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Update: Our latest Galaxy S8 rumors video looks ahead to the event in less than a week’s time and reveals what you can expect from Samsung – plus there’s a new image of a blue handset.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is almost upon us. We’ve got a confirmed Galaxy S8 launch date – March 29 – and there are a flurry of rumors teasing the upcoming features of Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone.
There are even hints that it will in be called the Samsung Galaxy S8, if there was ever any doubt. Want to know what it looks like? Look no further.
A convincing look at the Galaxy S8 (credit: @evleaks)
Samsumg Galaxy S8 specs
This is how the Galaxy S8 spec sheet is shaping up from the rumors we’ve seen so far.
Dimensions: 148.90 x 68 x 8mm
Screen size: 5.8-inch
Resolution: 1440 x 2560
Processor: Exynos 8895 / Snapdragon 835
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
Rear camera: 12MP
Front camera: 8MP
Battery: 3,000mAh
– Rear fingerprint scanner
– Water and dust resistant
– No physical home button
– Iris scanner
– Bixby AI assistant
The Samsung Galaxy S7 was almost everything we hoped for, but while it may have scored five stars in our in-depth review, there’s always room for improvement for the next Galaxy.
Based on the sheer volume of rumors, leaks and teases so far we’re confident we’ll see some significant improvements with the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The headline features point towards a larger 5.8-inch display with an elongated 18.5:9 aspect ratio, but with a similar body size to the S7 with Samsung opting to reduce the bezels above and below the screen.
That will be partly achieved by removing the iconic physical home button from the front of phone, shifting the fingerprint scanner to the rear of the Galaxy S8 and introducing 3D Touch-esque pressure sensing tech under the screen to provide a home button experience.
The new Galaxy S8 may even pack an iris scanner, providing another secure way of unlocking the handset and potentially authorizing payments – we fear it won’t be as speedy or user friendly as the trusty digit reader though.
There is some talk of a dual-lens camera, but it looks more likely that the Galaxy S8 will stick with a 12MP sensor on the back – although the front snapper could be bumped to 8MP.
Samsung has even confirmed that its new AI assistant, called Bixby, will take on Apple’s Siri and Google’s own Assistant on the Galaxy S8.
Samsung Galaxy S8 rumor round-ups
In a hurry? Then check out our Samsung Galaxy S8 rumor round-up videos for all the key details on the next-generation flagship smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors: Part 4
With less than a week to go before the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch, we take you through what you can expect to see from the new Galaxy.
Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors: Part 3
We have news of the Galaxy S8 launch date, what appears to be an official press image and side-by-side comparisons to iPhones and previous Galaxys.
Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors: Part 2
A clearer picture of what to expect from the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus with an update on a number of spec points.
Samsung Galaxy S8 rumors: Part 1
In our first in a series of Galaxy S8 rumor videos, we highlight some of the leading leaks.
Samsung Galaxy S8 release date
Hottest leaks:
- Confirmed: March 29 as Galaxy S8 launch date
- Galaxy S8 release date: April 21
- Galaxy S8 pre-order date: April 7 or April 10
It’s official: the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch date is March 29. Samsung revealed the date in a video teaser and in invites it sent out to media for the event.
The Galaxy S8 launch will happen in New York and London simultaneously, and TechRadar will be reporting live from both to bring you all the news.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 release date in stores is rumored to be April 21, and pre-orders are currently tipped to open on either April 7 or April 10.
There’s typically a one-month lag time between the announcement of Samsung’s biggest phones and their actual shipping dates, so that part at least checks out. A release sometime in April is all but confirmed now, as Samsung has launched print adverts for the phone, with April on them.
When it does launch we know that UK network EE will be stocking it, although as a major flagship we imagine almost every network will in the UK, US (it’s been certified for all US networks), Australia and beyond.
TechRadar’s take: The March 29 launch date is confirmed, and the April 21 release date makes sense since it’s nearly one month later.
Samsung Galaxy S8 display
Hottest leaks:
- Dual-curved edges
- QHD resolution
- New, taller 5.8-inch size
- Super wide 18.5:9 aspect ratio
There’s little mystery about the Samsung Galaxy S8 display, as a number of leaked images and specs point to a larger, curved screen – likely to be known as an infinity display.
The headline feature here is its 0.7-inch growth spurt, which puts the Galaxy S8 screen at 5.8 inches. That makes it bigger than the display on the Galaxy S7 (5.1-inch), Galaxy S7 Edge (5.5-inch) and Galaxy Note 7 (5.7-inch).
