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epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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Well mid range flagship are getting really really good which is awesome because it pushes prices down and keeps Apple, Samsung on their heels.

I've seen a few tests were the note 7 beats the one plus three but the difference is very small.

I think the S8 will be the first to pack a 4k screen, sd 830 and hopefully an aluminium back or even better removable leather

I predict they'll stay with glass.

Removable leather? Like a leather backplate that one can remove to reveal a replaceable battery? I'd be very surprised if Samsung went back to this for their galaxy s line. Or did you mean something else?
 

JaySoul

macrumors 68030
Jan 30, 2008
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If you take Samsung 2016 as a whole, I have no idea what they are going to do with the S8. It's not like there is much to drastically improve upon.
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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If you take Samsung 2016 as a whole, I have no idea what they are going to do with the S8. It's not like there is much to drastically improve upon.

Yeah, I wonder what they'll do to make it really stand out. I don't see the design language changing much if they want to retain all the same features.

I mainly want to see a new home button, refined edge screen, continued improvement on TouchWiz and the iris scanner, and the usual camera, processor improvements.

I can't wait to see what kind of footprint a 5.2" edge screen s8 will look like. If they stay the course and offer the regular model with no compromises (other than obviously the screen and battery size), it'll be time to jump back to the smaller phone. Imagine how ergonomic it could be with an edge panel.
 
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bufffilm

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May 3, 2011
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A 4K screen is unnecessary.

Samsung needs to concentrate on:

- less bloatware and closer to the Nexus support model

- wish they go to Exynos for US market (but they won't)

- stick to a flat front screen for the Galaxy (so we can still use glass protectors)

- 64gb base (I'd rather this than going to 4K screen)

- more battery (3000ma is a decent start but could be better)

- refine the camera (does a bit too much preprocessing under some conditions)

Samsung needs to recognize that now it's not about cramming more new features on their phones, but more about refining what they have. They already outclass Apple in many key areas, but they lag behind in product support, etc.

Also, they are too reliant on carriers to push the product...I'd love for them to release a true 'world' phone that had all the GSM and CDMA bands and made it available unlocked in the major markets.
 
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frankgrimes

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2016
519
387
A 4K screen is unnecessary.

Virtual Reality just one word...Samsung has that Gear VR stuff and FHD, QHD hardly make for a good experience so you'll need 4k screens.

Removable leather? Like a leather backplate that one can remove to reveal a replaceable battery? I'd be very surprised if Samsung went back to this for their galaxy s line. Or did you mean something else?

Yes exactly that would be awesome but like you I don't see it happening. I would be happy if they go from Glass to Alu it's a bit more sturdy and has a premium feel to it.
 

bufffilm

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May 3, 2011
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Virtual Reality just one word...Samsung has that Gear VR stuff and FHD, QHD hardly make for a good experience so you'll need 4k screens.



Yes exactly that would be awesome but like you I don't see it happening. I would be happy if they go from Glass to Alu it's a bit more sturdy and has a premium feel to it.

Ok...there it make make sense.

I'm not adverse to Samsung upping the hardware. But if not apparent to some, the smartphone market, particularly the high end, will be harder the justify going forward from a consumer POV.

I'd hate for Samsung to find this out the hard way. Id rather they focus on the areas that they're weak over other aspects.
 
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ryanwarsaw

macrumors 68030
Apr 7, 2007
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If you take Samsung 2016 as a whole, I have no idea what they are going to do with the S8. It's not like there is much to drastically improve upon.

nice problem to have. They have done everything humanly possible and pushed the edge so to speak. i know of another tech company that needs to throw down the gauntlet however.
 

frankgrimes

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2016
519
387
Ok...there it make make sense.

I'm not adverse to Samsung upping the hardware. But if not apparent to some, the smartphone market, particularly the high end, will be harder the justify going forward from a consumer POV.

