Earlier this week, BGR exclusively gave the world what could be its very first look at the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone. The hotly anticipated handset was rendered by a third-party case manufacturer. According to a source, the handset pictured in that render was based on information that came straight from the factories that are building Samsung’s upcoming new flagship phones. While nothing is confirmed until the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 edge (if that’s what it ends up being called) are unveiled on stage by Samsung, that image could very well have been our first look at the phone.
The following day, several additional renders were published that showed a curved Galaxy S8 edge in a protective case, and may have given us an even closer look at the phone. Now, new renders may very well have given the world its first clear view of the upcoming new Galaxy S8 edge.
Ghostek is the case maker that created the renders we published on Wednesday and Thursday, but this new round comes from a different company called Olixar. Unlike the larger waterproof Ghostek model, this Olixar case is a slim minimal case that merely provides scratch protection for the back of the phone. There’s also a clear version the company is making, so the Galaxy S8 edge render in the clear case is completely exposed.
Here’s the image, which was posted on Friday by smartphone accessory retailer Mobile Fun:
The Galaxy S8 edge pictured there aligns almost exactly with the renders Ghostek created, though it’s unclear if these new renders are based on information from the same factory. The Olixar renders also include the flash on the back of the phone though, suggesting the company may have more complete information.
Interestingly, there’s no home button and no fingerprint scanner on the back of either case maker’s renders. If these mockups are accurate, that could mean Samsung has successfully embedded the fingerprint scanner beneath the display, which is in line with some earlier rumors. Apple is also rumored to be embedding a next-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner beneath the screen on the upcoming iPhone 8.
Samsung is expected to unveil its new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 edge smartphones during a press conference in either February in March. The phones will then reportedly be released sometime in April.
Two additional renders follow below.
