2016 was definitely a bad year for Samsung. One of their most popular phones was a commercial failure. They lost hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions due to the Galaxy Note 7. But Samsung is nothing if not ambitious. They’re already planning their next move and for them it’s the Galaxy S8 Plus. The Galaxy S7 is still one of the most popular smartphones on the market so why not double down? Like the iPhone Plus variants, Samsung is planning on having a larger version of their flagship phone also called the Plus. Samsung hasn’t officially revealed anything yet but there are plenty of juicy details from reliable sources.
First thing is first, is bigger really better? When it comes to smartphones, a lot of people think so. The S8 Plus is rumored to have a 6 inch display. That means it has a bigger display than the Note 7 did which came in at 5.7 inches. The flagship phone, S7 has a 5 inch screen, which is the standard for many smartphones and the normal S8 is expected to also have a 5 inch screen. But despite the upgrade in screen size the S8 Plus is supposed to be roughly the same size as the Note 7 due to difference in bezel size. Bigger screen with the same size phone? Yes please!
One of the biggest issues facing the larger generation of smartphone is just the sheer size and usability of these behemoths. Samsung is also rumored to have made the phone more compact by making the screen curved. Both the S8 and the Plus variant will probably have this which will make them more compact in overall size. The next generation is also rumored to have a Samsung developed voice controlled AI assistant. It will be different than Google’s voice controlled assistant but that means they would be in direct comparison. Many experts believe that especially with the new release for the Google Pixel phones they might force Samsung to scrap their AI.
So far the S8 Plus is sounding a lot like the Note brand. Will Samsung abandon the Note line due to bad press? What is the actual difference between the Note and the Plus? The answer to both of those questions lie in the S Pen that the Note is so famous for. The built-in stylus will not be featured in the Plus version of the S8. Sources claim that is because they want to keep the Note line alive and so the next version of that whatever form it may come in will probably have the S Pen. So far there are no rumors or plans regarding the resurrection of the Note line. Smart money is they want to let the recent events die down before they bring it back, probably in a few years, skipping at least a year or two of production.
No word on when the new Plus will be officially unveiled but reliable sources say it might make an appearance in February for MWC 2017 or maybe even April for a New York City event. Either way, Samsung fans will definitely welcome the idea of a new generation of Samsung phablet because they know Samsung can and will deliver.
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