A taller screen seems to be in store for th S8 (credit: Evan Blass)
According to the information obtained by VentureBeat, the Galaxy S8 screen will boast curved edges and a Quad HD resolution.
This leak is backed up by a Slashleaks video (below) claiming to show the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus side-by-side.
Though in fact it now looks like it will have a 1440 x 2960 WQHD+ resolution, but may default to a lower 1080 x 2220 resolution (likely in order to save battery) going by the image below.
Further details on the Galaxy S8 screen size adds that it’s 5.8 inches if you measure the full rectangle, but only 5.6 inches if you stop before the curved corners.
The phone is said to max out the screen real estate by ditching the home button at the bottom and Samsung logo at the top to keep dimensions to a manageable size.
No physical home button in sight (credit: Weibo)
A clearer look at the S8 screen (credit: Slashleaks)
Curved displays for S8 and S8 Plus? (credit: @DforDesign)
Another leaked Galaxy S8 screen protector (credit: Techtastic)
Another look at the Galaxy S8 screen (credit: @VenyaGeskin1)
Further ‘proof’ that Samsung will remove the home button from the new Galaxy S8 comes courtesy of the leaked images above from Weibo and SlashLeaks, with the latter showing the always-on display as well.
This would mean the Samsung Galaxy S8 will have a wider 18.5:9 aspect ratio, which would see it follow in the footsteps of the LG G6.
The all-screen theory has also been backed up by leaked images of tempered glass screen protectors, shared by DforDesign and Techtastic, and even some images of the protectors on the phone, shared by @VenyaGeskin1, which you can also see in the gallery above.
With the physical home button getting ditched, it’s likely we’ll see software buttons on screen, much like those in the image below, found in a system dump for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3.
Samsung set to bring in on-screen control (credit: Android Police)
(Image: © Android Police)
The virtual home key, and perhaps the recent apps and back keys, are also rumored to be getting pressure-sensitivity, so they’ll do different things depending on how hard you push them.
Less credible now are stories that suggest a repeat of last year’s 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes, but with a jump in resolution from QHD to 4K resolutions.
We’ve also heard from Weibo that the Samsung Galaxy S8 could have a 5.2-inch 2160 x 4096 screen, but other Weibo rumors suggesting the S8 will have a QHD screen and the home button will be removed are now all but guaranteed.
There’s also the Always On Display (AOD), a feature that debuted with the Galaxy S7. This feature was improved on the Note 7, with more pictures added to the mix and a richer display hanging about on the phone when it’s turned off.
Future updates to the AOD mean that it should become even richer for the Galaxy S8, with third parties able to add their own widgets to the screen.
Samsung recently added a music player onto this area, so it’s highly likely third parties like Spotify will be able to do the same thing by the time the S8 launches.
TechRadar’s take: It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S8 will arrive with a 5.8-inch display with a QHD resolution, wider aspect ratio, slimmer bezels and the removal of the physical home button from the front of the device.
Samsung Galaxy S8 design
Hottest leaks:
- Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
- No physical home button
- A similar, yet refined design
- Water and dust resistance
The best views of the Samsung Galaxy S8 have so far come from trusted Twitter leaker @evleaks, who has posted a number of what appear to be official press shots of the upcoming flagship handset.
Take a look at the gallery below to see all the leaked Galaxy S8 images he has posted to date.
March 1: a front-on shot with the March 29 launch date (credit @evleaks)
March 19: “Samsung Galaxy S8 in black sky, orchid grey and arctic silver” (credit: @evleaks)
March 20: Front and rear shots of the Galaxy S8 appear to confirm the fingerprint scanner moving to the rear of the phone (credit @evleaks)
These shots clearly show the lack of a physical home button on the front of the Galaxy S8, the shifting of the fingerprint scanner to the rear of the handset and a third physical button on the side of the phone, which we now know will be used to trigger Samsung’s Bixby AI assistant.
They also give us an idea of the colors it might come in, with the images showing the Galaxy S8 in black, grey and silver. That might not be all your options though, as another – admittedly, far less convincing – leak adds white and blue into the mix.
In short then, the Samsung Galaxy S8 won’t look too different from the previous two incarnations of the firm’s flagship line, but with a premium metal and glass finish and futuristic curved displays that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The fingerprint pad appears to be off-center, resting next to the camera, in an odd twist. If that’s true, it’ll take some time to get used to its peculiar placement and we worry it could lead to smudges on the camera glass.
You can see the front and back of the Galaxy S8 – including the fingerprint scanner placement – in the leaked video below.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 design may be largely familiar then, but it will be refined in places, and this has been shown off by a collection of leaked images from BGR.
