Samsung is reportedly working on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 to launch in 2017. (Photo : YouTube/What Gear)
Samsung will go ahead on its 2017 release date plans for the Galaxy Note 8, notwithstanding the disastrous Galaxy Note 7 episode of last year. The South Korean tech giant has confirmed that the seventh generation of the original phablet will come out, likely in the second half of the year.
In reporting what went wrong with the Note 7, scores of which were engulfed on fire due overheating batteries, Samsung also made clear that there will be sequel to the device that was initially praised by tech expert as the best Android flagship of 2016. Essentially, the company quashed the rumors that the Galaxy Note brand will be discontinued and its place the Galaxy S8 Plus will become the supersized hero smartphone by Samsung.
According to CNET, Sammy fans can look forward to the seventh installment of the Note phablet and the launch time could happen around the third quarter of 2017. In previous iterations, the Galaxy Note debuted September or October and the earlier models were unveiled via the IFA trade show in Berlin, Germany.
It remains to be seen if Samsung will make use of the release templates employed with the past Galaxy Note models but what is certain is the company's assurance that for 2017 the world can expect "a better, safer and very innovative Note 8." The Galaxy maker, however, stopped short of providing specifics on the next Note feature upgrades.
In some reports, the Note 8 release in the aftermath of the Note 7 fiasco was labeled as a big gamble on Samsung's part but the company appears to dismiss the notion. Samsung Mobile chief DJ Koh has expressed confidence that the Note this year will generate interests that eventually will translate to buys in great numbers.
"We knew there are lots and lots of loyal Note customers," Koh was reported by CNET as saying. In addition, Tim Baxter, top executive for Samsung America, told the same publication that current users of the Galaxy Note 4 and Note 5 will be migrating to the Note 8 when the device is out in the market.
The touted safety features that will unbox with the Note 8 will likely be hinged on the 8-point quality assurance plan revealed by Samsung that essentially is aimed to prevent a repeat of the series of exploding batteries seen with the Note 7.
As for the fresh innovations or new feature upgrades, one can only assume that the Galaxy Note 8 will serve as the perfection phase of the new things that Samsung will unleash with the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. The latter two devices are rumored to unbox with an all-screen profile and powered by Snapdragon 835 with minimum 6GB of RAM - specs upgrade that mostly will be carried over or bump up a bit with the Note 8 on its release date in the last few months of 2017.
