Samsung Galaxy Note 8 to be launched today: Here's what to expect

Will Samsung Note 8 supersede the troubled Note 7 smartphone from 2016?

Samsung is set to unveil its flagship galaxy Note 8 today at a splashy media event in New York. The device is expected to be launched online on August 23 at 8:30 p.m. While the South Korean tech giant's fans are excited about the latest launch, the memory of explosive Note 7 is etched deep. Will Samsung Notebook 8 supersede the troubled Note 7 smartphone from 2016 and win buyers over again?

Here's what buyers must look out for if rumours are to be believed:

Battery

Samsung is being naturally cautious in the battery department after Note 7 disaster. So we'll see just a 3,300mAh battery inside. It will fast-charge wired or wirelessly, with the former operating over USB-C. Another significant battery-related problem would be disastrous for the company and the responsible executives.

Safety checklist

Samsung has is believed to have enhanced safety checklist by using in-house '8-point battery test'.

'Bixby' voice assistant 

Samsung 'Note 8' may have a separate physical button for its 'Bixby' voice assistant, much like Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus flagship devices.

Digital pen

The device may also come with a digital pen called the "S Pen" that may have a speaker within it, doubling it as a voice recorder.

Dual-camera setup

The iPhone 7 Plus is the king of smartphone cameras right now but Samsung is aiming to dethrone Apple’s current flagship. According to a report in CNET, 'Note 8' will have a dual-camera setup -- likely a 12MP optical and 13MP telephoto sensor and it may also have rounded edges on all sides. 

Screen

The Note 8 could top the Galaxy S8 Plus' 6.2-inch display with a 6.4-inch screen on a body not much larger than the S8 Plus

Breathalyser

If reports are to be believed, Samsung is developing a novel "gas sensor" that works as breathalyser. This sensor is expected to be present in Note 8 also which would tell a person if he is drunk.

Audio
 

Having acquired Harman Kardon, Samsung says it will utilise Harman's audio brands, which include AKG and JBL, to "deliver enhanced customer benefits and elevate user experiences across Samsung's complete portfolio of consumer and professional products and systems".

In a conference call the company reportedly claimed that "The Galaxy Note 8 will feature more advanced, richer multimedia functionalities."

Note 7 explosion

The Note7 smartphones debuted in late August 2016 and were quickly followed by reports about battery fires and explosions in the devices. Samsung addressed those initial reports by investigating the devices that had fires and starting its own global recall, and then in September 2016 cooperated with U.S. regulators at the Consumer Product Safety Commission when the agency issued a government recall of a million of the handsets due to at least 100 reports of fires and explosions from consumers. The Note7 debacle was costly for Samsung financially, with some 2.5 million Note7 handsets recalled in October 2016. It caused the firm operating losses of some $5 billion but Samsung recovered quickly.

However, the Note 8 launch is likely to prove just how effective the company's efforts were.