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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 release date, specs rumors 2016: Pumped-up speakers in collaboration with JBL?

It looks like there is no stopping Samsung in taking another chance at continuing its famous phablet line next year. Rumor has it that the South Korean electronics company is giving more attention to detail especially with its device's speakers.

The Samsung logo at the main office building of Samsung in Seoul, South Korea. | Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

Reports note that the next Galaxy Note 8 will come with a speaker made in collaboration with audio electronics company and maker of premium speakers, JBL.

In support of this rumor, it can be recalled that Samsung is reportedly going to acquire Harman, a company best known for its car audio specialties since Samsung is rumored to be also interested in venturing to the car market.

However, it is suggested that Samsung will possibly reinforce its Galaxy Note 8 development team with Harman. Though there are two different names of companies involved in the rumors, it is important to note that Harman is the parent company of JBL and that the common denominator is that Samsung probably wants to release a phablet with superior audio capabilities.

Though Samsung has been considerably quiet about its plans for Galaxy Note 8, especially after the entire flop of Note 7, there has been subtle confirmation from the South Korean company that Note 8 is definitely happening.

For one, Samsung launched in its homeland what the firm calls the Galaxy Upgrade Program, which ensures that any customer who enrolls in it will get as high as 50 percent discount on Galaxy S8 or Note 8 (once they are released) if they choose to exchange their defunct Note 7 with either an S7 or S7 Edge.

On the other hand, noted mobile reporter and leakster, Evan Blass, reiterated that Galaxy Note 8 is in the pipeline as he posted via Twitter in early November, "Samsung Galaxy S8 models are indeed skipping SM-G94* model numbers, will ship as SM-G950 & SM-G955. Know what else is in the works? SM-N950."

Mobile geeks and Samsung fans were quick to pick up that SM-N950 is actually Galaxy Note 8 since Galaxy Note 7 used to have the model number SM-N930 and that SM-N is the model number generally given to the Galaxy Note line.

The common speculation on Galaxy Note 8's release date is sometime in 2017.