The shots, which you can scroll through below, show on-screen navigation keys in place of a home button, tiny bezels around the screen, power and volume keys on one side, and on the other a button to launch Samsung’s Bixby AI assistant.
Credit: BGR
Credit: BGR
Credit: BGR
Credit: BGR
Credit: BGR
A professional-looking render of the Galaxy S8, based on factory CADs (computer-aided designs), also lines up with the various design rumors we’ve seen.
The render includes details like the presence of power and volume buttons on the left edge, with a button for launching Samsung’s new AI assistant (discussed below) on the right edge.
CAD render of the Galaxy S8 andGalaxy S8 Plus (credit: @OnLeaks)
The leaks also adds dimensions of 148.90 x 68 x 8 mm for the Samsung Galaxy S8, which would make it only slightly bigger than the 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm Galaxy S7, despite having a 0.7-inch larger screen than its predecessor.
To get an idea of how it’s likely to stack up to the S7, Note 7, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, check out the images below, which were recently shared by @OnLeaks on Twitter.
Credit: OnLeaks
Credit: OnLeaks
Credit: OnLeaks
Credit: OnLeaks
iPhone 7 vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (credit: SlashLeaks/Weibo)
We’ve seen a similar comparison in a live photo (also above, slide 5) with the Samsung Galaxy S8 alongside the iPhone 7 – which it dwarfs, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge – which remarkably it’s smaller than.
That’s despite the S7 Edge having just a 5.5-inch screen and the S8 supposedly packing a 5.8-inch display.
It’s also likely to be IP68 certified dust and water resistant, both because the Galaxy S7 is and because exactly that has been rumored by sources speaking to The Investor.
If you are fan of colors, there have been a wide range of hues leaked. The most convincing rumors so far point towards Samsung Galaxy S8 colors of Black Sky, Orchid Grey and Arctic Silver, but we’ve also seen blue, green, gold and white hinted at.
TechRadar’s take: It appears nothing has been left to the imagination when it comes to the design of the Samsung Galaxy S8. The sheer volume of high quality leaks are hard to ignore, or discredit – what you see above it likely to be exactly what you get.
Samsung Galaxy S8 rear camera
Hottest leaks:
- A software-enhanced 12MP rear camera
- Same great f/1.7 aperture with larger pixels
- Dual-lens plans may have been dropped
- 1000fps slow-mo shooting
There’s a good chance the Samsung Galaxy S8 is going to have the best camera on any phone, whether or not it sees a bump in megapixels.
That’s exactly what we experienced from the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. In fact, Samsung dialed things back from Galaxy S6’s 16MP to just 12MP on the S7 duo.
The S7 series wowed us with excellent low-light photography thanks to having larger individual pixels and going from a f/1.9 to an f/1.7 aperture.
New Galaxy S8 camera rumors point to the same 12MP rear and a slightly better 8MP front-facing camera, both with the same f/1.7 aperture as before.
Samsung’s specialty, increasingly, has been in its post-processing software, and the latest camera to capture even more vibrant photos, no matter the situation.
This hasn’t stopped people from speculating, with Samsung reportedly working on a dual-lens rear camera with a 12MP and 13MP combo ready to roll.
There’s a suggestion that Samsung will use two cameras to help its parts suppliers make up for lost Note 7 earnings, plus it’s registered trademarks for two camera technologies designed to enhance the brightness of images, which is often the role of a secondary lens, further suggesting a dual-lens could be in the works.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge had an excellent camera
Thing is, these claims haven’t materialized in the latest Galaxy S8 leaks, with a single camera on the rear of the handset looking most likely.
Even if a dual-lens camera doesn’t launch this time, all signs point to Samsung saving the trademarked idea for something like the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
Meanwhile, a Weibo poster claiming the Galaxy S8 will have a 30MP rear camera and 9MP front-facing snapper can be noted down as almost certainly fake.
The Galaxy S8 camera might even shoot slow motion video at 1000fps (frames per second) according to one source. That would be more than other phones, narrowly beating the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. It sounds impressive, but there’s no word on what resolution it would shoot in.
Whatever the case, you can be sure the camera will be improved, in fact Samsung’s vice chairman has even said as much.
TechRadar’s take: Samsung already has the best camera on a phone, and this one will no doubt be touted as even better than before, but it doesn’t sound like we’re due for a major revision on the back of the Galaxy S8.
Samsung Galaxy S8 front camera
Hottest leaks:
- 8MP front-facing camera
- May include autofocus for the first time
The front-facing camera may go from 5MP to 8MP, and with the increasing focus on selfies, Samsung seems to be giving this snapper much-needed attention.
