This year should be an exceptionally big one for smartphones. Samsung will have to make it up to fans with the Galaxy Note 8 after the issues with the Note 7 and the recall that ensued. And on a side note, Apple must deliver a tenth anniversary iPhone that surpasses the dreams of its fans—if it can even do that.
We’re hearing new information on the recall this week, an Samsung is expected to release its full report on the problem later this month. The report will be vital in determining what needs to be changed with the Galaxy Note 8 to ensure that the same problems don’t occur again.
Results from Galaxy Note 7 probe expected next week
Samsung could have killed the wildly popular Note line after the shame involved with the Note 7 recall, but it didn’t and that was probably a wise decision. The phone was so loved by users that they may be willing to forgive and forget, especially if Samsung surprises with something fabulous. The Note line carved out a name for itself with the unique S Pen stylus, and it would be a shame for it to disappear.
We heard over the weekend that the Korean firm’s own investigation revealed that the battery was the main cause of the explosions and fires in the Note 7. An unnamed source told Reuters that Samsung is expected to release its report on the cause of the problem on Jan. 23. That report should offer more details then and give the official confirmation on Reuters’ report. That’s the day before Samsung’s next earnings release.
Samsung recalled some 2.5 million Note 7 handsets after it tried to fix the explosion problems by using batteries from a different supplier. As a result, it seems questionable that the battery itself is to blame. An IDC researcher suggested to Reuters that Samsung might not have left enough room for the battery inside the phone.
What to expect in the Galaxy Note 8
If the battery is truly the main issue that caused the Note 7 problems, Samsung fans should be happy to hear that the Korean firm is planning to use batteries made by some of its competitors for the Galaxy Note 8. However, if the IDC researcher is also correct and the company didn’t leave enough space for the battery, then Samsung should be able to easily remedy this in the Note 8.
Aside from fixing the problems encountered in the Note 7, another suggestion that has been floated for the Galaxy Note 8 is a foldable display, but I would place this in the doubtful pile. Smartphones with foldable displays are probably coming sooner than we think, given that Apple, Samsung and now Microsoft have all received patents for the technology, among others. It would be surprising if the tech were ready in time for the Note 8, but if there is any phone on the market that could really use a foldable display in a useful way and not offer it simply as a gimmick, it’s the Note line.
Samsung has also been reported to be working on a new digital assistant called Bixby, although this is expected to debut in the Galaxy S8 earlier this year. The Galaxy Note 8 could also feature a 4K display for the first time, bringing it in line with phones made by less popular competitors, and an increase in RAM to 6GB. The amount of internal storage could double, and hopefully the iris scanner that debuted in the Note 7 will make a reappearance, but this time in a safe phone. IP68 water resistance is also expected, as are updates to the S Pen and camera.
We’ll probably have to wait until September to see how many, if any of these rumors materialize in the Galaxy Note 8, but you can bet that there will be a steady stream of stories before then.
