Where is it? What will it look like? When can I have one? These are all questions whenever a new Samsung is announced and the Galaxy S8 is just the latest to spark our curiosity. Though, to be fair, the Stuff team goes bonkers whenever something new is announced. Or we think something is going to be announced. Or when someone wants to order pizza, come to think of it…
On topic, Samsung in 2017 is a slightly different beast because they’ve got a smoke-filled spectre hanging over them. As a result we’re watching even closer than usual and this is what we’ve seen lately.
Render unto… us. Please?
The answer is: attractive, though there are doubts as to whether this render is based on a final design. For one, it’s missing space for a headphone jack and, as we’ll see in a second, that could be a very large mistake. But if the final design for the S8 is anywhere close to this we’re going to be very pleased come launch day.
Jacked up
Will it stay or will it go? The Galaxy S8’s headphone jack, that is. The answer, if we’re were asked last year, would have been that the 3.5mm port was toast. Now… we’re not so sure. Nor are a bunch of other people. Based on evidence from cases for the S8 the headphone jack is sticking around and Android Police, citing sources that have “…proved reliable in the past”, has said that they have a “…a high degree of confidence” that the S8 will retain the headphone port. What that conclusion is based on they won’t say but they say that leaked cases have nothing to do with it.
How about a date?
How about two? We’re hoping that we’re getting an official look at the Galaxy S8 just before Mobile World Congress but the actual launch date…? That’s something that we’re not sure of yet. As usual, there is a date floating around and that date is 15 April, according to Korean publication ET News. Or it could be a little sooner than than, on 29 March according to sketchier reports. That same report (and others) claims that Samsung won’t be revealing the S8 to the public at MWC, limiting themselves to a select group instead. That ties up with reports of a limited launch for the handset, but from there it gets more complicated.
Failure to launch?
Reports from last year, before the 29 March and 15 April launch dates popped up, claimed that we wouldn’t see the Galaxy S8 at MWC at all. Samsung was reported to be holding the phone in reserve for a launch event in New York, away from all the noise and competition that MWC will bring. The supposed date for that launch? 18 April.
So where does that leave us? Um… conflicted. Samsung might have the Galaxy S8 at MWC but they may not show it to the world at large. They might have a big unveiling during the event. Or we could be forced to wait for April for an official reveal. The events of last year have thrown the company’s patterns out of whack, so anything could happen.
Source: SamMobile, Android Police