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On the eve of Apple’s iPhone 7 event, new leak reveals exciting Galaxy S8 details

Published Aug 30th, 2016 12:17PM EDT
Galaxy S8 Rumors
Image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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Tech fans around the world are abuzz as the rumors ramp up ahead of Apple’s big iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus event next week. We already know practically everything we should expect from Apple next week. The company’s new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will look a great deal like its old 6 and 6 Plus, but it’ll pack some big performance upgrades as well as a handful of new features. Both new models will have bigger batteries and twice the internal storage at each tier, and the larger iPhone 7 Plus will also sport a new dual-lens camera design.

But with Apple’s big iPhone 7 unveiling just around the corner, attention now turns briefly to Samsung because a new leak has seemingly revealed some exciting details about the company’s upcoming Galaxy S8.

DON’T MISS: There are still two big problems with Apple’s iPhones, but the iPhone 7 will solve one of them

It always seems like by some strange coincidence, Apple leaks tend to overshadow big announcements from rival companies. Just as an Android vendor is gearing up to unveil its next flagship phone, for example, some big report will spill new details on an unannounced Apple device and steal away some thunder.

We’re not sure this latest leak will end up stealing much thunder away from Apple’s iPhone 7 reveal next week, but this time around a potentially big Samsung leak has barged in on the Apple news cycle.

A post on Chinese microblogging site Weibo from a user named “i ice universe” (via PhoneArena) offers supposed specs for Samsung’s Galaxy S8 flagship phone. Samsung just unveiled the new Galaxy Note 7, of course, but the Galaxy S8 is expected in the first quarter next year so it’s obviously well along in terms of development.

So what can we expect from next year’s Galaxy S8? According to this leak, next year’s flagship Samsung phone will feature a new dual-lens rear camera setup with one 12-megapixel module and one 13-megapixel module. The addition of a dual-lens camera on the Galaxy S8 next year wouldn’t exactly be a surprise, of course, since Apple is introducing a dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7 Plus this year.

The post also claims that the Galaxy S8 will feature a new and improved 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and it will also sport an iris sensor just like the Galaxy Note 7. Both features would be appreciated, though neither would be surprising. What we’re most interested in seeing is the new Galaxy S8’s design. Samsung completely changed the design identity of its flagship smartphones beginning with the Galaxy S6, but every subsequent high-end handset has been a slight variation on that same design. Where will Samsung go from here? We can’t wait to find out.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.