be introduced on February 26, a day before MWC 2017 officially kicks off.
Despite #Note7 #disaster,(ATM) i have been confirmed ,no early announcement…#GalaxyS8 SEe you 2+6 ? Feb at 7PM #samsung #BeCareful ! pic.twitter.com/Rsh196dmBk
— Ricciolo (@Ricciolo1) October 8, 2016
Aside from the guesstimates about the Galaxy S8 release date, Samsung’s upcoming flag bearer is also said to come with two size-based variants, a standard 5.7-inch Galaxy S8 and a bigger variant with a 6.2-inch panel called the Galaxy S8 Plus, according to a report from Know Your Mobile. Both S8 models will allegedly be equipped with Edge displays and bezel-less design.
As for confirmed features, Samsung is working on launching a digital assistant service to the Galaxy S8, based on the works of Viv Labs, an artificial intelligence company they recently purchased. Watch the video below to learn more about the latest news regarding Galaxy S8’s virtual assistant.
Moreover, tech enthusiasts can also expect an “improved camera” and a “slick design” from the Samsung Galaxy S8, according to Lee Jae-Yong, Samsung’s vice chairman, as reported earlier by the Inquistr.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the next Note device’s possible release, ValueWalk explained that following Samsung’s typical launch timeframe for its phablet line, it is natural to anticipate the Galaxy Note 8’s arrival towards the latter part of 2017, usually a month before the debut of a new iPhone. But after the Galaxy Note 7 catastrophe, there were speculations that emerged noting a possible earlier release for the Note 8 as part of Samsung’s efforts to recuperate from the financial suffering brought by the discontinued phablet.
It should also be noted, though, that Samsung has not made any official confirmations yet if there is indeed a new Note device currently in the works. But the Galaxy Note 8’s release was seemingly hinted by the company in a statement that included “Note 8” alongside Galaxy S8 as part of the options for an upgrade program for the customers of the canned Galaxy Note 7. This is further explained in a previous Inquisitr report, which also cited a quote from an analyst suggesting a possible release window for the next phablet.
President and principal analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy noted the following.
“I don’t see them dropping the Note brand. I think come January or March — January at CES or March at Mobile World Congress — they’ll come out with a Note 8. It will look different, it may be a different color, they might put a different industrial type of coating on it. But it will be their high-end phone that not only goes after high-end consumers but enterprise as well.”
The release anticipation for the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8 further intensified when the rumored devices’ alleged model numbers were leaked. Prolific tipster Evan Blass tweeted that the upcoming Galaxy S8 models will be available as SM-G950 and SM-G955. And even more interestingly, he provided another model number, SM-N950, which is widely purported to be for the Galaxy Note 8. Another post from The Inquisitr explained why SM-N950 is most likely the model number for the next phablet.
Adding to Samsung’s seemingly already full plate is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s release, also tipped to arrive at some point in the first quarter of next year. The upcoming tablet was initially expected to have a September 2016 release date, but, unfortunately, it did not happen.
A new development about the new Galaxy tablet surfaced when a report from GSM Arena noted that it may also be available early next year after it has recently been spotted in Zauba, an Indian import tracker. Based on the listing, two models of the 9.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 are being evaluated, a Wi-Fi-only variant with model number SM-T820 and an LTE variant, identified as SM-T825.
[Featured Image by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]
