A fresh report out of South Korea alleges that Samsung is going ahead with its plans to launch a Galaxy Note 8 despite the controversy now attached to the series’ name. The next entry in the lineup is apparently coming out sometime in the second half of the year, post the April arrival of the Galaxy S8.
An unnamed industry official told BusinessKorea that the Galaxy Note 7 was very popular before it got embroiled in controversy. He claims that Samsung will cash in on the growing phablet market by releasing the Note series again this year.
The Galaxy Note 8 will reportedly come with the company’s new digital assistant Bixby. The AI tool has been a frequent presence among Galaxy S8 rumors. It makes sense for the manufacturer to bring the helper to what will presumably be its other flagship offering of the year.
Also Read: Find out why the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploded later this month
The report further says that Samsung will introduce better security for its iris scanner and an improved stylus. The company’s also looking to focus on high-definition VR by enhancing the phone with a QHD (2560 x 1440p) screen. It may also connect with a new Gear VR wearable.
There’s no way to verify the authenticity of the leak just yet. Multiple reports have been saying opposing things about the Galaxy Note 8 in the months since the Note 7’s demise. Some even state that the brand is hoping to launch a super-sized Galaxy S8 variant to fill the void left by the latter’s end.
Moreover, recent speculation had alleged that Samsung was going to include support for its S Pen stylus with the Galaxy S8. However, it supposedly won’t bundle the accessory along with the device, choosing to sell it as a separate add-on instead.