2016 started off strong for Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are two of the most popular flagships of the year. The board was set for the year to end as strongly as it began with the unveiling of the highly-anticipated Galaxy Note 7 flagship, and for a couple of weeks things were smooth sailing. Of course, as most already know, things turned sour very quickly for the now infamous flagship. Two of Samsung’s most popular devices are ending the year on opposite ends of the spectrum, which leaves us to wonder: How will this impact Samsung in 2017?
The Galaxy S8, the next flagship that Samsung is set to unveil, is already suffering in some ways from Samsung’s tainted reputation as people wonder whether they should trust Samsung again. The Galaxy S7 received a pass because it was produced before the Note 7 and didn't have the same issues, albeit it was somewhat of a hassle to explain to people that the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S7 were unrelated due to the closeness in name (and the media using the term “Galaxy 7” to headline Note 7 incidents). The Galaxy S8, on the other hand, may not be a Note, but since it is being produced post Note 7, people are justified in their skepticism.
Still, I think that the ultimately the S8 will come out relatively unscathed from this PR nightmare, barring any unforeseen complications. Some of the rumors regarding the S8 sound great. Other rumors, such as the one stating that the Samsung may follow the recent questionable trend of removing the 3.5mm headphone jack, don’t sound so great. Even so, it feels like the lack of headphone jack is small potatoes compared to an exploding device. That doesn’t mean I think people are happy about it, nor do I find the act “courageous” as some people call it, but I do think that it’s something that most people have decided can be overlooked.
Other intriguing rumors of the S8 include removing the physical home button and the two capacitive buttons in favor of virtual ones, which would allow for a larger display (possibly a 6-inch display) without having to alter the size of current models by much, if at all. There’s also the rumor that all variants – assuming there is more than one, which may also change this year - will feature edged displays. Finally, there’s a rumor that suggests Samsung has been working on an advanced AI virtual assistant of their own, but other rumors counteract that claim, saying that Google may prevent this implementation because it would compete with Google Assistant.
Some reports claim that the S8 will be unveiled during a special Unpacked event sometime in April. Although Samsung typically announces their latest “Galaxy S” flagship during MWC in February/March, it’s understandable that the company may want some extra time to ensure safety standards are followed beyond the shadow of a doubt.
With all of that in mind, I am excited to see the Galaxy S8. The only rumor I hope isn’t true is the one about the headphone jack because removing them is just silly at this point. Also, as somebody who prefers (and purchased) the S7 variant without edges, I was initially wary about displays that only featured edges, but I think Samsung found a sweet spot with the Note 7’s more subtle edges and anticipate that they will implement that same design in the S8. The only thing that could make the S8 even better, although I’m not expecting it, is the return of the removable battery.
Readers, what are your expectations for the S8? Have issues with the Note 7 given you trust issues with Samsung, or is the S8 still in the cards for you if the specs and features are right? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
