The rumor mill surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S8 is in full swing, given that the South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer is expected to officially unveil its latest and greatest smartphone in just a few months. Most recent reports suggest that the company’s first 2017 flagship will ship with a curved 4K display, Viv AI assistant, and a dual-camera setup.
Earlier today, SamMobile reported a full list of official Samsung accessories slated for launch alongside the Galaxy S8, citing unnamed sources close to the Seoul-based company. The short version of the story is that the Galaxy S8 will mostly ship with the same accessories released with the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge earlier this year, with one notable exception. More specifically, Samsung is planning to launch a standard Protective Cover alongside a regular screen protector for the Galaxy S8. If you prefer transparent covers over alternatives, the company also has a Clear Cover and a Clear View Cover in the works. Other confirmed accessories include a Keyboard Cover, a LED View Cover case, a 2,600mAh Backpack, a Multimedia Dock, and a high-end Protective Cover made from Alcantara leather, the latter of which being the only new option in comparison to official accessories released for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge.
Now, Alcantara leather is a top-of-the-line material. The name itself is basically a marketing term for Ultrasuede, a synthetic microfiber fabric created in 1970 by Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto, a renowned Japanese scientist whose creation was the first of its kind in the world. Ultrasuede revolutionized the premium fashion, automotive, marine, and consumer electronics industry, and is still widely used to this day. The only difference between Alcantara and Ultrasuede is the fact that the former is produced in Italy. Other than that, the material composition and manufacturing techniques are almost identical. Alcantara is produced by a whole lot of microfibers being intertwined with a technique called needle punching and subsequently injected with an adhesive binder. The result is a piece of fabric that’s both smooth and silky, as well as durable. In other words, expect the Galaxy S8 protective cover made from Alcantara leather to be quite pricey. All of these accessories and the Galaxy S8 itself are slated for a reveal at the Mobile World Congress 2017 scheduled to take place in late February and early March.