Samsung is working hard to make sure that the Galaxy S8 is a big success. Ahead of its launch in 2017, the smartphone is expected to follow Google's Pixel range by putting a virtual assistant at the centerstage, instead of putting the spotlight on top notch specifications like previous generation devices.
Samsung has also reportedly decided to enlarge the screen size of the device in order to compensate for the Galaxy Note7's loss. According to The Investor, the Samsung Galaxy S8 might arrive in 5.7-inch and 6.2-inch display variants. The reported screen sizes have been confirmed by Canadian telecom operator, The Bell. With the Galaxy S7 series, Samsung decided to stick with the same screen sizes as its predecessors. The regular Galaxy S7 came with a 5.1-inch display, while the Edge variant featured a larger 5.5-inch display.
Interestingly, the 6.2-inch variant of Galaxy S8 will reportedly feature a bezel-less design with no home button, to amplify an immersive viewing experience. It is also reported that Samsung will ditch the standard variant and launch the Galaxy S8 only with curved screen. “In order to attract potential Note consumers who prefer a large screen, Samsung has decided to adopt bigger screens for both new models of the S8,” The Investor quotes an analyst as saying.
After the explosive Galaxy Note7 saga, Samsung is cautiously moving towards its next flagship. The Korean electronics giant recently issued a full page apology ad in leading US dailies in order to regain their confidence with potential buyers.
Last month, Samsung announced plans to acquire Viv, an artificially intelligent platform created by the team behind Apple's Siri. Samsung plans to bake Viv right into its TouchWiz UI and might call it Bixby. The Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung's next flagship will feature a dedicated button to access the AI feature. The prototypes aren't final, and the launch may get delayed till April 2017, says WSJ.
Samsung recalled more than 2.5 million Galaxy Note7 devices, and lost over $5 billion in operating revenue in the process. On its aftermath, Samsung will try and lure customers back with the Galaxy S8, and this time, we can only hope it won't explode.