Your selfies could benefit from autofocus, which is a feature usually reserved for rear cameras, as they need to focus at various distances.
The usefulness would technically be limited on a front-facing camera (you can only extend your arm out so far, so a fixed lens is more than fine), but it could help eliminate occasional blurry faces while possibly blur backgrounds.
Samsung also filed a recent trademark entitled Smart AF, according to Android Authority. Meaning, soon, your selfies could look stunning AF.
If the Samsung front-facing camera can eliminate the barrel distortion of its wider-than-normal selfie camera, it would also be a plus for the Galaxy S8.
Samsung Galaxy S8 battery life
Hottest leaks:
- 3,000mAh battery for Galaxy S8
- Fast charging with QuickCharge 4.0
The Samsung Galaxy S8 battery capacity isn’t going to seem like ‘the next big thing’ by the rumored numbers, but that is unlikely to matter for everyday use.
According to some leaks it’ll have a 3,000mAh battery in the 5.8-inch, which is a little on the small side for a phone this size in 2017.
Some Android phones have batteries up to 5,000mAh in size, but it means the Galaxy S8 would match the S7 in terms of battery capacity, so it’s not all bad news.
And it’s looking likely that this will be the case, as an image of the battery has even now leaked showing a 3,000mAh capacity.
That said, another recent leak points to 3,250mAh and 3,750mAh sizes, which would seem more reasonable for such large screens.
Whatever the battery size, Samsung may have one big advantage over rivals in the form on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset.
Smaller chips consume less power, and the debut of the Snapdragon 835 (or a 10nm Samsung Exynos 8895 chipset for places outside of the US and China) means it can last longer on the same, or even a smaller battery.
There was one battery rumor that suggested the Galaxy S8 will have a huge 4200mAh juice pack with support for both wireless and fast charging, but we’re not convinced Samsung will squeeze in a battery that big considering the compact size that’s been leaked.
Fast charging with QuickCharge 4.0 is also tipped to debut thanks to Qualcomm’s technology, and Samsung has always tried to push its wireless charging pads. Expect both of those perks to be part of the Samsung Galaxy S8.
Samsung Galaxy S8 OS and power
Hottest leaks:
- Samsung Exynos 8895 chip worldwide
- Snapdragon 835 chip in the US
- 4GB or 6GB of RAM
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is likely going to arrive with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset which is faster, smaller and more efficient than the Snapdragon 820.
In fact, a leak suggests the Galaxy S8 could have a 3.2GHz octa-core Snapdragon chipset, which certainly sounds fast.
That said, Samsung also makes its own Exynos chips and with the Galaxy S7 some regions got those and others got the Snapdragon 820, so the same is likely to happen with the Galaxy S8.
More specifically, the US will probably get a Snapdragon chip, while the rest of the world will likely get an Exynos one.
Rumors suggest it will be the Exynos 8895, clocked at up to 3GHz (up from the 2.3GHz Exynos 8890 in the S7), and is supposedly also optimized for low power usage, as well as improving image processing performance by over 70%.
We’ve also heard rumors from SamMobile that not only is Samsung working on new mobile processors, but that it’s in talks with both Nvidia and AMD to build the GPUs (in place of ARM, which currently builds them).
With Nvidia behind some of the most powerful processors around and AMD’s architecture at the heart of the PS4 Pro, a move to either of these companies could give flagship Exynos chips a performance boost.
That extra power will really come in handy if Samsung plans to put a 4K screen on the Galaxy S8 or use it for high-end VR content – our betting is that both chips will be heavily focused around making VR the best experience it can possibly be, which will be a boon for Gear VR wearers.
Samsung’s also applied to trademark “beast mode”, which could be a supercharged setting designed to make the most of VR.
As for RAM, speculation is growing that it’ll have 4GB of RAM, contrasting with early rumors that point to 6GB.
Samsung has created an 8GB RAM chip compatible with smartphones, though it hasn’t been specifically linked to the S8. The fact that it could still have 4GB of RAM is a bit surprising.
TechRadar’s take: Samsung will dial up the power in the Galaxy S8, but will probably stick a Snapdragon 835 chip in the US version, with an Exynos processor available elsewhere. RAM is sure to be at least 4GB, but 6GB is not out the question, while 8GB is unlikely.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Bixby assistant
Hottest facts:
- Bixby AI assistant confirmed
- Dedicated hardware button
- Limited to start with
Samsung has announced its new AI assistant called Bixby, which will arrive on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and have a dedicated hardware button to launch it.
The button is designed to save you time when using Bixby, and the assistant as a whole is meant to be a seamless and intuitive alternative to using the touchscreen.