I'd hate for Samsung to find this out the hard way. Id rather they focus on the areas that they're weak over other aspects.

Very true, mid range phones at half the price of flagship ones are getting much better and carriers are dropping contracts left and right, so it will be interesting. Apple, Samsung, HTC, LG and Sony need to deliver if they still want to charge twice as much. Personally I think the one plus one 3 is the phone of the year so far, only challenged by the Axon 7
 

ryanwarsaw

macrumors 68030
Apr 7, 2007
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2,441
Ok...there it make make sense.

I'm not adverse to Samsung upping the hardware. But if not apparent to some, the smartphone market, particularly the high end, will be harder the justify going forward from a consumer POV.

I'd hate for Samsung to find this out the hard way. Id rather they focus on the areas that they're weak over other aspects.

They have a big head start in hardware now let's see if they can get their software up to snuff. I can't think of any reason that they wouldn't be able to. I have to believe they have some incredibly talented people working for them.
 
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5105973

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Sep 11, 2014
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Rumours are apple has dropped sapphire glas because it breaks easier than gorilla glas, it's only good against scratches.
It's amazing on the Apple Watch and has taken some decent hits as I work in the house and yard. But visibility through it is not as clear as through glass. And if it's also brittle, we are better off with glass.
[doublepost=1471719582][/doublepost]I suppose they could be ready to migrate to the higher speed UFS sd cards since it was rumored they might try it for the Note 7. The performance leap would be considerable: http://www.pcworld.com/article/3092...orage-cards-could-replace-micro-sd-media.html

Their CEO did say it is possible to make a user replaceable battery while retaining waterproofing but it would cause the price to rise above consumer and Samsung's comfort levels to do so. They could perhaps find a way to manage this (and placate the customers who were angry about losing that feature) while keeping costs down.

I'm too much of a newbie to comment on the software refinements.

My husband said the build quality felt cheaper to him when he was helping me snap my SIM card and SD cards in. I never need help with my SIM card on an iPhone but the one from the Note flexed a lot. So they can continue to refine build quality.

It will be interesting to see what Apple's new dual camera technology brings to the table. That might be worth exploring.

I don't understand why the US and Canada get Qualcomm rather than Exynos. If it has something to do with Exynos not working with CDMA then I wish they would just make Qualcomm specific to the CDMA based carriers. If it isn't that...then I don't know what it is.
 

Fernandez21

macrumors 601
Jun 16, 2010
4,840
3,183
New leak on the S8, looks like theyre doing the dual camera setup too.
This to me also shows the importance of iteration. HTC was first with larger pixels but never developed it and dropped it. They were also first with the dual camera set up, but again never developed it and dropped it. Think of how different their reputation would've been had they stuck to those ideas but kept building on them with every new phone? That what makes Apple great, when they introduce a feature, they keep improving it with every generation, and it's something Samsung has learned too.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,370
8,952
a better place
One thing I want from the S8 is better speakers. As much as I liked the S7e and really enjoy my S7, the speakers are pretty crappy compared to other devices. I would appreciate a similar setup to the HTC 10 with ear piece being a speaker and bottom being a subwoofer. Give me louder and a more balanced sound that resonates from both sides of the device rather than tinny speaker on the bottom.

Other than that, keep exynos and improve front camera and I'll be happy.

Perhaps lighter TW but we always ask for that.
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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iPhone 7 is official. Your move, Samsung.

I hope they also move away from the physical home button and find a way to get dual-speakers in the S8.
 

BlueGoldAce

macrumors 68000
Oct 11, 2011
1,951
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iPhone 7 is official. Your move, Samsung.

I hope they also move away from the physical home button and find a way to get dual-speakers in the S8.

Looks like a nice phone, but I don't think it really out-classes the S8.

The camera has yet to be judged, but we can assume it will probably match Samsung, or come close, and the added features of two lenses or whatever.

Beyond that, they go compare pretty well. Processor power is becoming less and less important, at least until the software catches up.
 
