Two more pieces of information – currently considered to be rumors – have emerged about the Galaxy S8 flagship phone for 2017.
The first is the removal of the 3.5 mm audio jack, but Samsung’s reasons are different. While on iPhone 7 the change was intended to create a sort of moat against other players by locking in their users to the lightning port, Samsung may be putting a different spin on it. Forbes contributor Ewan Spence claims the company may use the USB-C ports to provide better audio capabilities.
According to SamMobile, the removal of the 3.5 mm audio port will free up space for a bigger battery and allow a thinner profile for the phone. But SamMobile also talks of stereo speakers, which would obviously require additional space as well.
We know for certain that there won’t be any Harman-branded audio set up on the Galaxy S8 because Samsung clearly stated that the first phones with that configuration may only come in 2018. They’ve only just bought the company, and their first priority will be on car audio and automobile connectivity, where Harman International Industries leads the pack.
The other shocker is that the physical home button may be removed as well. While this isn’t a major change to the Android fraternity of devices, it is a significant move for Samsung.
ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S8 Could Come in Two Variants – 5.7-inch and 6.2-inch Screens
There is a big advantage to doing this as well. If they do go through with it, they will need to embed a fingerprint sensor under the screen. This is a relatively new tech even though it’s been around since the first part of the year. LG already has the tech for this, and Apple could be working on its own home-brew version for the next iPhone.
But if Samsung does it on the Galaxy S8, they will have a significant time lead over Apple, which won’t be launching iPhone 8 until the second half of next year. Meanwhile, Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy S8 in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress in February 2017.
That should give Samsung the lead, at least on the embedded fingerprint sensor front.
At this point these changes could be based merely on educated guesses, but this year, more predictions about smartphones have come true than not. So, it’s likely there’s some credence to these newly emerged assumptions.
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