Another render showing what’s said to be the Galaxy Note 8 surfaced online on Tuesday, depicting Samsung’s next flagship in some kind of a protective case and clearly showing its dual camera setup and fingerprint reader, as well as a dual-LED (dual tone) flash unit and a heart rate monitor that are separating the scanner from the camera module. The placement of the fingerprint sensor was one of the main gripes consumers had with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, otherwise highly praised devices that are reportedly breaking a number of sales records and are seemingly outperforming virtually every other Android device released this year so far.
It’s currently unclear whether the protective case shown in the newly uncovered render is one of Samsung’s official accessories that just went live for pre-orders earlier today, though the image itself seemingly confirms that the upcoming phablet will feature a physical Bixby button located below its volume rocker, much like the one featured on the Galaxy S8 lineup. Industry insiders previously said that the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is looking to make the Galaxy Note 8’s Bixby button textured in order to help consumers differentiate between that key and the volume down one without looking. The same source that shared the image above this writing also claimed that the Galaxy Note 8 will be the first mobile device using some unspecified imaging technology, further raising the expectations from the phablet’s camera setup.
Both lenses featured on the back panel of the Galaxy Note 8 are thought to be manufactured by Samsung Opto-Electronics and may be of the 13-megapixel variety with wide apertures that should allow them to perform well in low-light conditions. According to numerous previous leaks, the Galaxy Note 8 will boast a similar aesthetic to the one seen on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, with the phone supposedly featuring a nearly bezel-less design and 6.3-inch Infinity Display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The handset is widely expected to be launched in late summer, presumably in the run-up to IFA Berlin that starts on September 1, so more details on the device and Samsung’s other hardware endeavors should follow shortly.