With the initially highly anticipated Galaxy Note 7 exploding in Samsung’s face, a lot of attention is being focused on Samsung’s next flagship: the Samsung Galaxy S8.
Earlier this week, we learned about the existence of Synaptics’ new optical-based fingerprint sensor which is stated to offer high-resolution fingerprint scanning through 1mm of full cover glass. The sensor is expected to go into mass production in Q2 2017, with samples being shipped to smartphone manufacturers during Q1 2017. Some have suggested that this sensor may be seen in the upcoming Galaxy S8, but with the upcoming Samsung flagship expected to be announced at Mobile World Congress at the end of February 2017, the timelines don’t seem to match up.
That’s not to say the Galaxy S8 won’t feature Synaptics’ new fingerprint sensor, but that we’re merely operating off of rumor and speculation if we assume that it is. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of rumor now and then, provided that the speculation appears somewhat grounded in reality. Hundreds of Android related rumors circulate the web each day, but most are based on little to no evidence. In the occurrence that we do cover a rumor, it is because the idea seems plausible – though as with all rumors, it might not come to fruition. That being said, there is a new report out from the news section of the highly-popular South Korean web portal Naver that states the Samsung Galaxy S8 may feature its fingerprint scanner on the rear of the device.
An industry insider spoke to Naver regarding the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8. In the report, the insider mentions that Samsung may forego the home button entirely and feature its fingerprint scanner on the back. Furthermore, the iris scanner found on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 may return on the Galaxy S8 – not without its fair share of improvements, however. In addition, Samsung is said to re-launch its Samsung Pass service using its iris recognition technology.
Now, given the fact that every Samsung Galaxy device has had a home button, this rumor may seem far-fetched. Apple has had a home button on their iPhones from the very beginning as well, but that company recently made very significant changes to their home button with the latest iPhone. On iOS devices, it’s the norm to see devices with physical home buttons. On Android devices, Samsung is technically the odd one out with their continued use of a physical home button. Rear fingerprint scanners already exist on many Android devices, such as most Huawei phones equipped with a fingerprint scanner and the new Google Pixel phones. Finally, with the rumored re-introduction of the iris recognition scanner which resides on the front of the device, we can see how Samsung would justify removing the home button.
Of course, as we’ve mentioned before, a rumor is a rumor. None of this information is confirmed until we see actual production models of the phone out in the wild (unlikely) or we wait until Samsung officially unveils it in 2017. But it’s nice to speculate once in a while about what features upcoming flagships might rock.
Do you prefer a fingerprint scanner on the front or back of the device? Are you in favor of physical or software navigation keys? Let us know below!
Source: Naver (Korean)
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