Galaxy Note 8 latest rumours, including price, release date and specs

Biggest screen ever, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and 6GB of RAM for forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 8

After the success of the Galaxy S8, unveiled at the end of March, Samsung is reportedly preparing to release its Galaxy Note 8. It will no doubt be hoping that it goes better than the launch of the Galaxy Note 7 last summer.

Then, of course, while the device was initially met with 'glowing' [pun intended] reviews users quickly complained that the device was generating excessive heat and, in some cases, going up in flames.

The cause was eventually identified as a manufacturing defect in the batteries - glued-in at the factory - and a flawed design of the device as a whole. The devices were banned from flights, production ceased and a global recall ensued.

So, the forthcoming Galaxy Note 8 can hardly do worse than its predecessor device, but what can we expect when it is finally launched this summer?

Release date

Samsung has already admitted that it plans to launch a 'second flagship' (if that's not a contradiction in terms) in the second half of the year. The company has, in the past, typically launched a major device at the IFA trade show in Berlin, Germany, which this year falls at the beginning of September.

Price

We've not heard any solid news on pricing, but can take an educated guess that, with the Samsung Galaxy S8 starting at £680 then the Note 7's starting price will be anywhere between £700 and £750 - so start saving now.

Specs

The device is expected to run Android 7.0.1 Nougat, but will be upgraded to Android O when it is released in October. Seven hundred notes also buys a 6.3in 4k (3,840x2,160) Super AMOLED curved display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 microprocessor, 6GB of RAM and at least 64GB of built-in storage, with support for microSD expansion.

It will also have S-Pen support, fast-charging and wireless charging, an improved iris scanner and a screen-embedded fingerprint scanner. Naturally, it will come with Samsung's Bixby AI assistant and you can even take the device for a swim, if you want, as it will be certified to IP68 standard.

You will, however, need to buy either a dongle, Bluetooth headphones or a pair of headphones with a USB-C attachment.

Oh, and the battery will be around the 4,000 mAh mark and, hopefully, will remain cool in all circumstances.

AOB

The latest rumours are based on a YouTube video courtesy of TechNavi. According to The Inquirer, it showed "an early concept for the Galaxy Note 8 design, and with no fingerprint scanner on its front of rear, hints that it could be the first Samsung smartphone to offer an under-screen sensor. The clip… also shows dual-camera set-up on back of the Galaxy Note 8, with what looks like a dual LED flash underneath".

Last week, a leak via Weibo suggested that the Galaxy would have the biggest-ever screen for the popular 'phablet' line, and would adopt the same ultra-long 18.5:9 aspect ratio established with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+.