Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Release Date: Codename ‘Baikal’ Confirmed?

While Samsung has confirmed a Galaxy Note 8 smartphone will launch in 2017, there are few concrete reports available about the device at this time. However, there are murmurs the Galaxy Note 8 will be codenamed “Baikal,” after the ancient Siberian lake. A Chinese Twitter account shared details about the codename Sunday. While it hasn’t been confirmed by Samsung, if true, the name could hold some sort of clue about what to expect from the Galaxy Note 8.

Samsung’s device codenames often allude to some aspect of the product. The Samsung Galaxy S7 was codenamed Project Lucky, referring to seven as a lucky number. The Samsung Galaxy S8 is supposedly codenamed Project Dream, which could refer to a VR component powered by Google’s Daydream protocol.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was codenamed Project Grace, which referred to the updated and simplified user interface on the device and its sleek design. There are also rumors surrounding a device codenamed Project Valley, which may be a foldable display smartphone that Samsung is expected to unveil at Mobile World Congress later this month.

Tech blogs have noted that Lake Baikal is known for its depth and clarity, suggesting the codename could possibly refer to a higher level of water resistance. However, it could still be too early for this rumors to be viable.

At this time, the Galaxy Note 8 is at most expected to include specs, originally from the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 7.