It may be quite limited at launch, apparently only working with a subset of pre-installed apps, but the selection of compatible apps will apparently increase over time, and ultimately Samsung plans to open it up to third-party developers.
Although not confirmed, Bixby is also rumored to come with both male and female voices, dubbed Bixby and Kestra.
Samsung Galaxy S8 other features
Hottest leaks:
- Iris scanner
- Desktop mode
- Dual stereo speakers
The S Pen stylus is a big feature of the Galaxy Note range, and rumors suggest it could also be coming to the Galaxy S8, as an optional extra. That suggests Samsung could be aiming to make the phone better for productivity, though we’re not convinced there’s much evidence of it.
But the Galaxy S8 could get an even bigger productivity boost, by including a Continuum-like feature, allowing you to plug it into a monitor for a desktop-like experience. That’s if the image below is to be believed.
That’s not the only reference to a desktop experience we’ve come across either, as another leak suggests the S8 will connect to a DeX dock, which will allow the phone to then connect to an external monitor via HDMI.
Rumor has it the Samsung Galaxy S8 is set to lose the 3.5mm headphone jack. The rumor doesn’t say why it’s dropping the legacy tech, but does suggest the phone will instead feature a USB-C port and come with an adapter in the box.
On the other hand, a leaked case supposedly for the phone (pictured below) shows the headphone port intact, along with a USB-C port and space for just a single lens camera.
We’ve also now seen leaked earphones built for the phone thanks to Slashgear, so despite earlier rumors it looks like the headphone jack will probably remain.
One area that Samsung could easily improve for the S8 is the speakers, and it just might, with rumors that we’ll get dual stereo speakers for the first time on a Samsung flagship.
They could also use Harman technology, which would make sense, since Samsung has purchased the brand.
We could see an iris scanner on the phone, as the company has stuck one on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the feature has been rumored for the Galaxy S8 more than once.
We’ve heard the iris scanner could be 3.7MP, and that it could be used along with facial recognition and fingerprint scanning for mobile payments.
And another source has also suggested we’ll see an iris scanner, along with 64GB and 128GB storage capacities, a microSD card slot and, oddly, a mini projector. Another rumor points to up to 256GB of storage, which would be a huge jump on the maximum of 64GB that’s built into the Galaxy S7.
A reversible USB Type-C connector is likely now it’s appeared in the Galaxy Note 7, and Samsung is likely to continue offering the features its flagships are known for, like an always-on screen (with enhancements), a microSD card slot and a waterproof body.
TechRadar’s take: A mini projector sounds like a long shot, but an iris scanner and stereo speakers are likely, while USB-C is all but guaranteed.
Samsung Galaxy S8 price
Hottest leaks:
- More expensive than the Galaxy S7
- ….or the same price as the S7
The earliest cost rumor claims an $850 (roughly £655/AU$1120) SIM-free price for the Samsung Galaxy S8.
This came from a Weibo post with no evidence to back it up, so we’d take it with a pinch of salt, but if true the Galaxy S8 would be slightly more expensive in most regions than the £569/AU$1149 (around $750) launch price of the Galaxy S7.
That slightly inflated S8 price tag has also been outed by Twitter leak Roland Quandt, who claims the Galaxy S8 will be priced at €799 (around $845/£695/AU$1,115), and more recently exactly the same price has been put forward by famed leaker Evan Blass.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be out in Black, Silver and Violet (!) colors, retail listings show. S8 priced at 799, S8+ at 899 Euro.7 March 2017
S8 – 799€S8+ – 899€DeX – 150€GearVR – 129€Gear360 – 229€ https://t.co/vVm6DRMkX5March 19, 2017
On the other hand, a similarly evidence-free claim has been made that while the materials will apparently cost 28% more than the S7, the cost to consumers will be the same.
Even if it does cost more, you might in a sense get more for your money, as the S8 is rumored to come with 64GB of storage – up from 32GB in the base Galaxy S7.
In the US, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will almost certainly come out on contract, with monthly payment plan prices starting around $33 a month until it’s paid off in full.
Samsung won’t offering the Galaxy S8 unlocked in the US at first, if history repeats itself. Instead, you have to get it from your carrier, be it AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or T-Mobile. Usually (about four months later), an unlocked version will be sold at full price.
TechRadar’s take: It’s very possible that the S8 will cost the same as the S7, especially as Samsung will want to make up for the Note 7 debacle. But if construction costs rise, as is likely, then that would mean making less profit on each unit, which it may not be prepared to do.
We got bored of waiting so we spent some time creating our own video render – here’s how we think the phone should look:
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