Slo-Mo Video And Other Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumors Not Happening

Specification leaks of the Samsung Galaxy S8 have told us everything there is to know about the device. Given that most rumors have been confirmed by numerous reports, can Samsung still throw us a surprise? Turns out, the South Korean tech giant indeed can.

Starting with the rumors themselves, it needs to be pointed out that among the most widely speculated features of the device was the inclusion of 1,000 frames per second slow-motion recording facility. This feature would have given the Galaxy S8 a distinctive edge, as CNET described.

“A 1,000fps video frame rate would leave other flagship phones in the dust — that’d be over eight times faster than the iPhone 7, which records slow-motion 1080p video at 120fps (and 720p video at 240fps). It would also surpass the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, which shoots slow-motion video at a max of 960fps.”

The latest set of Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors and leaks do not suggest it has been included. Forbes mentions the camera is fast but that is in the context of laser auto-focus, which can help the sensor focus quickly for a speedy image. No mention of slow-motion capture has been made in what was described as the “mother-load” of Samsung Galaxy S8 leaks.

Recording at 1,000 frames per second can help see details that captures at lower frame rates cannot show. A high rate capture gathers more images than a low frames-per-second recording. Slow-motion capture is extensively used while filming stunts or adventure sport and if included in the Galaxy S8, could have endeared the phone to the enthusiast.

That the feature is unlikely to be included in the device, also reflect in Reddit discussions during the last 24 hours. “Unfortunately the 1,000fps slo-mo did not make it into the S8+. Just the industry standard 240fps,” one user who claims to have tested the Samsung Galaxy S8+, responded to a question about the slo-mo recording feature. The Galaxy S8 and its bigger cousin S8+ are set to roll out with the same cameras.

The other big disappointment – all reports just three days before the unveiling event, suggest that Samsung will ship the Galaxy S8 with 3,000 mAh batteries. While this rumor has been around consistently for long, hopes of a larger battery persisted given that this year’s flagship comes with displays significantly larger than those of Samsung Galaxy S7. The Galaxy S8 reportedly features a 6.2-inch display. The battery capacities are likely to remain similar to last year’s Galaxy S flagships.

Samsung may also skip releasing a version of the Galaxy S8 with 6 GB RAM in Korea and China, which noted KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo had earlier termed “RAM sensitive markets.” Instead, the latest rumors suggest the device maker will globally launch the phone with 4 GB RAM.

Galaxy S8 and S8+ in U.S., Japan, and China will feature Qualcomm 835 chipsets while Samsung will power the phone in other countries with its Exynos 8895 chipsets. Doing away with physical buttons and including bezel-less displays, Samsung may set a trend that phones releasing later this year, including the Apple iPhone 8, are likely to adopt. Storage, color options and connectivity features have remained consistent through the rumor cycle.

However, Samsung could still throw a surprise at its unveiling event on March 29. While everything there is to know about the Galaxy S8’s hardware has been leaked, software rumors have not been exhaustive. What is however known is that the new AI assistant Bixby and a dedicated button for it, which a Reddit user termed “gimmicky.” As Forbes points out, little is known about improvements made to TouchWiz and how it performs with the new displays that Samsung is set to debut.

[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]