It may be early for definitive rumors surrounding the Galaxy Note 8; however, assuming Samsung will continue its phablet line in the fall of 2017, there are many features consumers can easily expect to see on the smartphone. The Galaxy Note 7 introduced to Samsung’s device line, several new features, which are sure to be on the upcoming Galaxy S8, and future devices as well. Check out a rundown of features pretty much guaranteed for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
Dual Edge Display
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was the first Galaxy Note device to feature a dual-edge curved display. Samsung has released several dual-edge smartphones, including the Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy S7 Edge (the latter two are phablets but are not Galaxy Note phablets). Samsung’s very first curved display smartphone, the Galaxy Note Edge, featured a single curve on its right side. After the Note 7, which was highly favored for its external design, Samsung is likely to continue in this trajectory. The manufacturer has hinted it may make the dual-edge display a standard feature on all future flagships. Rumors for the Galaxy S8 suggest all models will have a dual-edge display.
Iris scanner
The Galaxy Note 7 was also Samsung’s first smartphone to feature an iris scanner as a biometric security and authentication option. There is a good chance the feature will be included on both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8, since consumers did not get to use it for every long on the Galaxy Note 7.
IP68 Water Resistance, Including S-Pen
The Galaxy Note line has never been water resistant due to its S-Pen stylus, which fits inside its chassis and leaves an opening that can easily be affected by water. However, Samsung developed a method of sealing not only the handset, but also the Galaxy Note 7 S-Pen, allowing the device to be rated at IP68 for water resistance. This means the device can be submerged in up to five feet of water for 30 minutes. Now that Samsung has introduced this upgrade, it will likely continue to do so on other devices that feature an on-board stylus.
Blue Coral Color Option
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 also introduced to the market a shimmery light blue color called Blue Coral. The color was extremely popular on the Galaxy Note 7 and sold out quickly in the early days of availability. Samsung later began offering the Galaxy S7 Edge in Blue Coral, likely as a replacement for the Galaxy Note 7 due to its design similarities (both devices are phablets with a dual-edge displays). Much like gold and silver color options, which have become staples for Samsung’s premium lines, Samsung will likely also make the Galaxy Note 8 in Blue Coral to attract customers.
Expandable Storage
Samsung did away with expandable storage on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, but quickly brought it back on the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge after consumer protest. The Galaxy Note 7 also featured expandable storage up to 256GB. There is no reason why Samsung would not continue to include expandable storage on its devices. Currently, many Android manufacturers are supporting expandable storage up to 2TB, which could be a point of upgrade for Samsung in the future.
USB Type-C
The Galaxy Note 7 was Samsung’s first smartphone to feature a USB Type-C port instead of a Micro USB port. A big indication that Samsung will continue to transition its smartphones to USB Type-C is that it released a new Gear VR headset, which has support for both USB Type-C and Micro USB. The single headset can support all Galaxy flagships, Galaxy S6 and later. As older devices begin to retire, future Gear VR headsets may feature only USB Type-C; however, Samsung doesn’t refresh headsets every year.