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epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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Looks like a nice phone, but I don't think it really out-classes the S8.

The camera has yet to be judged, but we can assume it will probably match Samsung, or come close, and the added features of two lenses or whatever.

Beyond that, they go compare pretty well. Processor power is becoming less and less important, at least until the software catches up.


Yeah, it's a good update for the iPhone, but a lot is not new to the Android world. Still, the ball is now in Samsung's court to respond to this and the few new things the iPhone does have.
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
6,517
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http://www.phonearena.com/news/This...nouncement-date-circle-your-calendars_id85340

This is the most probable Samsung Galaxy S8 announcement date, circle your calendars

So, based on the presumption that Samsung will announce its next batch of high-end devices just before MWC 2017, which will be held between February 27 - March 2, 2017, our educated guess is that Samsung will show the Galaxy S8 during a keynote event on

February 26, 2017



iPhone 7 reviews say Apple has brought the camera -- mainly in the 7 Plus model -- up to par with S7/Edge and Note 7 offerings. I wonder what Samsung will do with the S8 camera going forward. It has to not only continue upping the iPhone, but it has to be ready for what the 2017 iPhone will bring, too. I think it's safe to assume we can expect dual cameras, but will Samsung limit it to just the bigger model like Apple? I sure hope not.

Rumors are also saying both 5.1" and 5.5" models will sport the new and improved Note 7 version of the edge panels. Can you imagine the ergonomics and footprint of the 5.1" model?

And will this year finally see some bigger redesign elements? I don't think Samsung should risk going 3 years in a row with such a similar design, but I also don't expect them to change it drastically. I suspect we'll see a redesigned home button (hopefully capacitive), dual cameras on the back, and hopefully some dual speaker set up? Again, the iPhone 7 now sports dual speakers, so Samsung will have to venture into this territory somehow. I hope they're able to find a way to make them both front-facing. Just cause HTC abandoned it, doesn't mean Samsung can't figure out a way to do it to while making it waterproof and look well designed. If they adopt the HTC/Apple method of having the earpiece act as the second speaker, then so be it, too. They might need the room upfront for the new IRIS scanner, too.

All this will bring about design changes. And, needless to say, Samsung production has to be buttoned up. Obviously no more faulty batteries, but they also can't afford any other "gate" like mishap. Minor ones will exist as they do with all launches, but they can't take another major hit. Not with their other flagship line.

Software wise will be very interesting too. Now that Android N has some of the features that made TW stand out, how will they press forward to improve TouchWiz? The usual "lean and mean" clean up of TouchWiz is expected; they've been improving with each iteration year over year, but what will they add? I hope they implement some form of "raise to wake" to compliment the IRIS scanner.

And will they be able to wrangle any control from the carriers? With the Note 7 debacle, maybe their power has waned. I'd expect not much to happen on this front. This doesn't bother me as much as it bothers other people, but I still think this is something Samsung has to pursue. At least there'll be unlocked versions a couple of months after release, assuming Samsung continues that relatively new tradition.

If Samsung can learn from the battery mistake and have the S8 production buttoned up, if they can build upon the Note 7 technologies, and if they can continue matching and challenging their biggest rival, Apple, now that they're finally catching up in hardware, then the S8 should be a great device. I hope they keep going.
 
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BlueGoldAce

macrumors 68000
Oct 11, 2011
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According to Sam-mobile, Samsung might be preparing to launch the s8 early, in response to the note 7 woes. Interesting.

Good or bad thing?

I honestly am unsure. The hardware will be killer, we know this. But I'd rather a late releass, hypothetically, then an early one if they took the time to optimize. Remove unnecessary bloat,allow android N to take over redundant features (multi window), and just fine too thr software.

I mean, seriously, take the HTC 10 and learn from that phone.

Also, optimizing and using only one chip would go a long way.
 
