Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, specs rumors: Next-gen flagship may not have dual-camera setup

Samsung's next-generation flagship, the Galaxy S8, is one of the most highly anticipated smartphone releases for next year. Consumers are expecting to see great things from the South Korean electronics giant partly because of how well-received the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge were and also because it is expected to offset the disaster caused by the Galaxy Note 7. Nevertheless, the latest reports suggest that the upcoming smartphone may not come with one specific feature — a dual-lens camera setup.

In the past few months, the Galaxy S8 was heavily rumored to be sporting a dual-camera setup for its rear shooter, specifically with 12-megapixel and 13-megapixel lenses. However, according to Phone Arena, Weibo insider Ice Universe has revealed that Samsung has nixed the dual cameras and will instead retain a single-lens setup for the upcoming flagship. While this development remains unconfirmed for the time being, the media outlet said that the source of the information has a decent track record when it comes to tips and leaks about the device.

No reason was given on why Samsung may have canceled this feature for the Galaxy S8. It's also a bit surprising given that it is expected to be a popular feature for devices in 2017. In fact, a few smartphones have already launched with a dual-lens setup including the iPhone 7 Plus from Apple, Samsung's fiercest rival in the industry. Furthermore, consumers expected this feature to arrive after Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-Yong teased that the device would have an "improved camera."

Despite the changes in the camera specs, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is still expected to be a powerful device when it launches next year. One of the other groundbreaking features rumored for the flagship is the artificial intelligence assistant that is expected to compete with Apple's Siri, the Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa. Back in October, it was reported that Samsung had acquired Viv, a startup built by the creators of Siri.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February 2017.