Galaxy S8 Specs Leak: 4K Display and Projector?
Leaked specs for the Galaxy S8 point to a very sharp 4K screen, a powerful 30-MP camera and built-in projector. But we're not convinced.
Some spec leaks seem entirely plausible, and others seem like the stuff of fanboy fantasies. The latest Galaxy S8 leak falls into the latter camp.
Obtained by Tech Updates by way of Weibo, the Galaxy S8 is said to feature a 4K display, a massive 4,200-mAh battery and a whopping 30-megapixel camera. Plus, the spec list includes a built-in projector. That's a lot of tech to stuff into a flagship phone, which is expected to debut as early as February 2017.
The screen upgrade is possible, as it would involve bumping the resolution from 2560 x 1440 pixels to 4096 x 2160. However, 4K on a 5.2-inch or 5.7-inch screen is overkill, as it would be very difficult to appreciate the additional detail. Plus, the higher-res panel would put a serious strain on the battery.
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That brings us to the 4,200-mAh battery rumor. The current Galaxy S7 sits at 3,000 mAh and the S7 Edge at 3,600 mAh. I'm all for more power, but in light of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7, which has a lower capacity 3,500 mAh battery, having that much juice packed into a smaller design would make me nervous.
The 30-MP camera leak is very intriguing, as I thought the megapixel race was over. Lately, it's been more about offering better low-light performance and dual lenses. In fact, previous Galaxy S8 rumors, as reported by Tech Radar, have pointed to the phone rocking one 12-MP camera and another 13-MP camera. So maybe the latest leak is supposed to be a combined number.
Putting a projector in a phone isn't exactly new. In fact, Samsung debuted a phone in 2012 with a built-in projector called the Beam. I'm sure the components needed for such a feature have shrunk since then, but it's not clear that there's much of an appetite for a projector beyond the business crowd. Perhaps Samsung could add some augmented reality capabilities to the mix to make what you beam more interactive, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
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Other specs in this leak include 6GB of RAM, which the OnePlus 3 already offers, a 3.2-GHz Snapdragon octa-core processor and a 9-MP front camera. And if you believe the source of this info, you can also expect four color options (Black, Blue, Gold and White) and an April 2017 on sale date.
Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.