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MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,370
8,952
a better place
Calling it now. 3 SKU models.

S8 (regular) 5.1-5.2"
S8 EDGE 5.5"
S8 STYLUS 5.7" with S-Pen

Date prediction. Global launch late February, with an astronomical marketing budget ....
 
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nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
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The best thing anyone can do is really wait for the iPhone 8 to see which guy will be the stronger head to head comparison.

Samsung took an unprecedented move with the recall. Not only the Note 7 has issues, but the S7 and S7E too. I think I made the right decision to ignore the Note 7 at the time, but bad decision to get the S7.

Outside of early adopting pricing, ends users have to worry about safety. At least with bending, Apple replaced phones. With the Wii Remote fiasco, they added the strap and what not. I haven't seen something so "small" and widely used pose such a potential "danger" in a pocket.
 
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epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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According to Sam-mobile, Samsung might be preparing to launch the s8 early, in response to the note 7 woes. Interesting.

Good or bad thing?

I honestly am unsure. The hardware will be killer, we know this. But I'd rather a late releass, hypothetically, then an early one if they took the time to optimize. Remove unnecessary bloat,allow android N to take over redundant features (multi window), and just fine too thr software.

I mean, seriously, take the HTC 10 and learn from that phone.

Also, optimizing and using only one chip would go a long way.


Source? That's an interesting theory.

Samsung would be gambling again...
 

BlueGoldAce

macrumors 68000
Oct 11, 2011
1,951
1,455
Calling it now. 3 SKU models.

S8 (regular) 5.1-5.2"
S8 EDGE 5.5"
S8 STYLUS 5.7" with S-Pen

Date prediction. Global launch late February, with an astronomical marketing budget ....

Makes perfect sense to me.

Back in the day, when the Note series introduced new hardware and was completely different design, it made sense to release it separate. Now the hardware is relatively unchanged, and its just a refinement of the s series.

Release it all at once, through everything you got at it, and dominate the first half of the year. Then let the iPhone have its time. You are not going to supplicate the iPhone, so just enjoy the dominance you have.
[doublepost=1473859920][/doublepost]
Source? That's an interesting theory.

Samsung would be gambling again...

Sorry bud, I was walking on my phone, and too busy to post the source.

Thanks MRU.


It would also be great if they moved off the Snapdragon platform. That platform never does well with Samsung phones. My note 7 should be great, like the exynos version, but I am dealing with lag, heat, and sub-par battery life.
 
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epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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The best thing anyone can do is really wait for the iPhone 8 to see which guy will be the stronger head to head comparison.


There's no question I'll be saving one JoD upgrade for the iPhone 2017. Everything I'm reading about it sounds amazing. I think Apple will slay it in 2017. If they come through, I'll be ready with my upgrade to come back to Apple. This year is an obvious skip for me.

Samsung definitely can't rest. Especially not after the Note 7 debacle.
 
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nviz22

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There's no question I'll be saving one JoD upgrade for the iPhone 2017. Everything I'm reading about it sounds amazing. I think Apple will slay it in 2017. If they come through, I'll be ready with my upgrade to come back to Apple. This year is an obvious skip for me.

Samsung definitely can't rest. Especially not after the Note 7 debacle.

They were resting on their laurels for ages. Just making enough changes to outclass Apple. If HTC had striking distance, then Samsung would have dual speakers right now or stereo sound at the bottom. Or possibly cleaner software.
 
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epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
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They were resting on their laurels for ages. Just making enough changes to outclass Apple. If HTC had striking distance, then Samsung would have dual speakers right now or stereo sound at the bottom. Or possibly cleaner software.

Resting on their laurels? The past two years with the S6/S7? I don't know; I see it differently.

Agree with you about HTC, but to be fair, HTC mostly has themselves to blame (e.g., Apple can get away with a 3 year design. HTC cannot). I do hope Samsung finds a way to get front firing dual speakers.
 
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